🍊 Bolo de Laranja (Portuguese Orange Loaf Cake)
This soft and fluffy bolo de laranja is a classic Portuguese orange cake made in a loaf pan with fresh orange juice and zest. It’s simple, no mixer required, and comes out perfectly moist every time. Finished with an optional orange icing drizzle, this is the kind of everyday cake you’ll always find on the counter in a Portuguese home.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sugar
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil I like Avocado Oil
- Zest of 2 Oranges
- ¾ cup Orange Juice
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
Optional Orange Icing Dizzle
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until well combined and slightly foamy.
- Add the orange zest and fresh orange juice. Mix well.
- Stir in the vegetable oil until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until smooth (do not overmix).
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly before removing from the pan.
Optional Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix icing sugar with orange juice until smooth.Adjust consistency as needed.Drizzle over the slightly cooled cake.
Notes
- Use fresh orange juice for best flavour
- Don’t skip the zest — it adds most of the citrus aroma
- If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil
- Even better the next day
