Spring Themed Cake (1 Year Blog Anniversary and Product Review)

This week I marked one year since I started this blog. How fast the time flies! Looking back a year ago,  I remember I kept staring to the blank white screen, thinking about the words I would share with the world. Oh memories... This blog has been a big part of my life ever since... Thank You to my lovely reader who have been supported for the past year. 

For celebrating my one year blog, Kitchenware Direct generously gave me Nordic Ware Heritage Bundt Pan to product test. I own few bundt cake pan before but I must say that is nothing like this nordic ware product, not only they create one impressive looking cake, they are also made from thick cast iron which will last long and keep the cake moist and give a nice crust on the outside. I was actually worried at first that the cake would stick into the pan (like my other bundt pan) when I turned them on the wire rack, in fact the cake was easily slid out of the pan, they are just simply gorgeous with deep ridges and swirling design. This explains a lot that the nordic ware products are selling very well in kitchenware direct with their high quality reputation.

I decided to bake the orange and poppy seed cake for my first nordic ware bundt pan. The cake alone without the glaze and the spring decoration have already giving the "WOW" factor and beautiful presentation on the dining table. Since this week is my blog birthday and it's a spring time here in Australia, so I thought that I add a spring theme with lots of colour to the cake. The result of this cake when they came out from the oven are amazing! I felt like I was a little girl on the christmas morning when I unmold the cake from the pan and feeling stunned on how the cake was turned out! My next cake project for this pan is butterscotch cake or coffee cake or gingerbread cake? Ooh.. Many to choose from.. For sure, I definitely going to use this pan for many cakes to come.

Orange and Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Glaze

Ingredients

200g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing

225g Self Raising Flour, plus extra for dusting

200g Caster Sugar

4 Large Eggs

2 tablespoon Milk

Grated zest of 2 Oranges

2 tablespoon Poppy Seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160º. Grease and flour the base and sides of the pan. Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat with whisk for 8-10 minutes. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

2. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin and is springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Cover with lemon glaze icing and decorate (if you wish) or you can serve with the icing alone.

Lemon Glaze Icing

Ingredients

Juice of 2 Lemons

500g Icing Sugar, sifted

Method

1. Pour the Lemon Juice into a medium bowl and add the icing sugar a spoonful at a time, stirring well to remove any lumps.

2. Gently stir the sugar and juice together until you achieve a white icing that is glossy and not dry or stiff. Pour the glaze over the cakes.