Coffee Shop Loaf Cakes Can’t Even Compare to This Soft, Fluf

• total time: 58 minutes

Ingredients

ORANGE SYRUP

2 tbs (30ml) orange juice

2 tbs (30ml) lemon juice

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

Directions

Combine the orange juice, lemon juice & sugar in a small saucepan over med. heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Set aside

CAKE

1 1/3 cups (170g) AP flour, sifted

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tbs (175g) granulated sugar

Zest of 2 medium oranges

1/4 cup (57g)sour cream, room temp

1/4 cup (59ml)whole milk, room temp

3 large eggs, room temp

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 tsp pure orange extract

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter cubed, room temp

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8” x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease & flour the insides

In a med-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder & salt until well combined

In a large bowl, mix the sugar & orange zest, with an electric mixer or by hand, until incorporated. Add the flour mixture & beat until well combined. On low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture looks like sand

In a separate med-size bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste & orange extract together until smooth & well combined. On low speed, gradually beat this mixture into the sugar mixture until incorporated. Beat at med. speed until smooth, about 1 min. Don’t over mix

Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 min. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 min., then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Brush the warm cake all over with orange simple syrup. Let the cake cool completely, then frost with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting. (Frosting recipe is in the comments section)

Instructions for the lemon version of this cake are in the notes of this recipe on my website

If you like this recipe, you’ll love my cookbook, ENCHANTED BAKING by Mari Vasseur