Known methods for producing a semifinished product for an optical component of synthetic quartz glass of high homogeneity require a great number of forming or shaping steps for homogenization, which is troublesome in terms of energy and time and entails the risk that impurities might be introduced. To avoid these drawbacks, a method modification is suggested that comprises the following method steps: (a) feeding a silicon-containing start compound, which can be converted by oxidation or hydrolysis into SiO2, to a deposition burner, and forming amorphous SiO2 particles in a burner flame assigned to the deposition burner, (b) forming a substantially solid-cylinder SiO2 blank by depositing the SiO2 particles onto a support with a longitudinal axis by way of successive layers, of which most extend in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support and which extend in the direction of the outer surface of the blank, (c) homogenizing the SiO2 blank, including twisting along an axis of rotation extending coaxially to or in parallel with the longitudinal cylinder axis while forming the semifinished product. A blank suited for performing the method of the invention and shaped in the form of a substantially solid-cylinder SiO2 soot body from successive SiO2 layers is characterized in that most of the layers extend in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the soot body and in the direction of the outer surface of the soot body.