Fragrant, moist, and tender Orange Pound Cake flavored with freshly squeezed orange juice and zest. This easy recipe is a winner!
This is hands down the best cake recipe to prepare from scratch (with no cake mix!). With or without frosting, it is perfect for tea time, breakfast or as a simple dessert to bring with you for potlucks and picnics.
It’s indeed one of my very first recipes of the blog, for which I just refreshed the pictures, and one of my all-time favorite desserts. I baked it countless times and still today a few hundreds of recipes later on the blog, it’s always the one I go back to whenever I need to prepare a quick dessert for my friends. Because it’s easy, moist, and oh so good!
An easy pound cake recipe
This orange pound cake is the perfect example. I have baked this recipe a hundred times already (probably more actually). It’s super easy, takes you 10 minutes max to prepare, and it tastes amazing: fragrant, moist, tender with a wonderful fresh and delicate taste of orange.
Almost every time I am invited somewhere at the very last minute and I am supposed to bring the dessert (yes, as a food blogger, your baking skills are often solicited) I go for this one. No need to go for a fancy recipe, often, simple is best!
I have so many great memories around this recipe… My favorite is when I baked it for breakfast last summer when my sister in law (Hi AL!) and her family were visiting us in Stockholm. On a very sunny morning, we all gathered around a large wooden table and shared this deliciously moist cake with the kids, enjoying simple moments of life – the best ones!
Make the recipe yours
And the good thing with this orange pound cake is that you can actually add a new twist to the recipe each time you bake it:
- A hint of cinnamon
- Cranberries
- Some walnuts, almonds (finely chopped, or it will go right to the bottom of the loaf tin)
- Mini chocolate chips (same here, make sure they are mini or finely chopped)
Or melt one tablespoon of cocoa powder with half of the batter and it will become a wonderful marble cake. There are plenty of options depending on your mood, your tastes, and the ingredients you have at hand.
Can I use store-bought orange juice instead?
Yes you can. Depending on the size of the orange, you will need approximately 70-80ml store-bought orange juice for this recipe, about 1/3 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, juicy and fragrant.
More easy recipes you’ll love:
- French Chocolate Cake
- Easy Fluffy American Pancakes
- Best Ever Banana Bread
- French Gâteau au Yaourt (A No-Measure Cake)
- Easy Fluffy Banana Pancakes
All of the above recipes are super easy to prepare, ready in no time, and will never disappoint you.
More citrus recipes
- Best Ever Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf
- Perfect Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake
- Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake
- Vegan Orange Cranberry Scones
- Lemon Magic Cake
- Also don’t miss The Best Lemon Dessert Recipes!
Orange Pound Cake

- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Cakes and Pies
- 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!
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (160g) caster sugar
- 1 1/3 cup (160g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup (150g) salted butter
- 1 large orange (juice + zest)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease a 10 x 4.5-inch (25×10 cm) loaf tin.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Sift in the flour with the baking powder, stirring well.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and pour it into the batter.
- Juice and zest the fresh orange and incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Tips: you can add your own twist to the recipe by using some chocolate chips, cinnamon, walnuts… Be creative!
Keywords: pound cake
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!
If you want to make a complete meal out of this dessert, why not start with my outstanding authentic deep-dish pizza, true to its Chicago roots. The pizza together with the cake will pack a punch and leave many a guest satiated.
Rosa
Hi , I just made the cake and it’s good , thanks for the recipe!
Delphine Fortin
You are most welcome. Thanks for your feedback, very much appreciated!
Jenny C
Hello Del,
This orange cake looks delicious. I am in Australia and wonder if self-raising flour that is commonly used here in baking (that already has baking powder powder added) can be used instead of the specified all-purpose flour and baking powder in this recipe?
Many thanks for your advice.
Delphine Fortin
Hi Jenny! I’m not entirely sure about that since I never tried this recipe with self-rising flour. Please report back if you try, it can be helpful for the other readers in the future. Thanks! Del
www.fooddoz.com
Thanks for the orange pound cake recipe. Best regards!
Christina
★★★★★
I’m new to baking and I thought this recipe would make good use of my ripened oranges – could not have asked for a better loaf!!! Sweet, bright and fresh! I added an orange glaze and decorated it with some orange slices and fresh mint from my herb garden – perfect for summer!
Delphine Fortin
So happy you liked it, thank you so much, Christina! Del
Saloni
Can this be adapted to a 30 cm loaf tin?
My loaf tin is 11.5 x 5 x 3 inch (instead of your 9 x 5 x 3 inch). With the same measurements as above, the pound cake does not rise as much.
Delphine Fortin
Hi! The cake will not be as high but will still rise enough and be delicious!
Dana
Hi! Can I substitute the butter? I’d so, with what, and what is the quantity? Thank z
Delphine Fortin
Hello! I’ve never tried to substitute the butter in this recipe so I cannot guarantee the final result. Please let me know if you try!
Pufferfish
★★★★★
I’ve just made this and it has turned out very light and tasty! Going to try it with other citrus fruits as well. Thank you!
