This is the buttery moist loaf cake with bright fresh orange juice and zest baked into the batter, finished with a sweet orange glaze that drips down the sides. Tight tender crumb, citrus everywhere, perfect for brunch or afternoon tea. Seventy-five minutes total — most of it bake time — serves ten, and it freezes beautifully. Tastes like sunshine.
Fun fact: pound cake gets its name from the original recipe — one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. The four-pound recipe (literally a pound of each) was easy to remember in an era before standardized measuring cups. The orange variation became popular in the American South in the 1950s, where citrus was abundant and home bakers wanted to brighten the classic butter cake.
Why this recipe works
ORANGE ZEST + JUICE. Zest brings aromatic citrus oils; juice brings flavor + moisture. Skip either = flat.
SOUR CREAM in the batter. Adds tang + moisture. Makes the crumb stay tender for 4+ days.
GLAZE WARM cake. Pouring glaze on still-warm cake lets some absorb in while the rest hardens — gives both flavor AND glossy finish.
Ingredients
Serves 10.
Pound cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Zest of 2 large oranges (about 2 tbsp)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Orange glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Step 1: Prep oven + pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment leaving overhang.
Step 2: Rub zest into sugar
In a large bowl, rub orange zest into the granulated sugar with your fingers for 30 seconds. This releases the citrus oils — kitchen will smell intense.
Step 3: Cream butter + sugar
Add softened butter to the citrus-sugar. Beat with electric mixer 3 minutes until light, fluffy, pale yellow.
Step 4: Add eggs
Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing 30 sec between each.
Step 5: Add wet ingredients
Beat in sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla. Mixture may look curdled — that’s normal.
Step 6: Mix in dries
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet on low speed in 3 additions, mixing just until no streaks remain. Don’t overmix.
Step 7: Bake
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake 50-60 min until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Tent with foil after 35 min if browning too fast.
Step 8: Make the glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, orange juice (start with 3 tbsp), zest, and salt. Should be thick but drizzle-able. Adjust with more juice if too thick.
Step 9: Cool and glaze
Cool cake 10 min in pan; lift out using parchment. While still warm (not hot), drizzle glaze generously over the top — let it run down the sides. Cool completely before slicing for clean cuts.
Nutrition information
Calories: 410 kcal per slice
Protein: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 58 g
Sugar: 38 g
Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Pro tips for the best orange glaze pound cake
ROOM TEMP everything. Cold butter + cold eggs = lumpy batter. Pull out 1 hour before baking.
USE A MICROPLANE for zest. Box graters tear up too much white pith (bitter). Microplane gives clean colored zest only.
ADD POPPY SEEDS. 1 tbsp poppy seeds in the batter = orange-poppy seed pound cake, classic bakery flavor.
BUNDT version. Same batter in a 10-cup bundt pan. Bake 45-50 min. Glaze the same way.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes — full-fat Greek yogurt works 1:1. Slightly tangier, same texture.
How do I store this?
4 days at room temp covered. 1 week in the fridge but the crumb firms up — bring to room temp before serving.
Can I freeze it?
Yes — freeze unglazed up to 3 months wrapped tight. Glaze after thawing.
Why is my cake dry?
Either over-baked (always pull at lowest time-range and check), or you didn’t use enough fat. Sour cream is non-negotiable.
Can I make muffins instead?
Yes — fill 12 muffin liners 2/3 full, bake 22-25 min. Drizzle with glaze when warm.
