It’s orange season!! And there is no better way to showcase this delicious, juicy fruit than in a glazed orange loaf cake.

I’m lucky enough to have an orange tree growing just outside my kitchen door, and every winter it becomes absolutely laden with fruit. This glazed orange loaf cake is one of my favourite ways to make the most of it. There’s something so satisfying about walking outside to pick a couple of fresh oranges, then bringing them straight into the kitchen to bake with.

This is one of those recipes that feels effortlessly elegant while being incredibly simple to make. It’s the kind of cake that looks beautiful sitting on the bench, smells incredible while it’s baking, and somehow makes an ordinary afternoon feel a little more special.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Glazed Orange Loaf Cake is wonderfully soft, buttery, and packed with fresh orange flavour. Orange zest is folded through the batter to give every bite a bright citrus aroma, before the warm loaf is finished with a glossy orange glaze that adds the perfect balance of sweetness and tang.

One of my favourite things about this recipe is how versatile it is. It’s just as lovely served alongside a morning coffee as it is enjoyed for afternoon tea or dressed up as a simple dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

It’s also a fantastic make-ahead bake. In fact, I think it’s even better the next day once the glaze has had time to soak ever so slightly into the cake, making every slice beautifully soft and full of fresh orange flavour.

If you happen to have an orange tree at home, this is the perfect recipe for using up a few of those extra oranges. And if you don’t, don’t worry—a couple of good supermarket oranges will still create a loaf that’s bright, buttery, and completely irresistible. 💕

Recipe FAQs:

Ideally no. If you make the glaze ahead of time it will start to set and crust over in the bowl. If you need to make it ahead of time, store the glaze in a zip lock bag with all the air pushed out of it.

It’s up to you whether you glaze the cake when it’s completely cooled or when it’s a little warm. Personally, I like to glaze the cake when it’s still a little warm, so it drips down the edges beautifully.

You can use any edible flowers to decorate, or leave them off completely if you prefer! In the warmer months, I like to use fresh flowers from my garden, e.g. dianthus, violas or lavender. In the winter, I like to use dried edible flowers. I picked up these ones from Brisoces.

Yes! Fresh orange juice has so much more flavour and tang than bottled orange juice. You could also swap the orange for lemon or lime in this recipe.

Yes absolutely! This cake works amazingly with any citrus, you could swap it for lemons or limes.

Storage:

Once completely cooled, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Glazed Orange Loaf Cake 🍊

A buttery, moist orange loaf cake with a tangy orange glaze.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Course Baking, Cakes

Servings 8

Equipment

loaf cake tin 21x11cm

Ingredients

Orange loaf cake

125 g butter softened
250 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
zest of 2 medium oranges
2 eggs at room temperature
220 g plain flour
15 g baking powder approx 1.5 tbsp
1/2 tsp salt
200 ml warm milk

Orange glaze

120 g icing sugar
25 g fresh orange juice

To decorate

dried edible flowers optional

Instructions

Orange cake

Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan bake). Cut a strip of baking paper wide enough to fit the bottom of the tin, and long enough to extend over the two long edges. Grease the short sides with butter or spray oil.
In your stand mixer or in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Slowly pour in the warm milk while mixing.
Pour the cake batter into your loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes or until cooked through. Pop a sharp knife or a skewer in the centre; if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready.
Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Orange glaze

Make the orange glaze. This needs to be done when you are ready to glaze; if you make it prior, it’ll start to set and dry out in the bowl. I like to do this when the cake is still a little warm, as it drips really nicely, plus I feel like it locks in the moisture too. Mix together the orange juice and icing sugar until glossy and smooth.
Place a tray or sheet of baking paper under the wire rack so you don’t make a huge mess. Pour half of the glaze over the cake and use a pastry brush to gently spread it evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Once fully coated, pour the remainder of the glaze over the top of the cake and allow it to drip naturally over the edges. Sprinkle with dried edible flowers, then allow the glaze to set and the cake to cool completely.
Transfer to a pretty plate to slice and enjoy! 🌸