A Little Bloom in Every Slice: Orange Blossom Sugar Cake

A Little Bloom in Every Slice: Orange Blossom Sugar Cake

Orange blossom has a way of making a familiar dessert feel special. Its delicate floral aroma pairs beautifully with citrus, vanilla, and butter, bringing a hint of the garden to the table. Our LLEAF Farms Orange Blossom Sugar makes that touch easy to add, whether you’re baking a cake or finishing a bowl of fresh berries. 

A little history of orange blossom in food

Orange blossom water is made by distilling the flowers of the bitter orange tree. It has long been used to scent sweets, syrups, pastries, and drinks in Middle Eastern cooking. By the 1500s, bitter orange trees were also being grown in southern France for orange flower water, which became a flavor in European kitchens. 

The appeal has lasted for centuries: a little orange blossom adds fragrance without making a dessert taste like orange juice. This simple loaf cake lets that floral note shine alongside fresh orange zest.

Orange Blossom Sugar Cake

Makes one 8 × 4-inch loaf | About 8 slices

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup LLEAF Farms Orange Blossom Sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange

For the finish

• 1 to 2 tablespoons LLEAF Farms Orange Blossom Sugar
• Fresh berries, for serving, if desired

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 × 4-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang for lifting out the cake.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, Orange Blossom Sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk. Mix just until the batter comes together.
5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it onto a rack. While it is still slightly warm, sprinkle the top with Orange Blossom Sugar for a delicate, sparkling finish.

Serve a slice with tea, coffee, or fresh berries. And keep the jar close: a little Orange Blossom Sugar is lovely over yogurt, shortbread, or a bowl of sliced strawberries, too.

Scents that bloom. Flavors that linger.