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Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with Poppyseeds

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Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with poppy seeds and pink blood orange glaze decorated with edible flowers on a cake stand.

This Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with Poppy Seeds is the kind of cake I like to keep on the counter all week long.

It’s the kind of cake where you tell yourself you’ll cut a tiny slice, just to even it off, — and somehow you’re back in the kitchen an hour later trimming another one.

Slice of Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with poppy seeds and pink blood orange glaze served on a vintage pink plate.

Poppy seeds are most often paired with lemon, but they work just as beautifully with orange. Add coconut to the mix and the whole thing leans a little tropical. The batter is scented with plenty of blood orange zest and studded with sweetened shredded coconut and poppy seeds for a bit of texture. I tested the recipe with both buttermilk and coconut milk, and coconut milk was the clear winner. It makes the cake richer and more tender without giving it a strong coconut flavour.

Why You’ll Love This Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake

  • Bright citrus flavour from plenty of blood orange zest
  • Tender crumb thanks to coconut milk
  • Great texture from shredded coconut and poppy seeds
  • Even better on day two when the flavours settle
Blood orange being zested over a cutting board to add citrus flavour to Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake.
Fresh blood orange juice being squeezed through a citrus press for Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake glaze.

Keys to Success

1. Use Fresh Blood Orange Zest:

Blood orange zest does most of the flavour work in this blood orange coconut cake, so be sure to zest the fruit before juicing it and avoid the bitter white pith. The oils in the zest are what give the cake its vibrant citrus aroma.

2. Weigh Your Ingredients

For consistent results, use a kitchen scale. Baking by weight eliminates the guesswork that comes with measuring cups and ensures the cake turns out exactly as intended every time.

3. Don’t Overmix the Batter

Once the flour is added, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop gluten and lead to a tougher crumb instead of the soft texture you want in a Bundt cake.

4. Prep the Bundt Pan Thoroughly

Bundt cakes have lots of crevices, which makes them prone to sticking. Grease every detail of the pan well and lightly flour it to guarantee a clean release.

5. Let the Cake Cool Before Glazing

Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze. If the cake is still warm, the glaze will melt and run off instead of setting into a smooth finish.

6. Adjust the Glaze Consistency

Add blood orange juice to the icing sugar gradually until the glaze is thick but pourable. If it becomes too thin, simply whisk in a little more icing sugar.

Thick Blood Orange Coconut cake batter with poppy seeds being lifted from a mixing bowl.
Bundt pan filled with Blood Orange Coconut Cake batter with poppy seeds before baking.

How to make Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with Poppyseeds

Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with poppy seeds and pink blood orange glaze on a pedestal cake stand.

Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with Poppy Seeds

This Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with Poppy Seeds is a tender citrus Bundt cake finished with a bright blood orange glaze. Coconut milk keeps the crumb rich and soft, while shredded coconut and poppy seeds add great texture.
It’s the kind of cake that sits on the counter all week, disappearing slice by slice — and it tastes even better on day two.
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Servings 12 servings
Calories 581 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 10 inch Bundt pan

Ingredients
  

Non-stick coating for Bundt pan

  • 16 grams all-purpose flour
  • 25 grams vegetable oil
  • 25 grams vegetable shortening, such as Crisco

For the cake:

  • 4 large blood oranges, zested and juiced
  • 277 grams all-purpose flour
  • 375 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 150 grams safflower or other neutral vegetable oil
  • 90 grams full-fat coconut milk
  • 170 grams full-fat sour cream, do not use fat free
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 75 grams sweetened, shredded coconut
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Garnish for cake

  • 1 Tablespoon blood orange zest, reserved from the oranges used for the cake
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

For the glaze:

  • 300 grams icing sugar, sifted
  • 6 Tablespoons blood orange juice, reserved from juicing the oranges
  • 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
  • pinch Diamond Crystal Kosher salt

Instructions
 

Make Non-stick coating

  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, oil and shortening until smooth.

Make cake:

  • Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using a pastry brush, generously coat the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with the non-stick mixture, making sure to get into all the crevices, including the centre tube. Set aside.
  • Zest and juice the blood oranges: Finely grate 4 tablespoons of zest from the blood oranges. Set aside 1 tablespoon for the garnish and use the remaining 3 tablespoons in the cake batter.
    Juice the oranges until you have 3/4 cup juice. Set aside 6 tablespoons for the cake batter and 6 tablespoons for the glaze.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add 3 tablespoons blood orange zest, 6 tablespoons blood orange juice, the oil, coconut milk, sour cream and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Whisk in the shredded coconut and poppy seeds.
  • Combine the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Do not over mix.
  • Pour liquid ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything together.
  • Fill the pan and bake: Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes. Loosely cover the cake with foil and continue baking for 20 minutes more, or until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
    For extra precision, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the cake should register 200–205°F.
  • Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely before glazing.
  • Mix garnish ingredients: In a small bowl mix together zest, poppy seeds and coconut.

