A beautifully light and moist Orange Drizzle Cake with a bright and zesty flavour. Soaked with orange sugar syrup and topped with fresh orange icing. This is the only recipe you'll ever need because it works every single time!
This orange drizzle cake is based on my extremely popular version of Nigella's Perfect Every Time Lemon Drizzle Cake.
I've been asked so many times over the years if I can adapt the lemon drizzle into an orange drizzle loaf cake. Your wish is my command!
This is a really easy recipe to follow with normal everyday ingredients. It yields an unbelievably moist very zesty and zingy orange flavour cake.
Amy's tip: If you love the orange flavour you might like to check out my Chocolate Orange Cake.
The flavour is achieved by using fresh juicy oranges and there's no need for citrus flavour enhancers such as orange extract.
Here in the UK, we're able to buy large fresh oranges all year round. If you can afford unwaxed organic oranges then that's going to give you the best citrus flavour.
You also might like to try this recipe with blood oranges as opposed to regular ones. I think it would work really well.
The cake itself is flavoured with orange zest. As soon as it comes out of the oven a hot orange sugar syrup is poured over.
The orange syrup is made from orange juice and sugar that is heated and reduced to a thick zesty syrup. This is the 'drizzle' part of the cake and it's what makes the cake really moist and flavourful.
To finish, a simple icing made from orange juice and icing sugar is then spooned over the top of the loaf cake. The icing will harden as it sets giving the orange cake a delicious crunch and lovely punchy flavour.
The icing on top also locks in the drizzle meaning this cake will stay far moister than without the icing.
You will love this loaf cake recipe because:
- It has a zesty and bright citrusy flavour
- It's made with real oranges
- It's very moist
- The recipe is super easy!
How to make it
You can use a freestanding mixer or an electric handheld whisk to mix the cake ingredients together. I've also done this by hand with a wooden spoon so don't be put off if you haven't got a mixer!
Step One: Cream the butter and sugar until it's pale, light and fluffy.
Step Two: Add the orange zest and eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Amy's tip: When you add the eggs you might notice the butter mixture has curdled slightly. Don't worry about it because the flour will fix it in the next step!
Step Three: Sift the flour and salt into the bowl then gently fold it in by hand, using a spatula or wooden spoon.
Step Four: Add the milk and mix to combine. You will notice the mixture turns from a stiff batter to smooth and pourable.
Step Five: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Use the back of a spoon to level it. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Amy's tip: When the cake has 10 minutes remaining make the sugar syrup so that it's ready to pour over as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
Step Six: Add the orange juice and sugar into a small saucepan placed over a low heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has thickened. This will take 2-3 minutes.
Step Seven: Take the cake out of the oven and use a skewer to make holes all over its surface. Pour the hot orange sugar syrup over the top. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Step Eight: Combine the orange juice with the icing sugar. It should be quite opaque in colour and not too runny.
Step Nine: When the cake has completely cooled, spoon over the icing and use a palette knife to spread it to the edges of the cake. Finish with a grating of orange zest.
More citrus recipes you'll enjoy
- Lemon Possets
- Lemon Cordial
- Lemon Cake
- Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns
- Chocolate Orange Fudge
- Jaffa Cake Brownies
Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake
A beautifully light and moist Orange Drizzle Cake with a bright and zesty flavour. Seeped in orange sugar syrup and topped with fresh orange icing. This is the only recipe you'll ever need!
Ingredients
For the orange cake
- 125 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 175 g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- zest of 1 orange
- 175 g self-raising flour
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp milk, whole or semi skimmed is fine
For the sugar syrup drizzle
- juice of 1 orange
- 100 g icing sugar, (powdered sugar)
For the orange icing
- juice of ½ orange
- 150 g icing sugar, (powdered sugar)
- orange zest to decorate
Instructions
To make the orange cake
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC Fan/Gas 4/350ºF Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar until it's pale, light and fluffy. Next add the orange zest and eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
- Sift the flour and salt into the bowl then gently fold it in by hand, using a spatula or wooden spoon. Add the milk and mix to combine. You will notice the mixture turns from a stiff batter to smooth and pourable.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Use the back of a spoon to level it. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
To make the sugar syrup
- Add the orange juice and sugar into a small saucepan placed over a low heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has thickened. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Take the cake out of the oven and use a skewer to make holes all over its surface. Pour the hot orange sugar syrup over the top. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
To make the orange icing
- Combine the orange juice with the icing sugar. It should be quite opaque in colour and not too runny. When the cake has completely cooled, spoon over the icing and use a palette knife to spread it to the edges of the cake. Finish with a grating of orange zest.
Notes
- When you add the eggs you might notice the butter mixture has curdled slightly. Don't worry about it because the flour will fix it.
- When the cake has 10 minutes remaining make the sugar syrup so that it's ready to pour over as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
- If the orange icing isn't thick/opaque enough just add more icing sugar a tablespoon at a time. If it's too thick add a splash more orange juice.
- Here is the recipe for Lemon Drizzle Cake.
- Storage: store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 332Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 1gSugar: 42gProtein: 3g
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