Pound cakes are truly delicious and make a simple and easy sweet treat for everyone to enjoy, especially with the flavor options out there. However, orange pound cake is always on top of every other cake! So, let us look at how easily you can make an orange pound cake at home!
For many of you who love pound cakes, making one from scratch may be daunting, but it’s all worth it. Moreover, there are many premixes available out there to make pound cakes. However, they stand nothing against a freshly made pound cake right at home!
This pound cake’s freshness and soft texture cannot be compared to a dry cake made with a premix powder. Moreover, Christmas is one of those holidays where we all want to spend time with our families, possibly in the kitchen too!
To have that wonderful time with your kids, there is nothing better than making this pound cake! The ingredients aren’t fancy, nor is the equipment or anything else in this recipe. Most of the ingredients used for this recipe might already be in your pantry. I can guarantee that!
On top of that, this pound cake lasts for a long time, so that you can serve it as little citrus Christmas treats! So, in this article, I have mentioned everything you will need to make an orange pound cake.
From the equipment to the ingredients and the method, it’s all given here! So, let us dive right into this recipe of citrusy goodness! Happy Baking!
What's In The Post
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Orange Pound Cakes?
- Measuring Cups – As precision is important in baking, you will need a set of measuring cups to get the exact measurements of all the needed ingredients for this recipe.
- Measuring Spoons – Measuring spoons will help you get a precise measurement of some of the ingredients that are needed in smaller quantities.
- Stand Mixer – This recipe requires the butter to be creamed, which is difficult to achieve by hand. So, you will need a stand mixer with a paddle and a whisk attachment.
- Zester – As we add orange zest to this recipe, you will need a zester.
- Bowl – Take two large bowls to sift all the dry ingredients together.
- Sieve – The dry ingredients will have to be sifted to ensure no lumps. So, you will need a sieve.
- Whisk – A whisk will be needed to combine all the wet ingredients before adding them to the batter.
- Spatula – A silicone spatula will help you scrape off all the batter from the mixing bowl into the baking dish.
- Saucepan – A saucepan will be needed to make a glaze, adding an extra rich orange flavor to the pound cake.
- Loaf Pans – You will need two loaf pans for this recipe; each should measure somewhere around 8 inches * 4 inches.
- Parchment Paper – Parchment paper will be needed to line the loaf pans to ensure that the loaves don’t stick to them.
- Cooling Rack – A cooling rack will be needed to let the cakes cool before adding the glaze.
- Baking Tray – Lastly, a baking tray will be needed to place the loaf pans on before placing them in the oven to bake.
How Much Time Will It Take To Make Orange Pound Cakes?
| Preparation Time | Baking Time | Cooling And Glazing Time | Total Time |
| 30 Minutes | 1 Hour | 45 Minutes | 2 Hours 15 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Orange Pound Cakes?
- All-Purpose Flour – To get a yield of two loaves, you will need three cups of all-purpose flour. This flour works best for this recipe because of its gluten content.
- Sugar – This recipe will need two ½ cups of caster sugar, which works best. You can also use granulated sugar.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder is one of the leavening agents for this recipe, and you will need ½ teaspoon of the same.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda is the second leavening agent that also helps make the cake soft. You will need ½ teaspoon for this recipe.
- Butter – This recipe requires ½ pound or two sticks of room-temperature unsalted butter. Both these factors about how the butter must be are quite relevant to the recipe.
- Eggs – This recipe will need four large eggs at room temperature.
- Orange Juice – The not-so-secret ingredient that gives the orange pound cake all its flavor! This recipe needs ¾ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. You can use bottled orange juice as well. Make sure that it is unsweetened.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk will react with the baking soda to give this cake a soft texture. This recipe needs ¾ cups of the same.
- Orange Zest – This recipe will need â…“ cup of grated orange zest, roughly the zest of 5-6 oranges.
- Vanilla Extract and Salt – These are the flavor enhancers here; you will need one teaspoon of each.
Steps To Make Orange Pound Cake
1. Mise-en-Place
Firstly, you will have to start with all the pre-preparations needed for this recipe. For that, start by zesting all the oranges and getting them ready. Then, squeeze out orange juice, if you plan to use freshly squeezed juice. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Divide the sugar and orange juice into two parts. We will need the other halves to make the glaze for the pound cake. Here, we will need 2 cups of sugar for the cake and ½ cup for the glaze. With the orange juice, ¼ cup for the cake and ½ cup for the glaze.
