Orange Tea Cake
This cake delivers an intense, layered orange flavor from three sources: fresh orange zest creamed into the butter, marmalade mixed into the batter, and a final sticky glaze that soaks into the warm crumb. The most important step is beating the butter, sugar, and zest for a full five minutes; this process releases the fragrant oils from the zest and builds the foundation of the cake's flavor.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest from 1 large orange
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/4 cup bitter orange marmalade
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
For the Glaze
- 1/4 cup bitter orange marmalade
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- A pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter, both sugars, and the orange zest with an electric mixer on medium-high for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the marmalade and the buttermilk on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in the dry ingredients in two additions until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack with parchment paper underneath.
- For the glaze, warm the marmalade, powdered sugar, butter, and the salt in a small saucepan, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the warm glaze over the warm cake.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Do not let the cake cool in the pan longer than 10 minutes or the glaze won't properly soak in.