Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Print Version)

Vibrant citrus loaf with poppy seeds and marzipan—moist, aromatic, perfect for tea time or special occasions.

# Components:

→ Cake

01 - 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
05 - 8½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - ⅔ cup marzipan, grated
10 - ½ cup blood orange juice
11 - ¼ cup whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Blood Orange Glaze

13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter, sugar, and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
05 - Fold grated marzipan into the butter mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - In a separate bowl, combine blood orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract.
07 - Alternately add dry ingredients and blood orange mixture to the butter mixture in three additions each, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface.
09 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
10 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar with blood orange juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The blood orange juice seeps into every crumb, making this cake stay moist for days without any added oil or excessive butter.
  • Marzipan does something magical here—it dissolves partially into the batter, creating pockets of almond richness that surprise you with each bite.
  • It looks stunning on the table with that ruby-tinted glaze, but honestly, it's just as delicious sliced plain with your morning coffee.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the cake completely before glazing—I learned this the hard way when impatience led to glaze sliding off in rivers onto my kitchen counter.
  • The blood orange juice and milk will look slightly separated in the bowl, but that's normal and actually ideal; it creates moisture throughout the cake that just won't happen with oil-based recipes.
03 -
  • If you can find blood oranges with especially deep color, choose those—they have more anthocyanins and will give you a more vibrant cake.
  • Grate your marzipan while it's slightly chilled from the refrigerator, and use the large holes on your box grater for even, manageable pieces.
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