This orange cream pound cake is a dream. Orange cream is a very nostalgic flavor to me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s also just straight up delicious. Orange was my favorite flavor popsicle, koolaid, whatever it may be growing up. I always picked a creamsicle when the ice cream truck rolled through. I love vanilla and creamy things, but mixed with the citrus? It’s a perfect combination.
I’m not typically a cake person, but pound cake (at least in my mind) always seemed almost more like bread. Maybe that’s because it’s often baked in a loaf pan. Maybe because loaf cakes people are always asking is it bread or is it cake? Either way, I decided to give it a try.
This recipe is an adaptation of one from Elvis Presley’s Favorite Pound Cake, which I found on Epicurious. I decided to make a flavored and smaller version and this orange version is what I came up with.
They biggest thing I can say when making this orange cream pound cake is don’t skimp when it comes to time. You’re going to beat the sugar and butter for 5 minutes so its really fluffy. It’s also going to make sure your orange sugar is fully integrated with the butter. You’re going to beat the cream into the batter for at least 5 minutes on a medium high speed to aerate the batter. This will eliminate the need for a leavening agent like baking powder – which there are none. Make sure you have a clock or a timer to make sure you are really giving it the time and attention each step needs.
This is delicious without the vanilla glaze on top, but I really advocate for making it as it realllyyy brings home that creamsicle flavor you know and love.
If you’re craving some more orange bakes I suggest
Orange Cream Pound Cake Key Ingredients
- Fiori di Sicilia – This is a special extract, however it is probably my favorite extract. It’s vanilla and citrus + floral oils so it’s very strong but beautiful flavor. If you don’t feel like special ordering it, I’d recommend using a blend of orange extract and vanilla extract.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour is going to produce a wonderfully light bake, as the name implies its used for baking cakes. Pound cake doesn’t usually use cake flour, but with this orange cream pound cake, it works!
- Orange Zest – When you rub zest into sugar, magic happens. It makes your hands smell lovely as well. We are zesting a whole orange into the sugar to really pack the orange flavor in. Rubbing it into the sugar helps the flavor not bake out quite as much.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 300 g Granulated sugar 1½ cup
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 1 tsp Fiori di Sicilia
- 3 large Eggs + 1 yolk
- ½ tsp Sea salt
- 168 g Cake flour 1½ cup, sifted
- ½ cup Heavy cream room temperature
Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp Salted butter melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 tbsp Heavy cream
Instructions
- Line an 8.5×4" loaf pan with parchment and grease with either baking spray or butter and flour. Set aside.
- Sift your cake flour into a bowl, set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, measure your sugar out. Zest your orange into the sugar, and then rub the zest into the sugar between your fingers. This will release the oils into the the sugar and impart a much stronger orange flavor. The sugar will begin to turn a yellow orange color and feel slightly damp.
- Add your butter to your orange sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat your butter and sugar together for about 5 minutes on medium speed until it is well combined, light and fluffy.
- Add 1 egg at a time, mixing each thoroughly (for about 90 seconds) into the batter for a total of 3 eggs and 1 yolk.
- Add in your extract and mix in for another 30 seconds.
- Add in half of your flour and your salt into the batter and mix on low until combined.
- Add your heavy cream, and mix, then add the remainder of the flour. When the flour has been mixed in, turn your mixer to medium high and mix for at least 5 minutes. When your batter is ready it will be smooth and silky looking.
- Spoon batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Gently bang on the counter once to release any air pockets.
- Place your cake into your COLD oven, and turn on to 350°F. Bake for 60-70 minutes, making sure a skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes, then remove from pan and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
Orange Glaze
- Prepare your glaze while your cake is cooling. In a bowl whisk together melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. Glaze will be thick but when you lift whisk it should ribbon off.
- Pour/spread glaze over top of loaf. Allow to sit for about 10-20 minutes to allow glaze to set before slicing. Enjoy!
