Orange Loaf Cake
Celebrate your mom in style by baking this slightly sweet and wonderfully decadent Orange Loaf Cake recipe for Mother’s Day or any other occasion. Breakfast in bed, anyone?
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2026 Update: This recipe was originally shared in May 2015 at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor. The post includes the recipe card now, as well as a lot more tips and tricks. I hope you love this cake!
Y’all know I’m a sucker for baked goods.
Especially breakfast baked goods.
And especially when they’re for something special.
This Orange Loaf Cake, which is essentially an orange juice cake, is just that. (Please note that it is made in a loaf pan, but a bundt pan. This recipe will not work in a bundt.)
Why I love this recipe:
This orange cake was a part of a Mother’s Day breakfast in bed situation. t’s loosely based off my Dairy Free Olive Oil Vanilla Bean Pound Cake, and it’s all kinds of scrumptious.
It’s completely from scratch, so you don’t need a box of cake mix!
The orange juice and zest make the loaf cake taste so light and delicious. It’s not dense or incredible rich like some cakes, and the glaze adds a bit more of that orange flavor, making it perfect for a breakfast or brunch item, especially if served alongside a mimosa.
More easy breakfast recipes to make for someone you love: Croissant Breakfast Sandwich | Sweet Breakfast Crepes | Egg Casserole with Green Chiles
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Zester
- Citrus juicer
- Liquid measuring cup
- Hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here are the simple ingredients you need to get from the store:
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is our sweetener. I do not recommend using a brown sugar or a sugar substitute in this recipe.
- Orange zest — you’ll need one larger orange to zest. I like to use the orange to zest, then I use the juice from that orange in the batter, too.
- Refined coconut oil — or another neutral-tasting oil of your choosing. Avocado oil would work nicely here, too.
- Unsweetened applesauce — I like to use applesauce in cakes because it provides extra moisture. Make sure yours is unsweetened, as it will change the flavor of the cake if it is not.
- Eggs — large eggs from the grocery are what you’re looking for.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice — from that orange you just zested. 😉 You could also use the bottled kind if necessary, but I really like fresh orange juice for this because it has such rich flavor. You need it for the cake batter, as well as the glaze.
- All-purpose flour — I keep unbleached AP flour in my house, but the regular kind is OK, too. I have not tried this recipe with another flour or a gluten-free flour blend and do not recommend it at this time.
- Baking powder — this is our leavener. Be sure it’s fresh!
- Kosher salt — you’ll need a little for the cake, as well as a pinch for the glaze. I like a medium grain kosher salt. (Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand.) A similarly sized sea salt would also work.
- Powdered sugar — also known as confectioners sugar, we use this in our glaze. There is no replacement or substitute.
How to make an Orange Loaf Cake:
Prepare. Preheat the oven. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Set aside. Measure out your ingredients.
Combine the sugar and orange zest. Measure the sugar into a large bowl. Zest the orange directly on top of it, and mix until the sugar has the texture of wet sand. This will help the oils in the zest soak into the sugar and really sing in the cake.
Add in the oil and applesauce. Measure those into the sugar mixture, and cream together with a hand mixer or whisk until light and fluffy. It will smell amazing.
Add the remaining wet ingredients. Crack the eggs into a bowl and pour them in. Measure in the freshly squeezed orange juice. Mix until incorporated, and then set this bowl aside.
Combine the dry ingredients. Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Whisk to combine.
Mix the batter. Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir using a rubber spatula until the batter just comes together.
Bake it up. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 50ish minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let it cool. Remove it from the oven, and set it on a wire rack to cool. This is important for the next step.
Make the glaze. Measure the ingredients (powdered sugar, orange juice and a pinch of salt) into a bowl and stir to combine.
Decorate. Drizzle that glaze on top of the cooled cake. Slice and serve immediately!
how to store:
Wrap leftover cake in plastic wrap or slice individually and place into an airtight container. Keep at room temperature for 1-2 days.
You can reheat this in the toaster oven to get a nice crispness. You can also eat at room temperature.
This recipe also freezes! Make a double batch, and do not add the glaze. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze whole. Defrost in the refrigerator before glazing, slicing and enjoying.
Orange Loaf Cake
EQUIPMENT
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- Loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5" x 3")
Ingredients
Loaf Cake
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Orange Glaze
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
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We’ll email a link directly to you so you can come back to it later! Plus, you’ll receive new recipes delivered to your inbox each week.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spritz a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray (or butter and flour), then line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Measure the sugar into a large bowl. Zest the orange directly on top of it, and mix until the sugar has the texture of wet sand. This will help the oils in the zest soak into the sugar and really sing in the cake.
- Measure the coconut oil and applesauce into the bowl with the sugar mixture. Cream together with a hand mixer or a whisk.
- Add the eggs, orange juice and orange zest. Mix until incorporated. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, measure the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until combined.
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir using a rubber spatula until the batter just comes together.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the cake cools, measure the ingredients for the frosting in a small bowl, whisking to combine.
- Once the cake is at room temperature, drizzle the glaze over it, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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