This tender orange pound cake is loaded with fresh orange flavor, moist, fragrant, buttery, dense, and topped with a sweet orange glaze.
If you want an orange cake that actually tastes like real oranges, this is the recipe to make!
Rubbing fresh orange zest directly into granulated sugar releases natural citrus oils for maximum orange flavor, while full-fat sour cream and real butter keep the cake soft for days.
You do not even need a stand mixer for the batter. It comes together quickly in one bowl with a simple hand mixer.
For more orange desserts, check out my chocolate orange cake and orange cake!
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Why this recipe works
- One-Bowl Cake Base: The batter comes together quickly in one bowl using an electric hand mixer with minimal dishes to wash.
- Fresh Orange Flavor: Rubbing fresh orange zest into the sugar and using freshly squeezed orange juice gives this cake authentic, natural citrus flavor.
- Soft and Tender Crumb: Full-fat sour cream and real butter keep the pound cake moist and tender for days.
- Tangy Orange Glaze: Topped with a silky 4-ingredient glaze made with powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, yogurt, and a pinch of salt.
- Freezer-Friendly: Bake ahead and freeze for up to 3 months for easy make-ahead entertaining.
Ingredients
For the most accurate baking results, weigh your ingredients in grams using a digital scale. Exact measurements are on the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Orange Pound Cake
Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature for a rich, buttery flavor and smooth batter.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and locks in moisture. Caster sugar works great too.
Fresh Orange Zest: Packed with natural citrus oils that give the cake its deep aroma and bright flavor.
Fresh Orange Juice: Provides natural moisture and citrus tang. Freshly squeezed juice gives the best result.
Eggs: Provide structure and stability. Use room-temperature eggs so they blend smoothly.
Full-Fat Sour Cream: Adds acidity and moisture for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
Cake Flour: Makes the cake exceptionally tender, soft, and delicate.
Baking Powder: Gives the dense pound cake the perfect rise.
Vanilla Extract & Kosher Salt: Key flavor enhancers that balance the sweetness and butteriness.
For the Orange Glaze
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the glaze into a silky topping.
Fresh Orange Juice: Thins the glaze while adding natural citrus flavor.
Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds a subtle tang and gives the glaze a glossy finish.
Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness of the sugar.
Instructions
Make the orange pound cake
Prep and Cream Butter Base: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, fluffy, and pale.
Mix in Wet Ingredients: Add the sour cream and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated into a smooth batter.
Add Dry Ingredients and Juice: Add half the cake flour, half the baking powder, and half the fresh orange juice.
Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining flour and orange juice, mixing until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the orange glaze
Mix and Glaze: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, yogurt, and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth and silky.
Drizzle the cooled cake with the glaze, let it set for a few minutes, then slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- Weigh Your Ingredients: Measure flour, sugar, and butter with a digital kitchen scale for exact accuracy and a soft crumb.
- Rub Zest into Sugar: Use your fingertips to rub the orange zest into the sugar before creaming. This releases the citrus oils for maximum flavor.
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs, sour cream, and butter are at room temperature so the batter emulsifies without breaking.
- Do Not Overmix: Once the flour is added, mix just until combined so you keep the crumb soft and tender rather than dense or dry.
- Line the Loaf Pan: Always line your loaf pan with parchment paper so the cake releases easily without sticking.
- Cool Completely Before Glazing: Let the cake cool completely to room temperature so the glaze sets properly instead of melting into the cake.
Troubleshooting
Why did my pound cake crack down the middle?
A central split is completely normal for loaf pound cakes. It happens because the exterior sets while the dense interior continues to expand and rise.
Why is my cake dry?
Over-measuring flour or over-baking are the primary causes. Measure flour with a digital scale and test for doneness at the 45-minute mark.
Why did my pound cake sink in the middle?
Underbaking, opening the oven door too early, or adding too much baking powder will cause the cake structure to collapse.
