Welcoming aroma, moist, and tender pound cake flavored with zingy citrus and sweet spices, a cake you will not pass on. This easy recipe is absolutely delicious even after a couple of days.
Pound cakes are made available any time of the year but the addition of spices such as cinnamon, cardamon, and cloves make this cake stand out in the cold season because of its warming effect and sweet aroma.
This citrus pound cake was inspired by my Mushroom and ground pork garam masala stirfry recipe on this site for the main course, and pairs well with this amazing favorite house salad recipe as a starter. A perfect dinner to end with this rich and zesty pound cake that smells amazing.
Pound cake is one of the simplest and easiest cakes to enjoy, baked in either a bundt cake mold or a loaf pan. Traditionally, pound cake is made with a pound of each - flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. This is where the name came from dating back to the 1700s. Adding flavorings will even stir the traditionalist critics but now, there are many different flavored types of pound cake using fruits, spices, herbs, and liquors. So, which recipe actually produces a true version of this golden, simple delicious pound cake?
Ingredients
The true pound cake recipe - butter, sugar, eggs, and flour - allows the addition of liquid flavoring, zest, juices, and spices for an optimal result. Should it be traditional or create a new name? Let that be a debate next time.
- Cake flour
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Butter
- Sugar
- Milk
- Oranges and lemons
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon, cardamons and cloves
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Before you begin, make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Zest and juice the orange and lime, separate.
- Combine the milk and lemon juice in a separate bowl
- place the butter, sugar and lemon zest in stand mixing bowl with paddle attachment, and beat until light and fluffy, starting from a medium low speed and then to medium-high speed for about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time scraping the sides and bottom of the pan in each addition to ensure they are well mixed and then add the vanilla and beat just to comine.
- Add the flour in 3 addition, adding the liquid ingredients in between. It should be: flour mixture→liquid mixture→flour mixture→liquid mixture→flour mixture, scraping the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl in every ddition.
- Generously butter the pan (even if your pan says "non-stick") to guarantee for an easy removal of the cake. Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top evenly. using a rubber spatula. Bake in the preheated oven until nice and golden brown color and the cake tester comes out moist but clean.
- While the cake is baking, make the syrup.
Hint: When adding orange peel, make sure to scrape the white pith leaving the thinnest outer skin, otherwise your syrup will have a hint of bitterness.
Variations
You can omit some of the flavorings or add more flavoring according to your preference or availability.
- Spices- you can use just one of any of the spices or remove the cloves and cardamon and replace it with ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg or completely omit the spices. Citrus will stand out on its own.
- Citrus- Use both or either one of them. Except when using lemon juice for the syrup instead of orange juice , add extra ¼ cup of sugar.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer.
- 10 inches bundt cake mold/pan or 2 8X4 loaf pan.
Storage
This cake is best the day you made it but it will remain remarkably moist and delicious for the next 2 days at room temperature in a well-covered container.
It is freezer-friendly for up to 3 months. When it is completely cool, wrap it with aluminum foil and then put it in a freezer bag before freezing.
Top tip
With or without spices, this cake will still be equally delicious. Avoid over baking, otherwise what good will it be if the cake is dry.
📖 Recipe
Spiced orange and lemon pound cake
Equipment
- 10 inches bundt cake pan or two 8 by 4 inches bread pan
- Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
- pastry brush
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Cups (410 grams) cake flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- â…“ Cup Lemon juice
- ¾ Cup Milk
- 1 Cup (227 grams) Unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 Cups (400 grams) Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Orange or lemon zest or a combination of both
- 5 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla
Orange spiced glazed
- ½ Cup Orange juice
- ¾ Cup Sugar
- 1 Strip Orange peel
- 2 stick Cinnamon
- 3 Cloves
- 4 Cardamons
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the sides and bottom of the bundt pan Or, line the bottom of a bread pan with parchment paper leaving extra paper hanging on two sides for easy removal of the cake .
Cake
- Whisk and sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Combine milk and lemon juice in a separate bowl
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and zest at a medium-high speed until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time scraping the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat just to incorporate.
- Add the flour mixture in three addition alternating with the milk mixture in two addition at a low speed until the batter is smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl in between the mixing.
- Transfer the batter into the pan, smooth the top and then bake for 45 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
Spiced orange Syrup
- While the cake is baking make the syrup.
- In a small saucepan, add the orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, cardamons, and cloves. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for a few minutes until the sugar melts. Remove the pan from the heat and let the spices infuse with the syrup while waiting for the cake to finish baking. Discard the spices.
Assembly
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting to a serving dish (this is if you're using a bundt cake pan). Immediately while the cake is warm, brush the syrup into the cake until all the syrup is used.If using a bread pan, pour the syrup directly into the cake and let it cool in the pan. When it is cool, lift the cake using the hanging parchment paper and transfer it to a serving dish.Or, invert the cake and follow the same procedure when using a bundt cake pan.
Allegra says
Wow! This is the best pound cake I made. Although I only use cinnamon and orange zest, they blend so well. Thank you!