Poppy Seed Cake
This Poppy Seed Cake is one of my all time favorite recipes. It’s very easy to make and yields 7 mini loaves, which are perfect for gift-giving. The cake is already amazing all by itself, but then there’s this sugary orange glaze that you pour over it right when it comes out of the oven. I can’t even. The good news is that they are great to make all year long, not just for Christmas.
All the ingredients are mixed together in no particular order, then poured into greased mini loaf pans and baked for 25-30 minutes. Then pour on the glaze and you’re done!
This is how they look when they come out of the oven, post-glaze.
See how amazing and sugary they look after they cool? They also freeze well, so you can bake them ahead.
I’ve gifted these cakes in various ways over the years. Sometimes I wrap them in a cute Christmas dish towel. I’ve also baked them in ceramic mini loaf pans I found at Michaels, and included that in the gift. This year I went a little more basic with twine and a sprig of faux holly. I promise you that it will be appreciated no matter how you present it.

Glazed Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 3 cups self-rising flour
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract or flavoring
- 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 4 teaspoons poppy seed
- Glaze:
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 teaspoon butter extract
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together, beating on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Pour batter into in 7 well-greased mini pans, filling each to about 2/3 full.
- Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and spring to the touch.
- Combine glaze ingredients and pour over hot cake.
- Cool and carefully remove from pans.
- Cover with plastic wrap. These freeze well.