Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Printable)

Vibrant blood orange loaf with poppy seeds and marzipan—moist, aromatic, and perfect for afternoon tea.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
05 - 8.5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
06 - 7 ounces granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2.8 ounces marzipan, grated
10 - 4 fluid ounces blood orange juice
11 - 2 fluid ounces whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Blood Orange Glaze

13 - 4.2 ounces powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan 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 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 - Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the blood orange mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top surface.
09 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into 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 cooled cake and allow to set before slicing.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The blood orange juice stains the batter a gorgeous blush pink that deepens as it bakes.
  • Grated marzipan melts into the crumb, adding moisture and a subtle almond sweetness that feels luxurious.
  • Poppy seeds give every bite a gentle crunch and a whisper of nuttiness.
  • The glaze is tart enough to balance the sweetness without overwhelming the delicate citrus notes.
02 -
  • Do not skip grating the marzipan, chopping it into chunks leaves dense, gummy pockets instead of melting sweetness.
  • Blood orange juice varies in tartness, taste your glaze before drizzling and adjust with more sugar or juice as needed.
  • Overmixing the batter once the flour is added will create tunnels and a dense crumb, fold gently and stop as soon as combined.
  • If your blood oranges are not very red, the batter may look pale, but the flavor will still be bright and citrusy.
03 -
  • Zest the blood oranges directly over the sugar bowl so the oils spray onto the sugar, this intensifies the citrus flavor.
  • Let the cake cool completely before glazing or the icing will soak in instead of setting on top.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice cleanly through the poppy seeds and tender crumb without tearing.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent the loaf loosely with foil halfway through baking.
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