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Soft and tender almond blood orange pound cake is the perfect treat for citrus season! Topped with naturally pink blood orange glaze, you’ll love this simple and delicious blood orange loaf cake.

Almond Blood Orange Pound Cake
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The incredibly tender almond pound cake (thanks to almond paste plus Amaretto) meets blood orange syrup for the perfect union of flavors.

Blood orange syrup is brushed over the top just as the cake comes out of the oven, infusing each bite with citrus flavor. A pretty pink blood orange glaze makes a lovely drizzle over each slice!

Love homemade pound cake? Try my classic sour cream pound cake next!

Almond Blood Orange Pound Cake

The Best Blood Orange Pound Cake

Room temperature ingredients – Bring butter, egg, yogurt, and buttermilk to room temperature before beginning. Both yogurt (Greek yogurt is my go-to for baking) and buttermilk ensure a moist and tender crumb to this cake.

Citrus Sugar – For maximum blood orange flavor, combine blood orange zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute to release aromatic oils from the zest and infuse the sugar with citrus flavor. Transfer to a mixer bowl and beat citrus sugar with butter and almond paste until soft and fluffy.

Almond Flavor – Almond paste, Amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur), and pure almond extract give this pound cake plenty of flavor. If you don’t have Amaretto on hand, feel free to increase the almond extract to 3/4 teaspoon.

Baking Powder – Be sure to use an aluminum-free baking powder to prevent the cake and glaze from turning blue or discoloring.

Bake – Bake this cake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Immediately brush the cake with warm blood orange syrup, then cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely before adding the glaze.

Blood Orange Syrup – In the last 5 minutes of baking, prepare the blood orange syrup. Combine blood orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens, about 4 minutes.

Blood Orange Glaze – Whisk together melted butter, a pinch of salt, blood orange zest and juice, and powdered sugar for a quick and delicious naturally pink glaze that adds the perfect finish to this cake!

Make Ahead – This pound cake can be made one day in advance. Let cool completely and store at room temperature overnight. Add the glaze just before serving.

Almond Blood Orange Pound Cake

More blood orange recipes you’ll love:

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Almond Blood Orange Pound Cake

Almond Blood Orange Pound Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Almond blood orange pound cake is the perfect treat for citrus season! Topped with blood orange glaze, you’ll love this soft and tender pound cake.


Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp blood orange zest
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 ounces almond paste, cubed
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp Amaretto
  • 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
  • 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature

Blood Orange Syrup

  • 3 Tbsp fresh blood orange juice
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar

Glaze

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp blood orange zest
  • 2 Tbsp blood orange juice
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Place sugar and blood orange zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Beat butter, almond paste, and blood orange-sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg, Amaretto, and almond extract. Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add yogurt mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture.
  3. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula.
  4. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
  5. While cake is baking, prepare blood orange syrup. Combine blood orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove blood orange syrup from the heat.
  6. Remove cake from oven and transfer to a wire rack; use a pastry brush to brush top of cake evenly with blood orange syrup. Let stand for 15 minutes, then carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
  7. For the glaze, whisk together melted butter, salt, blood orange zest, juice, and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cake and and let set before serving.


Notes

Baking powder: Use an aluminum-free baking powder to prevent the cake and glaze from turning blue/discoloring.

The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!

Meet Laura

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.

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6 Comments

  1. I adore the pairing of almond and its companion in flavor, Amaretto! All cozied up with lush blood oranges makes for a fantastic cake!






  2. Gorgeous pound cake, Laura! I’m loving the look of the crumb…all moist due to the glorious almond paste. I adore almond and blood oranges. This combo is irresistible!

  3. Oh my goodness – this looks so moist and luscious – this cake sounds AMAZING!!!! Love the amaretto, almond paste and buttermilk in this poundcake!