Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Printable Version)

Vibrant citrus loaf with blood orange, poppy seeds, and marzipan. Moist, aromatic, and beautifully ruby-hued.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1½ 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 - 1 cup 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 - 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

# 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 the softened butter, sugar, and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Fold in the grated marzipan until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
06 - In a separate bowl, combine blood orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract.
07 - Add the 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 the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
09 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out 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 let set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The blood orange turns the crumb a soft blush pink that makes every slice feel like an occasion.
  • Marzipan keeps it impossibly moist for days, so you can bake ahead without worry.
  • Poppy seeds add a whisper of texture that keeps things interesting with every bite.
  • The glaze sets into a glossy shell that cracks just slightly when you cut through.
02 -
  • Grate the marzipan while it is cold or it will turn sticky and impossible to work with.
  • Do not skip the parchment overhang—this loaf is tender and can break if you try to invert it without support.
  • If your blood oranges are not very red, the batter may look pale, but the flavor will still be bright and citrusy.
03 -
  • Freeze leftover blood orange juice in ice cube trays and use them later in cocktails or sparkling water.
  • Brush the top of the baked loaf with a thin layer of warmed apricot jam before glazing for an extra glossy finish.
  • If you want a more pronounced almond flavor, add a quarter teaspoon of almond extract to the wet ingredients.
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