Ingredients:

  • 1.75 cups all-purpose flour (210g)
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened (170g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 cup fresh orange juice (60ml)
  • 0.5 cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt (120g)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
  • 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp fine orange zest

Instructions:

  1. Prep the oven and aromatics. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In your main mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of orange zest. Use your fingertips to rub them together for about 2 minutes until the sugar is fragrant, damp, and bright orange. Note: This step is the most important for flavor; don't rush it.
  2. Cream the butter. Add the softened butter to the scented sugar. Beat on medium high for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and looks like soft serve ice cream.
  3. Incorporate the eggs. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and 1/4 cup (60ml) of orange juice. The batter may look slightly curdled at this point, but it will smooth out.
  4. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Alternate the additions. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low. Then add half of the sour cream. Repeat, ending with the final 1/3 of the flour. Mix only until no white streaks of flour remain.
  6. Bake the loaf. Pour the batter into a greased and parchment lined 9x5 inch loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
  7. Prepare the glaze. While the cake is in the final minutes of baking, whisk the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of juice, and 1 teaspoon of zest. It should be thick but pourable, like heavy cream.
  8. Glaze while warm. Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. While still warm, poke a few holes in the top with a toothpick and pour the glaze over. The warmth helps the glaze seep into the top layer.
  9. Cool completely. Resist the urge to slice it immediately. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The structure needs time to set so it doesn't crumble when cut. The visual checkpoints are your best friend here. When you're creaming the butter and sugar, you're looking for a physical change in color — it should go from yellow to a very pale ivory. That change means you've successfully whipped enough air into the fat to give the cake its lift. If you stop too early, the cake will be dense and oily.