Description
This Orange Pound Cake is a moist, flavorful cake bursting with fresh orange zest and juice. The dense, buttery texture is enhanced by an orange syrup soaked into the warm cake and finished with a sweet and tangy orange glaze drizzle. Perfect for serving at tea time or as a delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Cake
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 grams (1 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- Zest of 3 large oranges
- 280 grams (2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) full fat or whole milk, room temperature
Orange Syrup
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 70 grams (1/3 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
Orange Drizzle
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 teaspoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) for standard ovens or 150°C (300°F) if using a fan-forced oven. Prepare a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan by greasing it and lining it with baking or parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine then increase to medium speed and beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, creamy, and almost fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Zest: Add eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition to combine. Don’t worry if the batter looks a bit lumpy at this stage. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the orange zest and mix gently.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the plain flour, baking powder, salt, and milk to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and creamy, careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly after 50-60 minutes, loosely cover it with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the cake from the oven and place it (still in the pan) on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Orange Syrup and Soak: While the cake is cooling, mix the freshly squeezed orange juice with caster sugar until the sugar dissolves. Spoon the orange syrup evenly over the warm cake in the pan so it soaks into the cake, especially in the cracks.
- Remove Cake from Pan: Use the parchment paper to carefully lift the cake out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Orange Drizzle: Mix the sifted icing sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of fresh orange juice until smooth. Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle this orange glaze over the top.
- Serve: Slice the cake and serve. Enjoy the citrusy, buttery delight!
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and milk to ensure smooth batter and even baking.
- Do not overmix the batter once you add flour and milk to avoid a dense, tough cake.
- If the cake surface browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning while baking through.
- The orange syrup should be applied while the cake is warm to allow better absorption.
- Use fresh oranges for zest and juice to get the best flavor.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
