Orange Pound Cake

A bright and citrusy orange pound cake with a simple glaze that will keep everyone coming back for a second slice. Perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day and weekend brunch!

This post is sponsored by C&H® Sugar. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Browned Butter Blondie possible.

By now you’ve probably noticed that I sort of have a thing for pound cakes. I’ve made us this decadent double chocolate pound cake, a summery lemon blueberry pound cake and let’s not forget this funfetti pound cake – perfect for all cake-eating occasions! Pound cakes are my fave, especially since they’re soooo much easier to whip up than a layer cake. I’m all about maximum yum, minimum fuss.

So we’re just going to keep the pretty pound cake party going with this easy and delicious orange loaf cake. This beauty of a cake is going to be front and center at my Easter brunch and I can’t wait to tell you all about it! 

Why you’ll love this easy orange pound cake

This citrusy pound cake is literally the best ever and here’s a few reasons why I love it so much!

• Easy to make. This simple citrus loaf cake comes together in no time with just a handful of pantry staples. It’s perfect for breakfast, dessert and everything in between!
• 10 out of 10 for taste and texture. This cake is rich, buttery, super moist and full of fresh orange flavor. I highly recommend making a double batch because it won’t last long!
• Make ahead. Loaf cakes are so easy to make ahead of time. Just bake and cool overnight and then drizzle with glaze in the morning for a delicious breakfast treat. 
• Perfect for Easter brunch! This easy orange loaf cake feeds a crowd nicely and everyone will love the light, refreshing flavor. 

Ingredients you need for orange pound cake

Pound cakes are easy to whip up at a moment’s notice because they’re made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand like butter, eggs and flour. Here’s what you’ll need…

• Flour. We’re using regular all-purpose flour along with cake flour for this recipe. I highly recommend measuring the flour with a kitchen scale. If your pound cake bakes up dry, it’s likely you added too much flour. If you don’t have a digital kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method to measure the flour.

• Eggs. We’re using 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs for a rich, moist pound cake. For best results, make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing the batter. If you forgot to set your eggs out ahead of time, place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.

• Sugar. This loaf cake gets it sweetness and flavor from C&H® Granulated Sugar and Powdered Sugar. Granulated sugar helps make the cake extra soft and fluffy and the powdered sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the glaze. I’ve been using C&H® Sugar ever since I was a kid, baking cookies and cakes with my mom who has a sweet tooth just like me. C&H® is the gold standard! They’ve been crafting quality sugar and happiness since 1906! If a recipe calls for sugar, I reach for C&H®. Plus I love that I can order it for quick delivery to my doorstep through Amazon or Chicory. Use the “Get Ingredients” tab on the C&H® site to order the ingredients for this recipe and select pickup or delivery. It’s so easy!

• Butter. Room temperature butter is key! In order for the ingredients to incorporate well, the butter should be soft, but not too soft. You should be able to press your finger into the butter to make a soft indentation, but the stick should still hold it’s shape. 

• Baking powder. A little bit goes a long way to help give the loaf cake texture and rise. Make sure your baking powder is fresh by checking the expiration date on the canister.

• Oranges.  Fresh is best I always say! You could buy orange juice from concentrate but since we’re using real oranges for the zest, I highly recommend you juice the same oranges and use the fresh juice in the batter. 

How to make pound cake from scratch

This loaf cake is so easy to make and any cake that tastes like a Creamsicle is my kinda cake. The recipe is pretty straightforward but let’s walk through it step-by-step before you get started. 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9 x 5” loaf pan with non-stick baking spray and line the top and sides with parchment paper for easy removal of the cake once baked. Set aside.

Step 2: Use your hands to massage the orange zest together with the C&H® Granulated Sugar for about 30 seconds. This helps the fresh citrus flavor really shine through!

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Step 4: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add the C&H® Granulated Sugar mixed with the orange zest and mix for 30 seconds until combined. 

Step 5: Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Don’t worry if your batter looks a little curdled at this point. It will come back together when you add the flour.

Step 6: Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the freshly squeezed orange juice. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Be careful not to over mix the batter. A few streaks of flour remaining is fine.

Step 7: Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and gently smooth the top with an offset spatula. 

Step 8: Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs remaining. If the cake is browning too quickly towards the end of the baking cycle, tent the top loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. 

Step 9: Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan. Use the parchment paper overhang to carefully remove the cake from the pan and set it on a wire rack to cool completely before adding the glaze. 

How to glaze a pound cake

This pretty little loaf cake could not be easier to decorate and it makes the perfect centerpiece for Easter brunch! Here’s a few tips and tricks for a picture-perfect cake every time.

Cool the cake completely. Don’t even think about glazing the cake until it has cooled completely. The glaze will soak right into the warm cake and drip right off the sides onto the plate. If you’re in a hurry, you can speed this along by placing the loaf in the refrigerator after it’s cooled for about 30 minutes at room temperature. 

Prepare the glaze just before pouring over the cake. I like to whisk together the glaze just before it’s time to drizzle it over the loaf. Otherwise, the glaze tends to thicken and harden as it sits. To make the glaze, simply whisk together C&H® Powdered Sugar and whole milk or heavy cream. The glaze should be thick, but pourable. If you find your glaze is too thick, add more milk or cream. If too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar. A dollop of Greek yogurt is my secret hack for making the glaze extra thick and creamy.

Sift the confectioners’ sugar. For a silky smooth glaze, always (always!) sift the C&H Powdered Sugar first. This helps eliminate any lumps and bumps and makes the glaze easy to pour on smoothly. 

Let the cake rest once glazed. The glaze will harden a bit as it sits and will stay put once sliced if you give it a few minutes to rest after pouring over the cake. About 15 minutes is just right. If decorating the top of your cake with fresh orange slices or flowers, wait until the glaze is set.

Bookmark this recipe for your next Sunday brunch or Easter dessert – it’s become a fast favorite over here. Don’t forget to leave me a comment below if you make it!

Happy baking and Happy Easter peeps!

Looking for more easy and delicious Easter recipes? Check out these desserts:

• Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
• Easy Lemon Bundt Cake
• Glazed Old Fashioned Donut Cake

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