Blood Orange Pound Cake

• unsalted butter↗150g g

  softened, plus extra for greasing

• granulated sugar↗250g g
• medium eggs3

  room temperature

• plain flour↗250g g
• baking powder↗1½ tsp tsp
• baking soda↗¼ tsp tsp
• sea salt↗½ tsp fine tsp

  fine

• full‑fat cultured sour cream↗100g g
• blood orange↗3

  finely zested

• chopped pistachios3 tbsp tbsp

  for garnish (optional)

• sugar zest↗

  for garnish (optional, see tip below)

• icing sugar170g g

  sifted

• blood orange juice↗2-3 tbsp tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C with convection/gas mark 4 and grease and line a 1 l loaf pan with butter.

2. 2

   Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl for 8 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and very pale. Add the eggs one at a time. Gently fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then the sour cream and zest. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 45‑50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly in the pan, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

3. 3

   To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar and blood orange juice and drizzle it over the cake. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and sugar zest, if using (see tip below). Store in an airtight container for up to three days.