Faq's
Yes, but the texture will be slightly denser. To make a cake flour substitute, remove 2 tablespoons of flour from 1 cup of all-purpose flour, replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and sift twice.
Add ½ teaspoon of pure orange extract along with the vanilla extract. Avoid adding more, as concentrated extract can taste artificial.
Freshly squeezed is best. Store-bought juice lacks natural citrus oils and contains added sugar and preservatives that alter the flavor.
Storing
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freezing Unglazed Cake: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before glazing.
Freezing Slices: Freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Make This Ahead Of Time
Bake and freeze the unglazed loaf up to 3 months in advance. You can also make the glaze up to 2 days ahead and store it covered in the fridge; whisk gently before pouring over the cake.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free: Swap butter and sour cream for high-quality vegan block butter and plant-based sour cream or yogurt.
Gluten-Free: Swap cake flour for a 1:1 gluten-free measure-for-measure baking flour blend containing xanthan gum.
Variations
Orange Cranberry: Fold 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries tossed in 1 tablespoon of flour into the batter before baking.
Chocolate Orange Swirl: Divide the batter in half, stir ⅓ cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder into one half, and marble the two batters in the loaf pan.
Cream Cheese Glaze: Swap the orange glaze with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
Almond Crunch: Top the glazed cake with sliced toasted almonds for extra texture.
Baking in Different Pans
Bundt Pan (10–12 Cup): Double all recipe ingredients to fill a standard 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a long skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
8-Inch Round Cake Pans: Divide the batter evenly between two greased and lined 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 22 to 25 minutes.
8x8-Inch Square Pan: Pour the batter into a lined 8x8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 32 to 38 minutes, until golden and set in the middle.
Mini Loaf Pans: Divide the batter evenly among 3 or 4 mini loaf pans (about 5.75x3 inches). Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Standard 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer
- Zester / Microplane
- Citrus juicer
- Offset spatula
- Wire cooling rack
More pound cakes
Peach cobbler pound cake- Soft and buttery pound cake loaded with cinnamon peaches and peach puree inside the batter.
Lemon pound cake- Dense and moist lemon loaf packed with fresh lemon juice and zest, topped with a sweet lemon glaze.
Chocolate sour cream pound cake- Rich chocolate pound cake topped with a silky smooth chocolate ganache.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Orange Pound Cake With Orange Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon Orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Orange juice
- 3 cups Cake flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
Orange glaze
- 1 cup Powder sugar
- 2 tablespoon Orange juice
- 1 tablespoon Yogurt
Instructions
Make the orange pound cake
- Prep and Cream Butter Base: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, fluffy, and pale.
- Mix in Wet Ingredients: Add the sour cream and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated into a smooth batter.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Juice: Add half the cake flour, half the baking powder, and half the fresh orange juice.
- Mix on low speed until just combined. Add the remaining flour and orange juice, mixing until just combined and no dry flour streaks remain.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the orange glaze
- Mix and Glaze: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, yogurt, and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth and silky.
- Drizzle the cooled cake with the glaze, let it set for a few minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Weigh Your Ingredients: For exact accuracy and the softest crumb, weigh ingredients in grams using a digital kitchen scale rather than measuring cups.
- Room-Temperature Dairy & Eggs: Ensure butter, eggs, and sour cream are all at room temperature so the batter emulsifies smoothly without breaking or curdling.
- Orange Flavor Hack: Rub the fresh orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingertips before creaming. This releases essential aromatic oils for maximum orange flavor.
- Cake Flour Substitute: If you do not have cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour from 1 cup of all-purpose flour, replace with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and sift together twice before measuring.
- Pan Size & Timing: This recipe is written for a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan. Start checking for doneness with a toothpick at the 45-minute mark to prevent over-baking and drying out the crumb.
- Cool Before Glazing: Allow the loaf to cool completely to room temperature before pouring the glaze over top; otherwise, the glaze will melt into the cake rather than setting into a opaque glaze.
- Storage & Freezing: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Wrap unglazed loaves tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before adding the glaze.
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