Delphine Fortin
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you for your feedback. Very much appreciated 🙂 Del
Einstein
★★★★★
Great recipe!,Thanks for sharing
Delphine Fortin
I’m happy you liked it. Thanks!
Kaye Bullock
Hi, how much juice should the orange produce for this recipe – 1/2 cup? 1 cup? This is just to have an idea as to size or qty of oranges.
Thanks.
Kaye
Carlos Esquitin
Is it possible to use unsalted butter and add half a teaspoon, or how much salt do you suggest?
Stephanie
Just tried out this cake and was so looking forward to it! Unfortunately it turned out very dense and oily (buttery). It feels like either the orange was too big and I could have used less butter.
Delphine Fortin
Hi Stephanie, I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. It’s important to use a medium size orange indeed, not a very big one. Also, make sure you do not overmix the batter (this can explain why the cake turned out dense) and always double check the baking powder expiration date. I hope these small tips can help you get a beautiful pound cake the next time. Sending my best wishes! Del
Anusha Kamath
★★★★★
Hi so I was a little apprehensive how it would turn out since the recipe is different from usual cakes.. usuallynthere is creaking of butter with sugar first.. but it turned out really yummy and moist. Have my eyes on trying lemon olive oil and French chocolate now. 🙂
Delphine Fortin
I’m so happy you liked it. Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate! 🙂
Ronisha
★★★★★
We loved this cake so much. It is so simple to put together and bake but the resulting cake is so so so delicious. I love it. Thanks for the lovely recipe.
Delphine Fortin
I’m so happy you like it. Thank you for your feedback!
Ifueko
Hi Del…I stumbled on your recipe on Pinterest and I was smitten on the spot.I intend making it as it is,and also adopting it as a fruit cake,knocking out the milk and putting warm spices like cloves,cinnamon,nutmeg and ginger with the brandied fruits..I love moist cakes,including a moist fruit cake,and this recipe does it for me.what do you think?
Delphine Fortin
Oh thank you! I hope you’ll like it. It’s one of my all time favorite, I’ve baked it countless times over the years and still bake it often!
Elaine Cooley
★★★★★
So, I am not an experienced baker, and I just had eye surgery when I made this recipe. When I saw “scale 3x” I thought it meant that the print font would be bigger and I could read it easier. Needless to say, the loaf was huge and it kept growing, and growing, and growing! My husband and I laughed all night about it. It was the size of a small minivan and as dense as a brick. This morning I realized what had happened. I’m going to try it again today….after I buy more butter@
Delphine Fortin
Hi Elaine! Oh I’m so sorry to hear about that, I hope you’re feeling much better now with no side-effect with your eyes. What an adventure indeed, I would I loved to see this orange pound cake minivan!! 😀 Thanks for sharing it with us, it made me laugh too! And I hope you’ll love the regular size pound cake next time! Del
Mada
Hi, I plan to make this for friends, how long can this cake be stored for? A couple of days?
Thanks
Delphine Fortin
Hello! Yes, you can store it for a couple of days wrapped in cling film or foil, but keep in mind it’s usually better fresh out from the oven 🙂
Sha
Followed all directions closely. Even bought new batch of baking powder. My cake turned out very dense. Add the flour to the eggs or eggs to the flour? The melted needs to cool down completely?
Delphine Fortin
Hi! I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you and to be honest I’m not sure what can have gone wrong here. Could it be that the orange was too small and not juicy enough? The flour too dense? Again I’m really sorry I can’t guide you more than that – I think I will add a video for this recipe, as an image is always worth a thousand words. Stay tuned! Del
Nad
i’ve experimented several times, here’s a note I made:
– beat the sugar and eggs until its really really really fluffy (around 3-5 mins on full speed)
– cool down the melted butter before mixing them in the batter
– don’t overmix (after the egg beating steps). i just use a whisk and fold a cpl of times
ps: i love del’s orange cake sooooo much. thank you del!
Delphine Fortin
Hello, and thank you for sharing these useful tips with us. I’m so glad you love this orange pound cake and baked it several times already (it’s a classic in our house too!). Del
Nink
★★★★★
Rsep dan cara yg sangat sederhana utk hasil yg begtu luat biasa dan nikmat.
Nink
★★★★★
Hasil yg luarbiasa dan nikmat. Thanks del
Delphine Fortin
So happy you liked the recipe. Thank you!
Bonnie Sims
★★★★★
I just made this recipe the cake turned out wonderful!!!! Now what i did different is infuse the orange zest into the sugar before mixing, make sure everything is room temperature and slowly mix everything together it turned out GREAT
Delphine Fortin
So happy you liked it, thank you so much, Bonnie, for your feedback! Del
Bernadette
Hi, I came across your recipe… do I have to add the melted butter hot or can it be added after it cools down…?
Delphine Fortin
Hi Bernadette. Yes it’s always better to wait after it cools down a little to make sure it doesn’t “cook” the eggs. I hope this helps! Del
Zara
Hi how do you define large orange? I’ve mandarins so how much juice would go into the cake? Thanks
Sierra
Hi! Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?
Delphine Fortin
Hi! Yes it works to make this orange pound cake into small cupcakes. Just make sure you monitor the baking time closely as they won’t take long to bake. I hope this helps! Del