Easy Blood Orange Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option)

This easy blood orange cake is soft, moist and has a beautiful hint of citrus blood orange. It’s a cinch to make, comes together very easily and you can have freshly baked pound cake in under an hour! It’s great for breakfast, an anytime snack or even a light dessert. Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too!

Jump to:

• What Are Blood Oranges?
• When Are Blood Oranges in Season?
• How Do You Use Blood Oranges?
• Delicious Blood Orange Pound Cake
• Why This Recipe Works:
• Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Make Blood Orange Cake (Step by Step):
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Citrus Recipes You’ll Love:
• Other Gluten-Free Desserts to Enjoy:
• Easy Blood Orange Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

What Are Blood Oranges?

If you’ve never seen or eaten blood oranges before, you’re in for a treat!

Blood oranges look deceptively like regular oranges from the outside, but the difference is obvious once you slice them open.

Inside, blood oranges have a deep-red colored flesh that resembles the color of blood (hence the name “blood orange“).

The dark red color of the flesh and juice is a result of anthocyanin, which develops when these citrus fruits ripen on warmer days ending with cooler nights.

Blood oranges are slightly sweeter than normal oranges, and have the familiar orange flavor but taste like they are mixed with some kind of berry.

When Are Blood Oranges in Season?

In the United States, blood oranges are typically in season during the winter and early spring, from December through April.

Since blood orange season is short, I say take advantage of the short season and grab those blood oranges when you see them!

How Do You Use Blood Oranges?

You can use blood oranges the same way you would use normal oranges.

Peel them and eat the flesh directly, squeeze them for fresh juice, or use them in savory recipes or baked goods where oranges are called.

Delicious Blood Orange Pound Cake

I’m a big fan of citrus and pound cakes – and some of our biggest favorites include this lemon yogurt cake and lemon poppy seed bread.

Pound cakes are precisely great because you can eat them anytime of the day – they’re not overly decadent that you have to reserve them for dessert, but are perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even a lighter after dinner treat.

Today, we’re making an easy blood orange cake recipe that’s amazing, so get ready to drool.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: This easy blood orange yogurt cake recipe calls for basic ingredients that are easily accessible at the grocery store, and you might already have them in your kitchen!

• Easy to Make: The batter comes together easily by mixing wet and dry ingredients together, and then all that’s left is to bake the batter until it’s ready. In fact, if you start now, you’ll have this blood orange pound cake ready in under an hour!

• Perfect Texture: This blood orange loaf cake has a deliciously light, tender and creamy texture (thanks to the yogurt) that just can’t be beat! This moist cake is so good you’ll be begging for seconds!

• Gluten-Free with Dairy-Free Option: Best of all, this pound cake is totally gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy-free by using a non-dairy yogurt. This means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten and lactose intolerances can have their cake and eat it too!

Ingredients You’ll Need + Notes/Substitutions:

This is an overview of the ingredients required to make this gluten-free blood orange cake recipe.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality all purpose gluten-free flour blend which is made of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch or potato starch) to ensure a lighter final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend made with heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.

• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the substitute for gluten in gluten-free flours, and if your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure you add it in.

• Baking Powder: Since baking powder is the only leavening agent used in this blood orange loaf cake, it’s essential to use it. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.

• Sugar: I used white granulated sugar, but you may also use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer (just bear in mind that using a darker colored sugar will make the batter darker in color and inside of the loaf will be browner when baked). If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I strongly recommend that you use Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index, and does not cause your blood sugar to spike).

• Blood Oranges: Since this is a blood orange pound cake recipe, blood oranges are the star here. However, if you want to make this recipe but don’t have access to blood oranges, you can also use lemons, normal oranges, or even grapefruit.

• Eggs: Eggs help to bind the ingredients together and give the batter a little more lift. If you rather not use egg yolks, you may use 4 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs. I have not made this recipe without eggs, but if you are allergic to eggs, or would simply like to keep this recipe egg-free, you may use aquafaba or an egg-replacer instead (please let me know in the comments how it goes if you make it without eggs, I’d love to know!)

• Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt helps to give this blood orange loaf cake its smooth and creamy texture. You may also use sour cream instead. If you are lactose-intolerant, or would like to make this dairy-free, you can use coconut yogurt or other non-dairy yogurt (make sure you don’t use the “whey”, which is basically the watery part of the yogurt that tends to accumulate at the top).

• Vanilla Extract: I like to add a little vanilla extract for extra flavor, but if you don’t have it on hand, or would prefer to leave it out instead, feel free to omit it.

• Butter: You may also use melted vegan butter or coconut oil. Alternatively, you may also use another vegetable oil such as avocado oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil.

How to Make Blood Orange Cake (Step by Step):

1. Preheat and Grease

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Grease and line a 9″ x 5″ metal loaf pan with parchment paper and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Rub Sugar and Zest Together

In a large bowl, combine sugar and blood orange zest together, then use your fingers to rub the sugar and zest together until sugar is moist and fragrant.

3. Add Eggs

Add eggs to sugar and zest and whisk until pale and frothy.

4. Add Remaining Wet Ingredients

Add Greek yogurt, blood orange juice and vanilla extract and mix well.

5. Sift Dry Ingredients

Sift the gluten-free all purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder and salt into the large bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.

6. Fold in Butter

Use a spatula to fold in the melted butter into the batter until the cake batter is glossy.

7. Bake Until Golden Brown

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for around 40 to 50 minutes until the blood orange cake is golden brown on top, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake come out clean.

8. Cool Fully Before Slicing

Allow the gluten-free blood orange cake to cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing, and then let cake cool fully at room temperature on a cooling rack. When the cake is fully cool, slice into it.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Use Parchment Paper: To prevent the cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan, and make it easier to remove the cake from the pan once baked and cooled. (Tip: I like to line it with parchment paper and create extra overhang on both sides, so removing the cake is a cinch!)

• Use a Metal Pan: I highly recommend using a metal pan with baking this cake to ensure that it gets cooked evenly throughout on the sides and bottom too.

• Make a Round Cake: If you rather bake a round cake instead of a loaf cake, use a round metal pan instead and bake 50 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes of clean.

• Make a Bundt Cake: If you prefer to make a bundt cake instead, use a bundt pan and bake 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

• Swap Blood Orange for Other Citruses: Since blood oranges are not always in season, you may also swap out the blood orange in this recipe with other citruses, such as oranges, grapefruits, or lemons.

• How to Decorate the Cake: You may sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar on top of the cake before serving, or drizzle it in orange syrup or blood orange glaze (to make the glaze, mix 1 cup of powdered confectioner’s sugar with 2 to 4 tablespoons of blood orange juice until you get the desired consistency.) To serve, you can accompany the cake with fresh blood orange slices for decoration.

Recipe FAQs:

Citrus Recipes You’ll Love:

• Lemon Yogurt Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Microwave Lemon Curd (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Lemon Meringue Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Amazing Lemon Poppy Seed Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Tender Lemon Muffins (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
• Summer Citrus Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Walnut Orange Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Other Gluten-Free Desserts to Enjoy:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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