Most Delicious Blood Orange Citrus Cake
This blood orange cake is filled with juice and zest from blood oranges and topped with sweet, candied blood orange slices and chopped pistachios. Cake has delicious crumb, is moist and flavor, tangy aroma of blood oranges. Perfect with a cup of coffee or latte! This is the most delicious cake.
There is something so irresistible about citrus and specially blood oranges. For the longest time, I did not know how blood oranges tasted. Now that I have tasted them, I can’t stop myself from buying them. The best part of blood oranges is their red, maroon and purple hues of color. It is such a beautiful citrus.
Blood oranges make them absolute choice for this cake because of the blend of gorgeous reddish-pink and orange color blend.
Blood oranges taste between a delicious mix of flavor, a mix between oranges and lemons. I love everything about them from the peel, the flavor, and the gorgeous color. This cake screams citrus as I have used it in many ways to get that awesome orange flavor. As a result of using the whole fruit in best possible way, the juice and zest in the cake, zest, juice in the glaze and candied oranges, therefore the cake is so much flavorful from blood oranges.
This cake has three elements to it
Cake – Cake itself is flavored with zest and juice of orange.
The glaze – it is made with confectioner’s sugar and juice of blood oranges and zest.
Candied orange slices are used to garnish the cake and add extra element of flavor.
Firstly, this cake makes an excellent option for an afternoon tea or brunch. Blood oranges have a short period of availability, even if they are not in season, this recipe works for any citrus variety. Nonetheless, you can still enjoy this cake in different citrus flavor.
Secondly, You can also bake the cake in small muffin pans and turn it upside down and garnish it same way with one single candied orange slice on each little cake and pistachios. Loaf pan can also be used. Baking time will vary so be mindful of it.
If you love candied blood orange slices, then make extra. They are addictive. The finished candied blood orange rounds are sweet and chewy. I love the vibrant citrus flavor mixed with the texture of candy. You are left with some nice pink, magenta colored syrup. In conclusion, you need more candied slices. Besides using them as garnish, they can be enjoyed as a snack.
Storage – The cake tastes better once it sits for few hours and soaks in all the juices and flavor. It can be stored at room temperature for a day or two if the weather is good/cold well covered in air-tight container. It should be stored in the fridge for longer time. However, it will taste drier so best to prepare and consume it same day or next day. Above all, if you end up having leftovers.
Tips/Suggestions
All the ingredients should be at room temperature like butter, eggs.
I used regular orange juice to soak the cake. You can use blood orange juice too. Although, it might give cake slightly different color.
Before you juice the blood oranges, take out the zest.
Try more snack cakes and if you wish to know more about Blood Oranges.
Blood Orange Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 stick butter room temperature
- 2-3 blood oranges for juice and zest
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup orange juice
Soak
- 1/4 cup orange juice cake soak
Glaze
- 1 -1 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar depends on your taste
- 3 tbsp orange juice
Candied Oranges
- 2-3 blood oranges
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Candied Oranges
- First wash the oranges thoroughly with water to remove any unwanted residue, scrub them also. Then make slices. In a pot or pan, add 1 cup of water, add sugar, and let it come to simmer and add sliced blood oranges and let it boil until water evaporates and reduces to become syrup. Do not leave it unattended. Sugar will caramelize and burn.
- Once it is thickened, and very little water is left, turn off the flame. Leave it aside until ready to garnish.
- Make zest from remaining blood oranges and leave it aside before juicing them. Then juice the oranges. Leave the juice also aside until ready to use.
Cake Batter
- Pre heat the oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and zest.
- In a bowl of Kitchen aid mixer, add softened butter and sugar, and whisk it until smooth, add eggs one by one, make sure one egg gets mixed in before you add another one. Add orange juice too. Stir to make sure its combined.
- Transfer the cake batter to greased 8’ or 9’ baking pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake it until a skewer comes out clean when inserted for about 35-40 minutes.
- Once baked, let the cake cool down in the pan and then transfer it on wire rack for few more minutes. Then, poke holes in the cake with a toothpick. Drizzle extra orange juice and let the cake soak it all. Make sure to cover the cake all over with juice.
- While the cake is baking, make the candied oranges and glaze. It just takes few minutes only.
Blood Orange Glaze
- In a mixing bowl, add confectioner's sugar and 3 tbsp. of juice from blood orange. Mix until it is combined and looks pinkish.
- Once the cake cools down completely, pour over the glaze. Let it drizzle on the sides. Let it set for few more minutes and place the candied orange slices and sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.
Notes
- If you like less sweet, then only use 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar for the glaze.