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Three slices cut from the orange coconut pound cake.

Orange Coconut Pound Cake

Orange Coconut Pound Cake features real orange flavour and lots of coconut. A sweet orange glaze is drizzled over the cake and shredded coconut is sprinkled on top. It’s the perfect dessert for Easter, Mother’s Day, springtime, or simply an afternoon pick-me-up.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

Orange Coconut Pound Cake

  • 2 medium oranges zested
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup butter softened to room temperature
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup buttermilk

Orange Glaze & Garnish

  • ¾ cup icing sugar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded and/or flaked coconut for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a standard loaf pan by greasing the bottom and sides with butter or cooking spray, and if desired line with parchment paper.

  2. In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and orange zest to infuse the sugar with orange flavour. After zesting the oranges, juice them for the cake and glaze ingredients.

  3. In a large bowl with a firm spatula, beat the butter and orange infused sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, egg yolk and orange juice and beat well until smooth.

  4. In separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, beating in between each addition, just until combined. Batter will be thick.

  5. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.

  6. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 15 - 20 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  7. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Mix the icing sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over the top of the cooled loaf allowing some to dribble down the sides. Sprinkle top with ½ cup shredded and/or flaked coconut.

Recipe Notes

  1. After zesting the oranges, juice the oranges and be sure to also reserve 2 tablespoons of the juice
    for the glaze.
  2. Make sure the butter, eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature.
  3. To avoid a dry loaf, bake the loaf for the recommended time just until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  4. The loaf can be made with different citrus fruits such as blood oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes.
  5. To garnish the loaf you can use unsweetened shredded coconut or flaked coconut or a combination of both which is what I did.