BLOOD ORANGE LOAF

Blood Orange season is sadly coming to an end in the next few weeks, so let’s celebrate with this Blood Orange Loaf cake. This cake is super simple to make and it looks beautiful, too! And the blood orange icing is NEXT LEVEL!

BLOOD ORANGE LOAF - SERVES 4

Ingredients:

Cake: 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon grated orange or blood orange peel 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1/2 cup buttermilk or sour cream 

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed blood orange juice 

1 tablespoon grated blood orange peel 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Icing:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar 

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed blood orange juice 

Thin sliced blood oranges for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9” by 5” loaf pan. In medium bowl combine flour, baking  powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and  granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  

Add eggs, one at a time until blended. Add buttermilk, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla;  beat until well blended, scraping down sides of bowl. With mixer at low speed, gradually add  flour mixture until blended. 

Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out  clean. Let cake stand in pan 15 minutes. Remove to rack to cool.