Orange Poppy Seed Poundcake

This recipe caught my attention and I jumped right into it.  I often find recipes online and think "I will make this someday.  I save it or Pinterest it for a day when I need inspiration.  This recipe came across my desk this week and I said "Oh, yes, I'm making this for Mother's Day"  Funny how something can grab you.  Now that I've typed it in I can tell you I'm glad to have it in my computer for future use.

Making it was easy, last night I quadrupled the recipe, I didn't have any trouble with it AND I wound up with five loaves, not four!  Bonus bread is always a good thing.  Ordinarily I would wrap up the extra loaf and freeze it.  Every once in a while I have a reason I don't want to or can't cook for my weekend commitment and I take out the "extras" in the freezer and make some mixed plates of goodies.  Not everything freezes well, but I have a feeling the olive oil in this recipe would rescue it.  On the other hand, I have a neighbor who was very sweet to me last week and I think I will wrap it up and bring it to her in gratitude.  Thanks, Hannah, I am blessed to have you next door!

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Orange Poppy Seed Poundcake

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup full-fat greek yogurt
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large orange, zested and juiced (see note in recipe about how to do these)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). 
• Generously grease a large loaf pan.  
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• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt.
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• In another bowl measure the sugar and grate the orange zest right over the sugar.  (Yes, it does make a difference.)  When you are done rub the zest into the sugar.  This helps to make your whole kitchen smell good and it changes your sugar from white to a soft orange color. Juice the orange and strain it.  You will need half the juice that remains for this recipe.  See a note about what to do with the rest below. 
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• In a large bowl whisk together the yogurt, eggs and vanilla. Add 1/2 of the orange juice, and stir to combine. Add the sugar mixture and stir. 

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• Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ones.  Start by adding half the flour mixture and whisking it in.  Add the second half and when it is almost all mixed in, use a rubber spatula and add the olive oil.  Mix it only until you are sure it is combined.  
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• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and tap it on the counter to be sure any air bubbles come to the top.  
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• Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden and you don't get crumbs on a toothpick.  I highly recommend you take the cake to a cooling rack and let is set for at least 15 minutes.  When you can handle the "ears" of the pan without a pot holder, run a knife around the edges of the pan.  To release this cake you may need to flip it over, the cake in your hand and use the knife to pry it from one of the short sides.  (I made five of these last night in very well buttered pans, so I am speaking from experience, every one of them came out whole but each of them needed a little encouragement just as described.)  Place the cake back on the rack and let it cool completely.  
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• NOTE:  What to do with the leftover orange juice?  Well, if you're a drinker you might just add some ice and a little vodka, especially if like me you don't need every baked good to be sweeter than it already is.  On the other hand, you could take some confectioner's sugar, add some freshly squeezed orange juice and use it to glaze the loaf.  Either way, enjoy!