Mini Chip Orange Zest Pound Cake with Heavy Cream
A tender, buttery pound cake studded with miniature chocolate chips and brightened with fresh orange zest. This cream-enriched loaf delivers a moist, fine crumb that's perfect for afternoon tea, dessert, or gifting. The combination of heavy cream and melted butter creates an exceptionally rich texture, while the orange zest adds a subtle citrus note that complements the chocolate chips. Unlike traditional pound cakes, this version uses cake flour for extra tenderness and incorporates room temperature ingredients for optimal mixing.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups cake flourall-purpose flour1:1gluten-freetexture
use 1 3/4 cups minus 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Full guide → - ½ teaspoon Rumford double acting baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 5 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- ⅝ cup miniature chocolate chipsregular chocolate chips1:1size
chop regular chips smaller for better distribution
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- 2
Grease and flour an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper
- 3
Bring all ingredients to room temperature and melt butter, then cool
- 4
Sift together flour and baking powder, add salt and whisk to blend
- 5
Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl for 1 minute until well blended
- 6
Sift one third of flour mixture over eggs and whisk until blended
- 7
Repeat with remaining flour mixture in two additions, whisking after each
- 8
Stir in orange zest, vanilla extract, cream and cooled melted butter
- 9
Fold in chocolate chips
- 10
Pour batter into prepared pan
- 11
Bake on center rack for 60 minutes until center crowns and cracks and toothpick comes out clean
- 12
Cool in pan for 20 minutes, loosening sides with knife after 10 minutes
- 13
Remove from pan and cool completely for several hours
- 14
Wrap tightly when cool
Tips
Bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting for better incorporation and smoother batter texture.
Cool melted butter to room temperature to prevent curdling when mixed with other ingredients.
Use a meat thermometer to check doneness - internal temperature should reach 205-210 degrees F for perfect texture.
Good to Know
wrapped tightly at room temperature
3-4 days when wrapped
room temperature, sliced
Common Mistakes
bring ingredients to room temperature to avoid curdling
cool melted butter before adding to prevent scrambling eggs
don't overmix after adding flour to avoid tough texture
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
use 1 3/4 cups minus 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Full guide →General Alternatives
chop regular chips smaller for better distribution
FAQ
Can I use regular chocolate chips instead of miniature ones?
Yes, but chop them smaller for better distribution throughout the cake. Large chips may sink to the bottom during baking.
What if I don't have cake flour?
Substitute with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour minus 3 1/2 tablespoons, then add 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch and sift together.
How long will this cake keep fresh?
The cake stays fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature when tightly wrapped in foil or plastic wrap.