Blood Orange Poppy Seed Loaf (Printable)

Vibrant blood orange loaf with poppy seeds and marzipan—moist, aromatic, and perfect for afternoon tea.

# What you'll need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
05 - 8.5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
06 - 7 ounces granulated sugar
07 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2.8 ounces marzipan, grated
10 - 4 fluid ounces blood orange juice
11 - 2 fluid ounces whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Blood Orange Glaze

13 - 4.2 ounces powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter, sugar, and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
05 - Fold in grated marzipan until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - In a separate bowl, combine blood orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract.
07 - Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three alternating parts with blood orange mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top surface.
09 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
10 - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar with blood orange juice until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake and allow to set before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The blood orange juice tints the crumb a soft blush pink, making every slice feel like a little celebration.
  • Grated marzipan melts into the batter, adding pockets of almond sweetness that keep the cake incredibly moist.
  • Poppy seeds give it a gentle crunch and a bakery-style look without any fuss.
  • The glaze sets into a glossy, tangy shell that cracks perfectly under your fork.
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper—this cake can stick stubbornly to the pan, and you'll lose that beautiful crust trying to pry it out.
  • If your blood oranges aren't very juicy, top up the juice with a squeeze of regular orange or a splash of water so you hit the right liquid ratio.
  • Let the cake cool completely before glazing, or the icing will melt and soak in instead of setting on top.
03 -
  • Grate the marzipan while it's cold—it turns sticky and impossible to work with once it warms up in your hands.
  • If the top of your loaf is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil halfway through baking to protect the crust while the center finishes cooking.
  • Always zest your citrus before juicing—it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced fruit, and you'll lose all that fragrant oil.
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