2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 T poppy seeds
1 tsp grated orange zest
3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 small loaf pans. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream the butter; add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, then the poppy seeds and orange zest. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter evenly into the loaf pans and spread to level the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the wire rack and remove the pan; cool completely.