Orange Pound Cake Recipe with Orange Glaze and Sugared Cranberries

Orange pound cake with orange glaze and sugared cranberries

Orange Pound Cake Recipe with Orange Glaze and Sugared Cranberries

This is a recipe for Orange Pound Cake with orange glaze, surrounded by beautiful sugared cranberries. Moist, dense yet fine textured, this pound cake recipe is flavored with grated orange zest and fresh squeezed orange juice. It's a perfect cake recipe for Thanksgiving or Christmas and one that will give any Holiday cake recipe a run for its money.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 689kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

½ pound unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
2 ½ cups granulated sugar divided
4 large eggs at room temperature
⅓ cup grated orange zest 5-6 oranges
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice divided
¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting Glaze: optional:
1 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Sugared Cranberries
12 ounces Cranberries fresh
2 cups Sugar divided

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½-inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, combine ¼ cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla.
Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
While the cakes bake, cook the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar with the remaining ½ cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes while they're still warm. This will allow the cakes to absorb the syrup better. Then allow the cakes to cool completely.
Frosting Glaze: Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top of the cakes and allow the glaze to dry. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.
Sugared Cranberries: Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries until they're coated well with the syrup.Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to a wire rack over a sheet pan. Let dry for at least 1 hour. Working in batches, roll the sticky cranberries in the remaining sugar until well coated. Place them back on the wire rack and let dry for at least 1 hour.

Notes

Room Temperature Butter: Allow 1 - 2 hours for the butter to come to room temperature. Room temperature butter is still "solid" but soft enough to hold air. It's simply important to cream sugar and butter correctly. The butter must be soft enough for your finger to make an indentation, but not too soft where it looks greasy. This means no cheating and trying to soften butter in the microwave.

Use Parchment Paper: Even though you've greased and floured the loaf pans, it may still be difficult to remove the cakes from the pans. Parchment paper will insure a clean break. Just use the bottom of the loaf pans to draw a rectangle on the parchment paper. Cut out the shapes and place them on the bottom of the pan after you've floured and greased. Just remember to remove the paper once the cake is done.

If you'd like to omit the orange glaze and frosting, simply dust the pound cake with powdered sugar. But please note, that orange syrup glaze truly enhances this cake.

Pound cake freezes very well. Once the cake has cooled, wrap it tight in plastic wrap and place it flat in the freezer. It will keep up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator when ready to use.

Nutrition