Garnish and glaze

  • Make the garnish: In a small bowl, stir together the reserved blood orange zest, poppy seeds, and toasted coconut.
  • Glaze the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, blood orange juice, corn syrup, and salt until smooth. Spoon or pour the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it drip naturally down the sides. While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle the top with the garnish mixture. Let the glaze set for about 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 6gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 298mgPotassium: 239mgFiber: 3gSugar: 66gVitamin A: 328IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Knife slicing into Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake topped with pink blood orange glaze and edible flowers.
Pink blood orange glaze being poured over freshly baked Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use regular oranges instead of blood oranges?

Yes. Navel or Cara Cara oranges work well. The glaze will be pale instead of pink, but the flavour will still be bright and citrusy.

What size Bundt pan should I use?

This recipe is designed for a 10–12 cup Bundt pan. Fill the pan about ¾ full so the cake has room to rise.

Can this cake be baked in loaf pans instead of a Bundt pan?

Yes. Divide the batter between two 9×5-inch loaf pans and begin checking for doneness around 35-40 minutes.

Can this cake be frozen?

Yes. Slice the cake and wrap individual pieces well. Store in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature.

Does the cake really taste better on day two?

Yes. Like many Bundt cakes, the flavour improves as it sits and the crumb becomes even more tender.

Overhead view of slices of Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake with pink glaze served on vintage floral plates.


If you’re looking for a cake that feels a little special but still fits easily into everyday baking, this Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake is a good one to add to your rotation. The bright citrus flavour, soft crumb, chewy bits of coconut, and delicate crunch from the poppy seeds mean every bite has a little something going on — exactly the way I like a cake to be. Leave it on the counter and watch it slowly disappear — or do what I often do and wrap a few slices for the freezer, where my husband inevitably goes foraging late at night.

Empty dessert plate with crumbs and pink glaze after enjoying a slice of Blood Orange Coconut Bundt Cake

More Citrus Desserts You Might Enjoy


Brown Butter Banana Bundt with Maple Glaze

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Nothing makes my husband happier than a banana cake sitting on the counter, ready for him to slice at his whim all week long. (Unless of course it’s slices of this, tucked away in the freezer) This Brown Butter Banana Bundt Cake, created by Anna Olsen, takes that simple comfort and elevates it. Instead of just melting the butter, you brown it until it turns nutty and flecked with flavour, giving this banana cake a depth you don’t usually find. And while maple and banana might sound like an unusual pairing, the maple adds a gentle warmth that makes this cake feel just a little more special — and somehow even better the next day.

Keys to Success

  • Let the Butter Go Far Enough: Brown butter is what sets this banana Bundt cake apart. After it melts, it will bubble. Then it will foam. Keep going. You’re looking for golden brown flecks at the bottom of the pan and a nutty aroma. Don’t pull it off the heat too soon — that’s where the flavour lives. Tip: Transfer it immediately to a heatproof bowl so it doesn’t keep cooking in the hot pan.
  • Use Very Ripe Bananas: This isn’t the time for barely-speckled bananas. The darker and softer they are, the deeper the banana flavour and the sweeter the cake. If your bananas are just yellow, wait. It’s worth it.
  • Take Pan Prep Seriously: Bundt cakes are dramatic. They either release perfectly… or they don’t. Brush your pan generously with a mixture of vegetable oil, flour, and shortening, making sure to coat every ridge and corner. This extra step makes all the difference. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes before turning it out — too soon and it may break, too late and it can stick.
  • Bake to Temperature: In addition to testing with a cake skewer, use an instant-read thermometer for precision. Inserted into the centre, the cake should read 200–205°F when fully baked. This ensures a moist crumb without underbaking.
Brushing homemade cake release mixture into a fluted Bundt pan to ensure the Brown Butter Banana Bundt Cake releases cleanly after baking.

Brown Butter Banana Bundt with Maple Glaze

A deeply flavourful banana Bundt cake made with brown butter and maple syrup for rich, nutty depth. Finished with a glossy brown butter maple glaze, this tender cake improves in flavour over time and is perfect for slicing all week long. Recipe created by Anna Olsen.
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Servings 16 servings
Calories 487 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 10 cup Bundt pan

Ingredients
  

Non-stick mixture for coating pan

  • 16 grams all-purpose flour
  • 25 grams vegetable oil
  • 25 grams vegetable shortening, like Crisco

Banana Cake

  • 227 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 775 grams mashed ripe bananas, about 6-8 bananas
  • 300 grams granulated sugar
  • 156 grams maple syrup
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 450 grams all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt

Maple Glaze

  • 90 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 60 grams maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon milk
  • 162 grams icing sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/8 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt

Instructions
 

Make Non-stick coating for pan

  • Whisk together flour, oil and shortening until smooth.

