Blood Orange Bundt Cake

A light and citrusy bundt cake made with a hint of blood orange zest and drizzled with a pretty pink glaze. Perfect with a cup of tea or a tall glass of milk, this simple and delicious bundt cake will leave you dreaming of springtime!

Growing up, my mom used to always say that the first day of January marked the first day of spring. Now of course she’s well aware that the official start of spring is a few months off, but it’s safe to say that winter isn’t her favorite season of the year and it surely isn’t mine either. So even though we’re just ten days into January, you’d better believe I’m already dreaming of springtime. Just like spring, this bundt cake feels fresh and bright. Perfectly simple and undeniably refreshing. It’s just the kind of treat we need to get us through the cold and gloomy winter days ahead and I can’t wait to tell you how to make it.

Winter may not be my favorite time of year, but what it lacks in warm weather and sunshine, it makes up for with plenty of citrus. Citrus season is just getting started and we have a bounty of blood oranges in our backyard orchard to thank for this rosy pink glazed cake that feels {and tastes!} like a breath of fresh air. Blood oranges are arguably the most special of all the fleeting winter citrus. They have a stunning color, a mild sweetness, and a hint of tart, raspberry flavor. Because blood oranges are only available certain months of the year, they feel like one of life’s simple luxuries. One that is deserving of a moment to shine in the form of a pretty pink glazed bundt.

THINGS YOU NEED TO MAKE BLOOD ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

In the off chance you haven’t noticed, I’ve been little bundt obsessed here on the blog as of late. But it looks like I’m not the only one that favors a simple bundt over a fancy layer cake. You all are loving this Double Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake and this Easy Butterscotch Bundt Cake was a fan favorite this Fall! This blood orange bundt is easy to whip up in under an hour with a handful of ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Just grab a few blood oranges for the prettiest pink glaze ever and you’ve got yourself a cake worthy of all of life’s celebrations. 

• Flour
• Butter
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Baking power and baking soda
• Vanilla
• Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• Blood oranges
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Salt

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BLOOD ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

This blood orange bundt cake is simple to make and even easier to decorate. To start, we whisk together the butter and sugar until pale in color and light and fluffy. Next we add the eggs one at time, being careful to mix each one in completely before adding another. Then we’ll add the vanilla and a few heaping tablespoons of blood orange zest. After whisking together the dry ingredients – all of the usuals such as flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, we’ll add them to the sugar and butter mixture. For best results, alternate the flour mixture with the greek yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour. Being careful not to over mix, pour the batter into a well greased bundt pan and bake until golden brown and fragrant. This cake bakes up light and fluffy if baked properly. The cake will be dry if over baked so don’t stray too far from your oven and check the cake before the end of the baking cycle. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs remaining. 

HOW TO MAKE THE BLOOD ORANGE GLAZE

All you need to make this gorgeous glaze is a four simple ingredients, a bowl and a whisk. For best results, wait for the cake to cool completely before making the glaze. The four ingredient glaze is simple but makes a pretty pink topper for an otherwise plain cake. The beautiful, rosy hue is all natural – no dyes needed. The more blood orange juice you add to the glaze, the brighter the hue. I like the glaze to be thick, leaving you with a show stopping dessert that is as pretty as it is delicious. For a thicker glaze, add more confectioner’s sugar and a dollop of plain greek yogurt. If the glaze becomes to thick to pour, whisk in a tablespoon or two of whole milk until smooth. Have you ever seen a prettier shade of pink? I’m so in love!!!

TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST BUNDT CAKE

Bundt cakes are at the tippy top of my list of favorite things to bake. If you haven’t made a bundt cake before or find yourself on the struggle bus to turn out the perfect bundt, go check out this post for all the tips and tricks you need to know to make a show stopping bundt cake. Read below for the basics before moving on to the recipe, and remember – practice makes perfect so don’t worry if your first cake isn’t picture perfect. It will still be delicious!

It’s all about the pan. Bundt cakes are my favorite cake to bake because they are so easy to make, delicious to eat, and they look beautiful straight out of the pan. Unless your bundt cake sticks to the pan, that is. That’s never fun. To be sure your bundt cake turns out perfectly, be sure to use a quality bundt pan like this one from Nordic Ware. Grease it generously with non-stick cooking spray. Once the bundt has baked, let the cake rest in the pan for just 10 minutes before inverting the cake onto a cooling rack or cake platter. 

Don’t over mix or over bake. You know the drill by now. Never over mix your cake batter. We want a light and fluffy cake and too much stirring will make your cake dense. Bake the cake for the time allotted, checking early for doneness. The cake is baked when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs remaining. If the cake is browning too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top for the last 10-15 minutes.

Cool completely before glazing. Nothing is worse than making the most beautiful bundt, only to pour the glaze over the top and have it all sink in and slide off into a puddle on the plate. For best results, be sure to cool the cake completely before drizzling with the glaze. If the cake is room temperature, the glaze will stiffen as it sets rather than sink into the crumb.

HOW TO STORE BLOOD ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

This blood orange cake is one of those desserts you’ll love to graze on all day long. It pairs perfectly with a cup of tea or a tall glass of cold milk, making it everyone’s favorite treat for breakfast or dessert and everything in between. To keep the cake moist, store it tightly covered at room temperature for up to three days. Cakes are always best the day they are made but this one will stay surprisingly moist thanks to a generous helping of greek yogurt in the batter. Do not keep the cake in the refrigerator as it will dry out quickly and no one likes a dry cake folks. To freeze the cake for a rainy day, wrap tightly with a double layer of plastic wrap and a final layer of aluminum foil. Defrost at room temperature before pouring on the blood orange glaze. 

Peel yourself out from under that warm blanket friends and hunt down a bag of blood oranges at the market this week. You’re going to love this blood orange bundt cake and I promise it will leave you dreaming of springtime. You’ll be happy to know that this cake is not overly sweet making it a prime candidate for breakfast or dessert. You choose. Or be like me and eat it twice a day until it’s gone. 

Happy baking!

If you like this Blood Orange Bundt Cake, you may also like:

Easy Lemon Bundt Cake

Glazed Tangerine Cake

Lemon Cake with Raspberry Glaze & Fresh Cherries

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Cake

A Better Baker: Bundt Cake Basics

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**This recipe was originally published in January 2020.