An easy and delicious orange drizzle loaf cake with a fresh orange drizzle on top. Wonderfully moist cake and full of orange flavour.
If there is a flavour that’s sure to brighten up any day, it’s orange! And that’s especially true right now, in the dead of Winter. It’s like a taste of warm sunshine!
This orange loaf cake is loaded with orange flavour with a fresh orange drizzle on top, as well. Made with basic pantry items and a few oranges, this loaf is great to enjoy any time of day.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Oranges – I think navel oranges are nicest with a loaf like this. You’ll need about 2 medium navel oranges, though I’ve included the measurements for the amount of zest and juice, so you don’t have to guess. Technically, any orange will work just fine here.
Heavy Cream (35% b.f.) – The addition of a small amount of heavy, whipping cream to this loaf adds a really nice richness, as well as a bit more fat, which is always good for moistness and texture of loaves like this. I recommend using it if you have it. If you don’t, I would suggest 10% half and half cream would be the next best option. I haven’t tested this recipe with milk or non-dairy milk alternatives.
Butter – Butter is used for best flavour. You can use salted or unsalted butter here.
How to make orange drizzle loaf cake
This batter is really easy to mix up. Be sure to mix well for the times specified, as detailed in the recipe instructions. I like to line my loaf pan with parchment paper, that covers the bottom and long sides of the pan. It makes it a breeze to remove the loaf after baking. (Be sure to run a knife along the short ends before removing, though).
Once baked, poke the top of the loaf all over with a skewer, inserting it in about 1 – 1 1/2 inches. Pour the warm orange syrup over top of the loaf while it is still hot. It will soak into the loaf a bit, as well as glazing the top with a bright orange flavour.
Recipe tips!
- Room temperature eggs are important for the quality of the loaf, so be sure to take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting the recipe.
- Always be careful with reducing sugar in baking recipes. Sugar in baking does more than provide sweetness. It contributes considerably to the finished texture and moistness of the loaf. Arbitrarily cutting the sugar in half the first time you bake a recipe is a recipe for disappointment. I always suggest baking as prescribed first, then in subsequent bakes, if you want to reduce sugar, scale it back a bit and assess the results. And so on. See how far you can reduce it and still get a result that you are happy with.
- For best (moist) results, be careful not to over-bake your loaf. Watch closely towards the end of baking, but don’t open the door to test until your loaf has crested and is starting to colour on top. When you feel you’re getting close, start testing in the centre of the loaf with a long skewer or tester. The tester should come out clean when it’s done.
- Likewise, you don’t want to under-bake your loaf, or it may sink once out of the oven. You need to test it and you need to leave it in the oven until it tests “done”, regardless of how long that takes. Baking times can and will vary between ovens and depending on the type/colour of loaf pan you’ve used.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This orange loaf cake is lovely and moist, so it holds up well if making a bit ahead.
Store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
This orange loaf will also freeze well for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest, packed, from about 2 medium oranges
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (95 g) 35% b.f heavy whipping cream, *see Note 1 below
- 3 1/2 Tablespoons (50 g) butter, melted and cooled, salted or unsalted
Orange Drizzle Glaze:
- 1/2 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed and strained, from about 2 medium oranges
- 3 Tablespoons (40 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (regular bake setting/not fan-assisted), with rack in centre of oven.
- Grease an 8 1/2 x 4-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, covering the bottom and long sides of the pan, overhanging the side edges by about an inch. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Melt butter and set aside to cool until needed.
- Add room temperature eggs and sugar to a large bowl (and using an electric mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together well until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add orange zest and mix in briefly. Add cream and beat mixture well, another 1-2 minutes.
- With mixer on low speed, spoon in flour mixture, mixing until well combined. Add the melted (but cooled) butter and mix in until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth top.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, or until the loaf tests clean with a tester inserted in the centre of the loaf.
- About 10 minutes before the loaf is done, prepare the glaze by combining the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside until needed.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 2 minutes, then lift out of the pan by the parchment sides and place onto a cooling rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet (to catch the drips from the glaze). Carefully remove the parchment paper and discard.
- While loaf is still hot, use a skewer to pierce the top of the loaf generously, all over the top, inserting the skewer in about 1 – 1 1/2 inches. Pour part of the glaze over-top and allow to soak in a bit, then pour the remainder over-top, trying to cover the entire top with a bit of glaze.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Web Story for Orange Drizzle Cake Loaf
More orange recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Is it possible to make this loaf without the drizzle? Would if affect the moist nature of the loaf? Please advise. I would love to make it for the holiday season. Happy holidays.
You can certainly make this loaf without the drizzle, but yes, the drizzle does add extra orange flavour and moistness to the loaf. I have an orange pound cake loaf that might also be an option if you don’t want a drizzle. It has a glaze, but you can easily omit it. You can find it here -https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/orange-pound-cake-loaf/
If I wanted to make a lemon drizzle cake, would it work if I replaced all the orange zest and juice with lemon?
Hi Bennie and no, that would be too much lemon juice. You would have to replace it with lemon juice and then add water, to make the total amount. I don’t know the exact ration however, as I haven’t tried it myself.
Wonderful recipe! I was wondering, if you wanted to make it an orange-lemon flavour, would how would you recommend going about that? Just love the tastes of lemon and orange together.
So glad you enjoyed it, Liz! If you wanted to add some lemon to the mix, I’d just replace some of the orange zest and juice with lemon zest and juice. Maybe 1/3 lemon to 2/3 orange.
Wonderful recipe, very fresh orange flavour. I did not make the drizzle, the cake was good as is. Thank you so much Jennifer :-)
So glad you enjoyed it, Divya :) Thanks so much!
This is very very good! Another winning recipe! The orange flavour is nice and strong. I rubbed the sugar and orange zest together – a long time ago I read that it helps to bring out the oils in the zest and bumps up the flavour.
There’s a wee typo in the recipe – step 5 – refers to “w minutes”.
So glad you enjoyed it, Carolyn! And thanks for letting me know about my typo :) Fixed and appreciate you letting me know (I am a wild typist sometimes).
Truly. There is nothing else I’d rather have in this moment! So tender and delicious!!
Thanks so much, Annie :)
I always crave citrus flavored dishes during the winter – and if it’s a sweet treat then all the better! Needless to say, this cake loaf is just screaming my name!! It looks perfectly moist andc absolutely delicious!! A must make for sure!
Thanks so much, Cheyanne :) I’m loving citrus this time of year!
I’d choose a fruit-flavored dessert over something chocolate almost everytime Jennifer! I’d love this loaf. And since I’m a horrible cake decorator a loaf cake and/or bundt is always at the top of my list. Adding this one to my baking list!
I’m not a great cake decorator either, Mary Anne (no patience :), so I love the ease of a loaf cake, too!
Very excited about trying this one, I love the orangey burst of flavor added by the glaze.
Thanks Milena and yes, this really hits the spot this time of year. Such bright, fresh flavour :)