A slice of this quick, easy, soft and moist orange loaf cake is the perfect light dessert. This cake is also a great addition to a brunch or afternoon coffee break.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/340F. Grease a loaf tin and set it aside. Melt the butter and allow it to cool a bit. Zest one of the oranges using a zesting tool or Microplane. Juice all of the oranges.
3-4 oranges, 75 grams butter
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy and doubled in size. This will take 3 to 5 minutes using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
150 grams white granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
With the mixer running on the lowest setting, pour in the melted butter, vanilla, orange juice and milk. Mix until well combined.
75 grams butter, 50 mL orange juice, 60 mL milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Either whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the wet ingredients or sift the ingredients over the wet ingredients. Toss in the zest of one of the oranges. Mix until combined.
Pour or spoon the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or just until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean. Be careful to not overbake the cake.
Orange Drizzle
In the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking, place the orange juice and sugar into a heat-proof bowl and zap in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between until the sugar is dissolved. When the cake is finished, slowly spoon the drizzle over the cake while the cake is warm, allowing it to soak in. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
50 grams white granulated sugar, 100 mL orange juice
Orange Glaze (Optional Extra)
Combine the icing sugar and orange juice to create a thin icing glaze. Pour over the cooled cake.
80 grams icing sugar, ½-2 tablespoons orange juice
All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.
Video
Notes
A single orange gives me about a ¼ cup of orange juice, or 60mL.Zest the orange before juicing.Decide between adding a drizzle or a glaze, both could result in an overly sweet cake. For the glaze - start with ½ a tablespoon of orange juice, and mix to combine. Add more orange juice a little bit at a time until you have a pourable but not too thin glaze.