This Orange Loaf Cake is super soft, silky, and full of flavor. I love the zesty orange flavor that stimulates your taste buds, coupled with it’s tantalizing aroma. I’ve made cake from this recipe for so many people and the response is always overwhelming. I love baking because it is always a learning experience; you can always learn new tricks or tips. I’ve shared this recipe before, but I’ve improved on it and I promise you that if you follow this recipe to the letter, you will get an amazing result.
I tried this recipe using butter with oil as well as combining butter and shortening. The result is that the cakes with butter and oil were denser, while the butter and shortening were softer and more tender. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tested recipe to prove that cake made with a combination of butter and shortening always gives a better outcome in the texture than cakes made using only butter or butter combined with oil or oil alone.
I have confirmed this to be true concerning butter and shortening when used in baked products. According to https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/baking-101/what-is-shortening/, shortening helps keep your baked goods soft after baking. This is because the fats in shortening remain intact after melting and reform into a semi-solid shape, which can help your baked goods to stay soft for longer. On the other hand, the butter separates into oil and milk solids when it melts, making your recipe a little oilier and can harden after baking. When using shortening combined with butter in your recipe the result is amazing!
I promise that you will not only enjoy making this cake, but you will also relish every bite you take of this delicious tangy orange loaf cake. So gather your ingredients, and let’s get to baking.
Ingredients for baking Orange Loaf Cake
- all-purpose flour
- oranges
- unsalted butter
- shortening or oil
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- baking powder
- sea salt
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
Tips for this recipe
- Always make sure to get good quality oranges, as you will need to grate them for the zest both for baking and topping your icing glaze.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Make sure to sift your flour and use level cups of flour once you are not using a kitchen scale. To get level cups of flour, spoon out your flour into your measuring cup, when it passes the top of the cup, take the back of a knife, and level off the top of the cup’s rim removing the excess if any.
How to make Orange Loaf Cake
Step 1. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and add salt. Mix well with a large spoon or spatula. Set aside.
Step 2. In another large bowl, add butter, shortening and sugar, whisk at high speed until creamy.
Step 3. Crack eggs and add them one at a time and whisk while adding; add vanilla extract and orange zest.
Step 4. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the mixture. Whisk at low speed. Slowly add the milk and continue whisking at a low rate.
Step 5. Add the other 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the mixture and continue whisking at a low speed.
Step 6. Add orange juice, and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 7. Pour your batter into the lined loaf pans. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes.
Step 8. Remove from oven, using a toothpick, insert into the center of the cakes. Once the toothpick comes out clean, they are fully baked.
Step 9. Leave in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow to cool on a baking rack.
Once you have allowed your cakes to cool, drizzle or pour your glaze over the top of the cake and garnish with grated orange zest. Allow the glaze to harden before slicing. Now you can enjoy your delicious Orange Loaf Cake slices!
Orange Loaf Cake
Equipment
- Mini Loaf Pans or 8" Loaf pan
Ingredients
- 187.5 grams all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups; sifted
- 100 grams granulated sugar 1/2 cup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 57 grams unsalted butter softened, 1/4 cup
- 50 grams shortening softened, 1/4 cup oil (if you decide to use oil instead of shortening)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 2-3 drops yellow food coloring optional
Icing Glaze
- 250 grams confectioner's sugar 2 cups sifted
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 2-3 tablespoon whole milk or orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- orange zest to garnish topping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 350 °F (177 °C) grease and line loaf pans
- In a large bowl, using a large strainer, sift flour, baking powder, and add salt. Mix well with a large spoon or spatula. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, add butter, shortening, and sugar. Using an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer, whisk at high speed until creamy.
- Add eggs one at a time and whisk while adding at medium speed.
- Add vanilla extract and orange zest and continue whisking at medium speed.
- Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients into the mixture. Whisk at low speed.
- Add the milk slowly and continue whisking at a low speed.
- Add the other 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the mixture and continue whisking at low speed.
- Add orange juice, Cut and fold in with a spatula from the bottom up until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour your batter into the lined loaf pans. Full up to 2/3 of the pan. Hit the pans against the counter or work area a few times to release air bubbles. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes
- Remove from oven, using a toothpick, insert into the center of the cakes. Once the toothpick comes out clean they are fully baked. Leave in pan for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow to cool on a baking rack.
Preparing your glaze
- In a large bowl, mix your icing sugar or confectioner's sugar (sifted), melted butter, orange juice or milk, vanilla extract and salt.
- Whisk with a hand whisk until it is silky enough to drizzle or pour onto your cake.
- Once the cake is cooled, drizzle or pour your glaze over the top of the cake and garnish with orange zest.
- Allow the glaze to harden before slicing your cake. Serve at room temperature.