Make the Bundt Cake

  • Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Using a pastry brush, very generously coat the inside of Bundt pan with the non-stick mixture. Don't forget the center post. Set pan aside.
  • Brown the butter: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking until it foams, then turns golden brown with nutty-smelling brown flecks on the bottom, about 3 minutes after melting.
    Immediately transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: Pour the slightly cooled brown butter into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the mashed bananas, sugar, and maple syrup until well combined.
    Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
    Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and gently fold just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • Bake: Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
    Bake for 60–70 minutes, until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. You can also
    For extra precision, you can also use an instant-read thermometer — inserted into the centre of the cake, it should register 200–205°F when fully baked.
  • Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack.
    Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.

Make Maple Glaze

  • Brown the butter: In a small saucepan, brown the butter as you did for the cake. This second batch will brown more quickly — about 1 minute.
    Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Whisk the glaze: Whisk in the maple syrup, milk, and icing sugar until smooth and pourable.
  • Glaze and set: Spoon or pour the glaze over the cooled Bundt cake, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.
    Let the glaze set for about 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 2gSugar: 43gVitamin A: 595IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Banana cake will always be good. But browned butter makes it unforgettable. It’s a small extra step, but it changes everything — the aroma, the depth, the way people go back for a second slice. So take the time. Brown the butter. Your future self — and anyone lucky enough to grab a slice — will thank you.

Slice of Brown Butter Banana Bundt Cake topped with maple glaze, revealing a soft, moist interior.

Rhubarb and Pistachio Bundt Cake

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Pretty soon, we will be winging our way from rhubarb season straight into strawberry season. I am a little sad about it, my husband, less so! This pretty bundt cake was inspired by a brown butter strawberry-rhubarb glazed donut over at the charming blog, Adventures in Cooking. If you don’t know about Eva’s blog, you should check it out. It’s stunning.

Eva baked buttermilk donuts and dipped them into a pretty pink glaze, concocted from brown butter and pureed strawberries and rhubarb. I adapted her glaze and put it on this amazing rhubarb-pistachio bundt cake. Truthfully, the cake was almost faster to put together than the glaze, but taking the time to brown butter and roast the berries and rhubarb is worth it.

The first time I made the glaze, (yes, I ended up making it twice!) and poured it onto the cake, it was too thick and a bit fibrous from the strawberry seeds and stringy rhubarb pulp. So on the second go-round I strained the glaze through a fine mesh strainer and got the perfect consistency.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, the glaze is enriched with a bit of melted white chocolate to give it that extra oomph! You could, of course, make the cake plain, without the glaze, but why would you want to?

Studded with tangy rhubarb and crunchy pistachios, this cake is not too sweet. A little slice is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

Click here to print recipe for Rhubarb and Pistachio Bundt Cake.

Blood Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

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If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then I qualfy as insane. You might also say that I am a slow learner, and don’t always see the obvious clues that others spot so readily.

Last March I bought this beautiful heart shaped Bundt pan. I patiently waited 11 months to use it in a Valentines Day post. I decided to make a blood orange poppy seed cake. I used Ina’s recipe for Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cake as my base and adapted it so that I could celebrate blood orange season.

My pan was heavily buttered and greased and I followed the directions very carefully. I baked it for 45 minutes, cooled it in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Holding my breath, I gingerly inverted the cake to release it from the pan. Half of it stuck to the pan. I cursed, chopped the broken pieces up and froze them for future snacking and hustled off to the store for more blood oranges and cake flour. Before starting again, I did a quick google search to see what went wrong. The King Arthur website advised me that buttering and flouring was not the way to go. I followed their tips and tricks and baked the cake again, and again and again. My freezer is now full of lots and lots of broken cake for snacking. Come on over!

I finally realized that this heart shaped pan was the problem. I’m not quite sure why. Nordicware baking pans are usually so reliable. But, slow as I am, I was not about to try this pan for a 5th time. I pulled out my trusty round fluted Bundt pan.Fifth time’s the charm! After a brief 10 minute cooling period, the cake slid out like a boss! Cue the fireworks.

While the cake cools, make a blood orange simple syrup. Pour this all over the warm cake to really intensify that blood orange flavour and keep your cake super moist.Once the cake is totally cool, it gets a final drizzle of the most gorgeous pink glaze. I adored this cake. Dense, but in the best possible way, buttery and bright, slightly tangy and not too sweet. A perfect ray of sunshine on a cold February day. Celebrate Valentines Day with this luscious love letter to blood oranges.

