Blood Orange Loaf Cake (Printable)

Zesty blood orange loaf enriched with marzipan and poppy seeds—moist, aromatic, and ruby-red in every slice.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
05 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 0.33 cup marzipan, grated
10 - 0.5 cup blood orange juice
11 - 0.25 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 butter, sugar, and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
05 - Fold in grated marzipan until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
06 - In a separate bowl, combine blood orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract.
07 - Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with blood orange mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—avoid 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 comes out clean.
10 - Cool in 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 let set before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The blood orange juice and zest give the cake a floral, slightly tart brightness that cuts through the richness of butter and marzipan.
  • Grated marzipan melts into pockets of almond sweetness, creating little surprises in every bite.
  • It looks stunning on a cake stand, with that glossy pink glaze dripping down the sides like something out of a bakery window.
  • The poppy seeds add a gentle crunch and a whisper of nuttiness that balances the citrus beautifully.
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper lining—this cake is tender and can break apart if you try to turn it out of an unlined pan.
  • Use fresh blood orange juice, not bottled; the flavor and color are incomparable and make all the difference.
  • Grate the marzipan while it's cold so it doesn't turn sticky and clump together in the batter.
  • Check the cake at 45 minutes; ovens vary, and overbaking will dry it out.
03 -
  • Zest the blood oranges directly over the sugar bowl so the oils spray into the sugar, intensifying the citrus flavor throughout the cake.
  • If your marzipan is too soft to grate, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes first.
  • For an even more vibrant glaze, add a tiny drop of natural red food coloring or a splash of pomegranate juice.
  • Let the glaze set for at least 20 minutes before slicing so it doesn't run off the sides.
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