This tangy Orange Buttermilk Loaf Cake is moist and tender and bursting with fresh orange flavor! If you’re an orange lover, this loaf cake needs to make your baking list!
I’m a sucker for desserts of all kinds folks, but place a chocolate dessert and a citrus dessert in front of me and I’m choosing the citrus one every time. That fresh, tangy citrus flavor always steals my heart!
I’ve shared a few delicious citrus recipes over the years here at the BHK. My Winter Citrus Mascarpone Tart was a favorite, as well as my Citrus Meltaways and a few mentioned below just before the recipe card.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Today’s Orange Buttermilk Loaf Cake ranks right up there with my favorites! This loaf cake is moist, soft and fluffy and the added orange zest and buttermilk give it a tangy flavor you’re really going to enjoy.
The word that comes to mind at first bite is refreshing. Refreshing and simple if I’d choose two. Sometimes simple is all I want. No need for added glazes or frosting. Just a simple slice does the trick to treat my taste buds. And yours too I hope!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- cake flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- orange zest
- eggs
- sour cream
- vanilla extract
- buttermilk
Step-By-Step Instructions
First and foremost, you’ll spray your loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
In a medium bowl, you’ll whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment you will beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then add the eggs, one at a time.
At this point, you will add the sour cream, orange zest and vanilla until well combined. Turn the mixer to low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk, then another third of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk and then the remaining 1/3 flour mixture, just until blended. Don’t overmix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs. Let it cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes to cool before turning out onto the rack to cool completely. You can serve plain or dusted with confectioners’ sugar or with fresh whipped cream, if desired.
You’ll be using cake flour for this recipe to give the loaf a tender, fluffier consistency and some buttermilk and sour cream to give your cake a tanginess and a moist, soft texture. Adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the orange zest gives it that delicious orange flavor.
The trick to making this loaf so pretty is of course whipping out my Nordic Ware 75th Anniversary Braided Loaf Pan. You know I’m a fan of all things Nordic Ware. This is not a sponsored post, I’m just truly a fan and wanted to share this gorgeous pan with you guys!
The pan does all the work. Makes this easy loaf a total beauty, don’t you think? No worries if you don’t have the pan, this beauty will bake up perfectly in a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan. Hope you give it a go!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Orange Buttermilk Loaf Cake
For this recipe, make sure your eggs, sour cream and buttermilk are all at room temperature and your butter is softened.
Make sure to spray you loaf pan generously with nonstick baking spray with flour for easy removal.
Everyone’s oven temperature differs a bit, so if your loaf is still not fully cooked after 35-40 minutes, keep baking until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out mostly clean, with just a few crumbs. Your baking time will differ if you use a different size pan.
I like to let my loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning it out onto a rack to totally cool.
You can serve the loaf plain or dusted with confectioners’ sugar, or with fresh whipped cream.
More Delicious Citrus Recipes to Enjoy
Orange Buttermilk Loaf Cake
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest, finely grated
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the Nordic Ware 75th Anniversary Braided loaf pan or a 9x5-inch loaf pan generously with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well until combined after each and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream, orange zest and vanilla until well combined. Turn the mixer to low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk, then another third of the flour mixture, the remaining buttermilk and then the remaining 1/3 flour mixture, just until blended. Do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter gently once or twice to release any air bubbles. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs. Place on a baking rack for 15 minutes to cool before turning out onto the rack to cool completely. You can serve plain or dusted with confectioners' sugar or with fresh whipped cream, if desired.
I love citrus too! Citrus is what keeps things from getting TOO gloomy this time of year. We just eat our sunshine instead, haha! This cake is beautiful and I know it wouldn’t stand a chance around this house!
It’s been pretty cold for you guys thus far Katherine, so I think this love will bring a little sunshine!
I am a huge citrus fan, too and this loaf is citrus perfection! And such a pretty shape, too. I must make this loaf (and get one of those pans ;)
I LOVE this pan Jennifer! I have several Nordic Ware pans, but this one may be my favorite!
I love loafs. I’ve already baked lemon, zucchini and carrot loafs. They are so yummy. So now I’ll have to the Orange Buttermilk one as well.
Let’s see which one I’ll like the best then.
Hope you enjoy it Stephanie!
thank you, I love citrus flavored cakes and cookies, and especially orange, so much appreciated!
You’re so welcome Sabrina!
We can use a regular oblong loaf pan for this as well, right?
Yes, as long as it holds 6 cups. Your baking time may differ, so continue to bake until tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out mostly clean. Enjoy Vernie!
So sad! Mine did not turn out- after 35 min it’s a aoggy mess in the middle. Could it be my baking powder?
Everyone’s oven is a bit different Janet. Just keep baking as the directions say…35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. It probably just wasn’t fully cooked yet. Always check the dates on your baking powder and baking soda also Janet.
How doyou make the loaf look braided like the picture?
Hi Mimi. I mention it in the post. It’s the pan from Nordic Ware.
Delicious, moist, and so simple! I used a regular 9×5 dark metal loaf pan and baked at 325 for 40 minutes. It came out perfectly. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Awesome! So happy you enjoy this loaf. It’s one of my favorites!
Orange fan here, but the braided loaf pan makes this cake look amazing and so inviting! I can see making this and sharing it with friends. Delicious, Mare!
I love this pan Traci! I’m a huge Nordic Ware lover as you probably know. The orange flavor in this moist cake will win over any orange lover for sure!