Click here to print recipe for Blood Orange and Poppy Seed Bundt Cake.

 

Cider Glazed Apple Bundt Cake

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with whole and sliced applesI happen to have a surplus of apples, so we’re baking apple cake around here this week. I have my go-to my favourite apple cake recipe, but I was intrigued by this recipe from the September issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. In addition to the apples in the batter, they added apple cider to the batter and glaze. A full litre of apple cider is reduced down to one cup to really concentrate the flavour.

The recipe fills a large 12 cup bundt pan, but because I can’t resist anything mini, I used my bundlette pan. I also made a small loaf with the leftover batter. loaf and minissingle miniThe batter comes together quickly. You don’t even have to bust out the mixer.

The baked cake gets brushed with some of that reduced cider and the remaining cider is mixed with icing sugar to create a yummy glaze.drizzling glaze 1

Click here to print the recipe for Cider Glazed Apple Bundt Cake.

with tea

 

Caramel Apple Cake

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I learned how to make this cake many years ago, at one of my very first professional cooking jobs. I was working in an upscale take-out food shop in Toronto’s Yorkville area called Dinah’s Cupboard. I learned so much from Dinah Koo, the shop’s owner. She demanded perfection and precision and a certain discipline that is lacking in many kitchens. She cooked with big flavours and was a master at presentation. I am forever grateful to her for teaching me so much. It was my job to make 4 of these cakes every day. We baked them in 9 x 13 inch rectangular cake pans and cut the cakes into large squares to sell in the shop.

After I left Dinah’s Cupboard, I didn’t make that cake again, for a very long time. I guess I was sick of it or had just forgotten about it. But then a few years ago I was working on a column for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). It is traditional to have honey cake on Rosh Hashanah, to symbolize a sweet new year, however, I hate honey cake. Luckily, it is also traditional to have apples on Rosh Hashanah, so I decided to feature an apple dessert of some sort. And then, I remembered this apple cake. I decided to bake it in a Bundt pan, to make it look a little fancier. We had several other desserts at our dinner, but this was the first to disappear.

I had forgotten what a great cake it is. It is perfect for entertaining as it can be made a day ahead of time. it is also wonderful for breakfast with a big glass of milk, or at bedtime with a cup of tea. It is a moist, dense, intensely flavourful cake. The outside of the cake gets a bit crispy from the caramel glaze that is poured on top of the cake. The inside is tart from the apples, but also sweet, in that slightly bittersweet way that only dark caramel can be.   This is cake perfection. I am warning you that it is very hard to have just a little bit. Your guests will ask for just a sliver and then they will be back at the cake, hacking away at it for more slivers, until there are only crumbs left. Not that my friends and family are like that, of course!

I decided to make it again this weekend, so I could take pictures and tell you all about it. I went to the basement to find my Bundt pan, and sitting next to it on the shelf were my mini Bundt pans. I decided to make a double recipe and make a big cake as well as some minis. An applepalooza around here! My husband was so happy.

I decided to use a mix of Granny Smith and Honey Crisp apples. You want some tart apples in this dish that will hold their shape when baked.

The apples get peeled and sliced into wedges for a big cake or diced for the mini cakes. Then the apples are then bathed in a sugar cinnamon mixture.

No need to take out your mixer for this cake. Everything gets mixed together in a big bowl. Whisk eggs, vegetable (or coconut) oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract together. Lately I have been using vanilla bean paste, instead of vanilla extract. You get those pretty vanilla flecks in the cake.

Then the dry ingredients are added to the wet and the whole batter gets mixed. You will think that there is no way all the dry ingredients will get incorporated, as this is such a heavy dense batter. But persist, use some elbow grease and it will all come together. Just think of all the calories you will be burning in advance of eating this cake!

Then the cake gets assembled. It’s a little like making lasagna. Layer 1/3 of the batter into the pan. Arrange one half of the apples on top, then more batter, a second layer of apples and finally the last third of the batter.

The minis are just so adorable!

Once the second layer of apples are covered with batter, into the oven it goes. While it is baking, you can prepare the caramel glaze. Butter, brown sugar and heavy cream are cooked until hot and bubbly.

Once the cake comes out of the oven, it’s time to add the caramel. Now I’ll share with you the secret to what makes this cake so incredible.

Then you must exercise extreme patience and let the cake cool COMPLETELY, before trying to unmold it. Looking at the sad bottom of this cake, all riddled with holes may have you a little concerned. Then you unmold it and it just looks like a boring Plain Jane Bundt cake. But wait, yee of little faith.  Slice into it and taste. You will be a believer!

Click here to print recipe for Caramel Apple cake.