Easy Orange Loaf Cake

If you're looking for a delicious, citrusy orange cake loaf to make at home, you'll love this recipe. This cake is perfect for any occasion and easy to whip up, too! I especially love it for breakfast with my coffee.

Love easy cakes? Try my Lemon Pomegranate Cake, Fresh Peach Upside-Down Cake, Easy Blueberry Chocolate Cake, Easy Chocolate Walnut Cake, or my Greek Portokalopita Cake, which is a traditional Greek cake made from shredded phyllo dough.

Why you'll love this Orange Loaf Cake

• Easy. This loaf cake recipe is incredibly simple to make.
• Great for breakfast or as a snack. It makes a wonderful breakfast or snack.
• Fragrant and moist. Not only does this cake smell amazing, but thanks to the fresh squeezed orange juice and grated orange zest, it's extremely moist, too!
• Packed with orange flavor. If you're looking for an orangey cake that's full of orange flavor, this is it!

What you need to make this recipe

Ingredients for orange loaf cake

• Flour - I use all purpose flour.
• Sugar - I use regular, granulated sugar for the cake and glaze. You could also dust the cake with some powdered sugar before serving, if you prefer.
• Oranges - You'll need orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice (¾ cup orange juice). I haven't made this cake with bottled orange juice because I don't think it will be as flavorful.
• Milk - Fresh milk creates a nice fluffy texture and adds a little moisture, too.
• Butter - I use unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Oil - I use light vegetable oil because it helps make the cake really moist.
• Eggs - You'll need 3 medium eggs.
• Leavening agents - You'll need both baking powder and baking soda.
• Vanilla - I use pure vanilla extract.
• Salt - I add a tiny amount to boost all the flavors.

For the orange syrup, I use sugar, orange juice and more orange zest.

Equipment you'll need

• medium and large mixing bowls
• standard loaf cake pan
• parchment paper
• microplane or zester
• small saucepan
• whisk
• hand mixer

How to make orange loaf cake

Step-by-step Instructions

First zest the orange before juicing it and then gather all the other ingredients.

Now, make the orange syrup.

1. Put all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Set it aside to cool.

Now, it's time to make the cake.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In a small bowl, rub the zest and sugar together with your fingers.

3. In another large bowl, cream the butter for about 3 minutes.

4. Add the sugar/zest mixture to the butter and beat for about 1-2 minutes.

5. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed for about a minute after each addition.

6. Add the wet ingredients alternately to the butter mixture, beating on high speed until thoroughly combined, but don't overmix.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake.

8. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then use a toothpick or a wooden skewer to poke holes all over it. Spoon the syrup over the warm cake.

Recipe notes

Substitutions

I've never made this cake with substitutions, but if you have, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below!

Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions

This orange loaf cake stays moist and flavorful for several days at room temperature. Make sure it's well covered. Store it in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

This cake freezes beautifully! Freeze it whole or in slices. Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then place in freezer bags. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Variations 

This cake is incredible on its own, but here are a few other variations you might want to try:

• Orange glaze. For a sweeter cake, drizzle it with a simple orange glaze made with powdered sugar and orange juice.
• Add your favorite mix-ins. You could add different flavors to the batter, like fresh or dried cranberries, chopped candied orange peels, chocolate chips, or your favorite nuts.
• Make it spicy. Add some ground cinnamon and poppy seeds for a spicier flavor.
• Drizzle with salted caramel. For a more indulgent cake, you can drizzle some homemade salted caramel sauce on top.
• Keep it simple. Dust it with some powdered sugar for a simpler cake that's not too sweet.

Tips for success

• Zest before juicing. I always zest the oranges first before juicing them. I really love using a microplane, but you could also use a zester. Make sure you don't grate the white part (pith) that's underneath the peel because it's very bitter.
• Use freshly squeezed orange juice. Fresh orange juice will give you the best flavor.
• Measure accurately. A digital scale will always give consistent results.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients like butter and eggs is so important because it ensures they incorporate evenly into the batter, which results in a nice, smooth batter.
• Mix until just combined. For a really moist loaf cake with a wonderful texture, don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake dense and heavy.
• Poking holes the right way. When you use the toothpick or wooden skewer to poke holes in the cake, make sure NOT to go all the way to the bottom, just go about ¾ of the way down.
• Ovens vary. Since every oven is different, keep an eye on the cake while it's baking, especially during the last 10 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when the cake is done.

Frequently asked questions