Next, take the loaf pans and grease them with minimal oil. The oil should be enough for the parchment paper to stick to the pan. Then, add the parchment paper and keep the pans on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Your pre-preparations are done!
2. Prepare The Batter
The next step is to make the cake batter. Start by adding the room-temperature butter and 2 cups of sugar to the stand mixer. Beat them with a paddle attachment until they are light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs, one at a time, along with the orange zest.
Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as you do this. In a separate bowl, combine the ¼ cup of orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. After all the eggs are mixed in, you can add the dry and wet ingredients separately.
Make sure you add them bit by bit, starting and ending with the flour. Once all the ingredients are combined to form a batter, transfer it to the loaf pans lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake And Glaze
Once the batter has been transferred to the loaf pans, you can place them in the oven for fifty minutes to bake them. At the 50-minute mark, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, and if it comes out clean, your cakes are ready! If not, bake them further for 5-10 minutes.
While your cakes are baking, combine the ½ cup orange juice and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan and heat over a medium flame. Once the sugar dissolves, you can take it off the heat and let it cool.
After the cakes are out of the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes, then take them out of the loaf pans. Place them back on the cooling rack with a tray at the base. Now, pour some of the glazes on both loaves and let them cool completely. Slice and serve!
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 430 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4 g |
| Trans Fat | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 44 mg |
| Sodium | 277 mg |
| Potassium | 97 mg |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 44 g |
| Vitamin A | 541 IU |
| Vitamin C | 11 mg |
| Calcium | 43 mg |
| Iron | 2 mg |
What Will The Orange Pound Cake Look And Taste Like?
Orange pound cakes are meant to be delicious; the same is true with this pound cake! This cake is soft, crumbly, and just the perfect balance of sweetness with the sour orange. Trust me, my describing the cake does no justice to it! The flavor harmony is surely worth trying out!
As far as the look goes, this pound cake will have a light brown-colored crust once completely baked. Once cut, the inside of the cake will be lighter in color, with little specks of orange zest all around! The cake will also be shiny, thanks to the glaze!
Recipe Card
Orange Pound Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Stand Mixer
- Zester
- Bowl
- Sieve
- Whisk
- Silicone Spatula
- Saucepan
- Loaf Tin
- Parchment Paper
- Cooling Rack
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 cups Caster Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 pound Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- 4 nos. Large Eggs
- 3/4 cup Orange Juice
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk
- 1/3 cup Orange Zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
For The Cake :
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Grate orange zest and squeeze orange juice.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the loaf pans with oil and place parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer bowl, add the butter and 2 cups of sugar and whip them with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
- Add in the orange zest and add one egg at a time, whisking after each addition until everything is combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the ¼ cup orange juice buttermilk and vanilla extract.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients and wet ingredients bit by bit, alternating each other to the butter, sugar and egg mix. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
- Once everything is combined together to form a batter, transfer the batter to the loaf pans that are lined with parchment paper.
- Place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
- Once done, check if the cake is baked all the way through and then, take it out of the oven.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, after which you can take them out of the pans.
For The Glaze :
- In a saucepan, add ½ cup of orange juice and ½ cup of caster sugar.
- Heat them over a medium flame just until the sugar has dissolved completely, then take off the heat.
Glazing :
- After the pound cakes have cooled down for 10 minutes, take them out of the loaf pans and place them on a cooling rack which has a tray at the base.
- Pour the glaze onto the cake and then let it cool down completely.
- Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can self-raising flour be used in place of all-purpose flour for this recipe?Â
Yes, you can use self-raising flour if you wish to. However, if you do, don’t add baking powder to the recipe.Â
Is it necessary to add orange zest to the pound cake?Â
The orange zest will surely add a lot to the flavor of the cake. However, if it seems too tedious, it is alright if you don’t add any.Â
Can store-bought orange juice be used for this recipe?Â
Yes, you can use store-bought orange juice for this recipe, as long as it is unsweetened.Â
Do you need to store the pound cake in the refrigerator?Â
To keep the pound cake moist, it is better to store it at room temperature in an airtight container.Â
Can cake flour be used for this recipe?Â
Yes, you can use cake flour for this recipe if you would like.Â
Conclusion
Moist and flavorful, this orange pound cake is the perfect winter delight! This makes the best sweet treat to serve on holidays like Christmas, to get a warm and fuzzy feeling. Moreover, the recipe is also exceptionally easy to follow! Once you try this recipe, you will never go back to premixes!
