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Three Citrus Cake

Packed with three types of citrus, drizzled with blood orange glaze and topped with pomegranate arils, this cake is perfect for spring or to cure your winter blues.

Course Dessert
Keyword baking, citrus
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp navel orange zest
  • 1 tbsp blood orange zest
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 tbsp blood orange juice
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla juice
  • 1/3 cup crème fraîche

For the glaze:

  • 2 1/2 tbsp blood orange juice
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Topping (optional):

  • pomegranate arils

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Grease a 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan (or the novelty Nordic Ware loaf pan of your choice) with butter. (If using a novelty pan, brushing melted butter into the pan with a silicon brush yields the best results.)

  2. Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat thoroughly, about 30 seconds.

  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and add eggs one at a time while beating on low. Add citrus zest, and mix until just incorporated.

  4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

  5. In another small bowl, combine crème fraîche, 2 tbsp of blood orange juice, 1 tsp of lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

  6. Add half of the crème fraîche mixture and half of the flour mixture to the batter, and mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat, mixing thoroughly.

  7. Transfer batter to the pan and bake for 45 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes clean. Let the cake fully cool before glazing.

  8. Whisk the powdered sugar and 2 1/2 tbsp of blood orange juice until smooth. When the cake is cool, pour the glaze over top (or drizzle to your liking). Top with pomegranate arils.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Foodness Gracious' Blood Orange Loaf Cake.