Orange Pound Cake Recipe

A glazed bundt cake with orange zest, sliced on a wooden platter.

5 from 1 vote

Orange Pound Cake recipe with moist, buttery texture loaded with citrus flavor. Made with orange zest, orange juice, and an easy orange syrup for the perfect finish.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Cooling Time1

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Keyword: orange, pound cake, pound cake recipe

Servings: servings

Author: Aimee Shugarman

Ingredients

For the Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons orange zest
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream

For the Orange Syrup

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup fresh orange juice

For the Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan, or use my homemade cake release or baking spray with flour. Set it aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt. Set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until pale in color, about 3 minutes. Add in sugar and orange zest and beat an additional 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add in eggs, one at a time, then add the orange juice, vanilla extract and sour cream. gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until everything is combined.
Spoon batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan about 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate or stand.
While the cake is warm, poke small holes into the top of the cooling cake (while it's on the cake plate). I use toothpicks to make small holes.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar and orange juice for the orange syrup. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to simmer about 2 minutes. Use a pastry brush to brush the syrup over the top of the warm cake.
Once the cake is completely cooled, make the icing. Whisk the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth. Spoon the icing over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides.

Notes

You'll need about 3 large navel oranges for the zest and juice needed for the cake, syrup, and icing. Use my guide on how to zest a lemon for similar tips.
Swap out the sour cream for whole milk or plain Greek yogurt if needed.
Storage- Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Freeze- orange pound cake can be frozen whole or in slices for up to 3 months. Use my tips and tricks on how to freeze cake.

Nutrition