This Blood Orange Almond Pound cake is tender, buttery, and super flavorful. It's bursting with almond and zesty orange, topped with a bright pink blood orange glaze.
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Blood orange season is coming to an end but I had to share this almond pound cake with you all. It's so so good!
The flavors of almond and blood orange match so perfectly together, and the cake itself is super moist and rich. It's dense but still light and flavorful.
Also, the blood orange glaze on top is not optional. It's the best part in my opinion. It adds such a vibrant, citrusy flavor to the cake. Plus it's so pretty!
If you've never made a pound cake before, don't worry, it's super simple!
Ingredients needed for this almond pound cake:
Here are some notes on a few ingredients- please see the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
- blood oranges- these can be found in your grocery store's produce section most of the winter months. You can always swap for naval oranges as well! You need about 2 blood oranges for this recipe.
- almond extract- I use both almond and vanilla extract in this recipe. If you love almond flavor, make sure to use the full tsp the recipe calls for (I know it's a lot!). If you want a less intense almond flavor, try using ¾ or ½ tsp instead.
- whole milk- I suggest using whole milk for this recipe. I did not test this recipe with another milk option.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step one: make the cake batter
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside. I like to hold my parchment paper down with small clips and then remove it once I pour the batter in.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then mix in the almond extract, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice.
Add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating between the two and mixing in between (dry, milk, dry, milk, dry). Mix this until it's just incorporated. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Step two: bake the cake
Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Place on a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before glazing and serving.
Step three: make the glaze
While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by whisking together the sifted powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of orange juice. Add another ½ tbsp of juice until you get the desired consistency.
Step four: glaze & enjoy!
Once the cake is completely cooled, pour the glaze all over top. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
A few things are what you get the perfect pound cake-
First, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. It's important for things like butter, eggs, and milk to be at room temperature in order to ensure the cake bakes properly.
Second, don't overmix your batter after the eggs are added. Make sure when mixing in your dry ingredients + the milk, to just mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
Third, make sure to not over-bake your cake! This seems like a no-brainer, but many times people will leave their cake in the oven for a few minutes too long, resulting in a dry cake (definitely not what we want)!
Blood oranges can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. They look very similar to naval oranges on the outside, they can sometimes have darker skin. They are typically in season from December through May.
Storing & Freezing
This cake will stay fresh covered tightly in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze this cake for up to 2 months. I advise making this cake and freezing it before putting the glaze on, but you can also freeze any leftover cake with the glaze on top. Defrost it by letting it come to room temperature.
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📖 Recipe
Blood Orange Almond Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 blood orange
- 3 tbsp blood orange juice freshly squeezed -about 1 medium/large sized orange
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
Glaze
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar sifted- measured then sifted
- 1-2 tbsp blood orange juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal later and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Then mix in the almond extract, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice.
- Add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating between the two and mixing in between (dry, milk, dry, milk, dry). Mix this until it's just incorporated. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Allow the cake to cool completley before glazing and slicing.
make the glaze
- While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by whisking together the sifted powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of orange juice. Add the 2nd tbsp of juice if needed.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, pour the glaze over top. Slice and serve!
Mary Beth Hamilton says
This cake is an absolute bloody smash. Using blood oranges and the almond extract.....all I can say is you won’t be disappointed! Delicious
bakeandbacon says
So glad you tried this cake and loved it!!