Easy Orange Pound Cake

What Makes This Orange Cake Stand Out

• Moist, tender, and buttery. The texture of this orange cake is ultra-moist and tender in a way that only a buttery pound cake can be.
• Real orange flavors. I make my pound cake without artificial flavors, so the bright, sunny flavor comes down to fresh orange zest and juice. There’s nothing better!
• Glazed, or not. The homemade orange glaze is citrusy-sweet. It’s a seriously addictive combo when sprinkled with extra orange zest. Of course, if you prefer your pound cake without, you can always skip the glaze and garnish this cake with whipped cream or berries instead.
• Easy to make (and store). All you need are pantry staples, and the finished pound cake stores wonderfully on the counter or in the freezer. I’ll often double the recipe and bake two, one to enjoy right away and one to freeze for later!

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make It

Traditional pound cake recipes use one pound each of butter, sugar, and flour. This orange pound cake strays from tradition, but it still turns out super tender and moist with the ingredients below. I’ve included some notes and tips for getting started. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe with the full amounts and details.

• Butter – Let the butter come to room temperature. You can use salted or unsalted butter, whatever you prefer.
• Flour and Sugar – Regular old granulated sugar is my go-to for this recipe. I usually bake with all-purpose flour, and I haven’t tested this recipe with other flours (for example, gluten-free flour. If you do, let me know in the comments!)
• Eggs – These can also be at room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract – If you wanted to boost the orange flavors, consider using half vanilla, half orange extract.
• Orange Zest and Juice – Zest the orange before you juice it. Freshly-squeezed orange juice gives this cake the best, most vibrant flavor, though store-bought orange juice will work in a pinch.
• Glaze – You’ll need a simple mix of powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice to make the finishing glaze.

How to Zest Citrus Properly

Use a citrus zester or the small holes on a box grater to zest the orange. Do your best to grate only the orange skin, and avoid the white, pithy part that has a bitter taste.

How to Make Orange Pound Cake

First, you’ll whisk the batter together and get this orange pound cake in the oven. While it bakes, there’s plenty of time to whip together a simple orange glaze. Prepping both takes 10 minutes! That’s it. These are the simple steps, and you’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card.

• Prep the pan. While the oven preheats to 375ºF, grease a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray. Then, line the bottom with a long strip of parchment paper, so the edges hang over, and spray again. This makes it easy to just lift the cake from the pan after baking.

• Mix the wet ingredients. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3 minutes. Next, mix in the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest. Remember to scrape down the bowl while you mix, so that everything is well combined.

• Add the flour. Now, slowly stir in the flour until it’s just incorporated. Add the orange juice last, mixing until the batter is smooth.

• Bake. Spread the batter into your prepared pan. Bake the pound cake at 375ºF for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Afterward, allow the cake to rest in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool before you glaze it.

The Best Orange Glaze

Truly the icing on the cake! Glazing your finished orange pound cake is optional, but I rarely skip it. And I’m not advocating that you should sneak a spoonful of two of this glaze… but I also won’t tell if you do. The important part is letting the cake cool completely to room temperature first. Otherwise, the glaze melts right off the warm cake. Here’s how to do it:

• Add the glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients, and whisk the powdered sugar carefully so that it doesn’t fly everywhere. I like to add it in half-cup portions. Pour over the cooled cake and enjoy!

Helpful Tips for Making This Recipe

• Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure that your butter, eggs, and even the orange juice are brought to room temperature before you mix the batter. Room-temperature ingredients are easier to mix, and the cake will bake more evenly.
• Line the pan with parchment paper. With cooking spray alone, it can still be difficult to remove the cake from the pan without it sticking or crumbling. Using parchment paper ensures that your cake makes a smooth exit from the pan.
• Don’t remove it right away. That being said, give the baked orange pound cake 10-15 minutes to rest in the pan before you move it to a wire rack. If you remove it too soon, it can crack or crumble.
• Avoid overbrowning. If you notice the edges of the cake are browning too fast in the oven, tent the pan with foil while it finishes baking.
• Adjust the glaze. Add more or less orange juice to achieve the consistency you prefer in your glaze (less to thicken it, more to thin it out).
• Easy add-ins. Try adding white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts to the batter.

How to Store

• On the counter. I like to store this orange pound cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It’ll probably keep for a little while longer in the fridge, if needed. This cake lasting 3 days in my house would be a miracle, so the room temperature option is usually just fine!
• Freeze. Feel free to freeze the whole pound cake (or extra slices) in an airtight container for 1-2 months. Thaw the cake at room temperature before serving. Whenever possible, try to freeze the cake without the glaze and add it when it’s time to serve.

More Citrus Desserts

• Orange Crinkle Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Blondies
• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Key Lime Cheesecake