Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner!

Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

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This easy orange pound cake is hands down the best cake recipe to prepare from scratch (with no cake mix!). I’ve baked it countless times over the years and I never ever get tired of it. Rich, buttery, moist, and bursting with refreshing orange flavors, this foolproof pound cake is delicious year-round, with or without glaze. Each slice is slightly crispy on top, fragrant, with a moist and tender crumb. We love it for breakfast, tea time, dessert, and it’s also a perfect loaf to bring to potlucks and picnics!

Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

Why this is the BEST orange pound cake

  • A quick pound cake recipe (ready in 10 minutes)
  • Prepared with basic ingredients
  • Bursting with orange flavors (from freshly squeezed oranges)
  • A crispy outer crust with a buttery, tender and moist crumb

An easy pound cake recipe

What is a pound cake? A traditional pound cake recipe calls for equal weights of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, and is typically baked in a loaf tin (loaf pan). It makes it one of the easiest recipes to bake.

In this orange version, we added some orange zest for a burst of refreshing flavors, and the juice of a freshly squeezed orange. Prepared with simple ingredients, it takes 10 minutes to prepare and it’s a success every single time.

Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

The recipe ingredients

  • 1 orange. A medium orange will give you about ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice. Don’t forget to zest it first, to bring up all the orange flavors in the pound cake.
  • Eggs. You need 3 eggs for this recipe.
  • Sugar. Choose granulated sugar but do not try to experiment with other types of sugar such as brown sugar, as they would impact the final result of the cake.
  • Butter. I recommend salted butter for this recipe for a boost of flavors, but the recipe would work with unsalted butter too. If choosing the latter, just add a pinch of salt.
  • All-purpose flour. Measure it correctly and sift it, to ensure the perfect texture.
  • Baking powder. Use ¾ teaspoon of baking powder to give a little lift but keep the crumb perfectly moist and tender (not dry!).
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

How to make orange pound cake?

Here’s a snapshot of how to make this orange pound cake. Find the full instructions in the recipe card below.

  • Start with whisking eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Note that this step can be easily achieved with a whisk, you do not need to use a hand mixer.
  • Then sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and stir until incorporated.
  • Now add the melted (and slightly cooled) melted butter, orange juice and zest, and mix until incorporated.
  • Pour into the prepared pan, and bake. I told you it was easy!
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

Pro tips for a perfect orange pound cake

  • Prefer using a baking scale rather than measuring cups for more accuracy.
  • Choose a medium size orange, and zest it first. Then I recommend you measure the juice you get from the orange to ensure you are close to ¼ cup (60 ml). This will ensure a perfect texture, moist and tender just as needed.
  • Ensure your eggs are at room temperature. This will help them combine more easily and prevent your batter from curdling.
  • Whisk eggs and sugar vigorously, until the mixture turns pale, light and fluffy. This will result in a soft, tender loaf.
  • Don’t overmix the cake batter. This is true for almost every cake recipe, and the secret for a perfectly moist crumb.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

Should I serve it with or without the glaze?

While most pound cakes tend to be a little dry and benefit from an additional glaze, this orange version is just perfect as it is. Perfectly sweet, moist and tender. That being said, you can always drizzle a simple orange glaze on top if desired.

Can I use store-bought orange juice instead?

Yes! Depending on the size of the orange, you will need approximately 60ml store-bought orange juice for this recipe, about ¼ cup.

But if you ask me, I always prefer to use the whole fruit, as you will need both the juice and the zest for this recipe. Freshly squeezed oranges make the cake perfectly moist and juicy, while orange zest will make it fragrant.

Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

Make the recipe yours

Feel free to add your own touch to tis orange pound cake recipe, and create a different version every time. There are plenty of options depending on your mood, your tastes, and the ingredients you have at hand. Here a few suggestions:

  • Flavor with a hint of cinnamon
  • Add some dried cranberries or other dried fruits
  • Or maybe chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds
  • Add mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate. However, I do not recommend regular size chocolate chips as they might fall into the bottom of the pan.
  • Create a marble version. To do so, mix one Tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder with half of the batter. Then pour into the loaf tin, alternating layers between the chocolate flavored orange mixture and the plain orange one.
Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.

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Orange Pound Cake

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Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner.
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  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Loaves
  • Cuisine: American recipes

Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest. This easy recipe is a winner!

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (160g) caster sugar
  • 1 ⅓ cup (160g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅔ cup (150g) salted butter, melted
  • 1 orange (juice + zest)*

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 10 x 4.5-inch (25×10 cm) loaf tin.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  3. Sift in the flour with the baking powder, stirring well.
  4. Add the melted butter, orange juice and zest, and stir well.**
  5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the pound cake to cool completely before serving.***

Notes

* 1 orange will give you about ¼ cup (60 ml) juice.

** Possible variations: add mini chocolate chips, cranberries, walnuts, a pinch of cinnamon, or top with a glaze using this orange glaze recipe.

*** Once the pound cake is cool, you can drizzle a simple glaze on top. To do so, whisk 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar with 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice and 2 Tablespoons of milk (and optionally some orange zest too). Adjust the milk quantity to make a pourable glaze, and drizzle over the cake.

Recipe by Del’s cooking twist | Photography by Athina Canevet Studio

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Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Orange Pound Cake, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!