Basic pound cake has never been easier than with this recipe. Orange 1-2-3-4 cake with a simple sweet citrus glaze has an amazing, moist texture.

In my grandma’s old cookbooks, I’ve seen recipe after recipe for a 1-2-3-4 cake, and I finally tried it. Each recipe varied slightly, but my eyes landed on one that called for a fresh orange. I knew that freshly squeezed orange juice and zest would make a lightly citrus pound cake that I’d love.

The recipe did not disappoint!

overhead view of a glazed orange 1 2 3 4 bundt cake

About Orange 1-2-3-4 Cake Recipe:

Flavor: This is an orange cake so it does have an orange flavor, but it is not overpowering.
Texture: Just like any good pound cake, the texture of this orange cake is dense, buttery and smooth. Pound cakes are not known for being light and fluffy, so don’t expect this one to be either. It’s not dry though. The butter, eggs and yogurt help to ensure that.
Method: This cake bakes in a bundt pan. You could switch the type of pan if you’d like, but the baking time will be different for each size, so watch the cake carefully while it bakes.

overhead view of a unglazed orange pound cake

What is 1-2-3-4 cake?

The name of this cake comes from the simplicity of its ingredients:

1 cup of butter
2 cups of sugar
3 cups of flour
4 eggs

The problem with this cake recipe is that those aren’t the only ingredients in the cake. You’ll also need at minimum some milk and flavoring. Even Swan’s Down, the creator of the 1-2-3-4 cake, has more ingredients in the recipe than just the four.

Even still, it’s a simple cake recipe with an amazing texture and flavor. And the variation possibilities are endless.

How to Make Orange 1-2-3-4 Cake

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Or you can use our cake release recipe that works perfectly every time.
Make the cake batter. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg. Mix in the orange zest, juice and vanilla. Add half of the flour and the baking powder. Mix just until combined. Mix in the Greek yogurt. Then add in the remaining flour and mix just until combined.

orange 1 2 3 4 cake batter in a glass mixing bowl with a spatula

Bake. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth it out evenly. Bake for 1 hour or until the cake tests done. (should be almost 210ºF inside). Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack or plate to cool completely.
Glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar and juice together in a small bowl, then drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.

Recipe Variations

Use lemons or limes instead of orange juice to switch up the flavor.
Try adding white chocolate chips (about a cup) to the cake batter.
A touch of cinnamon will make this cake taste like Christmas morning.
Don’t have Greek yogurt? Use sour cream instead.

a piece of glazed 1 2 3 4 cake on a plate

Storage Instructions

Room temperature: This cake is safe to store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze any leftovers of this cake for up to 6 weeks. First wrap the slices in plastic wrap, then place them in another airtight container. Allow the cake to thaw fully before unwrapping to preserve freshness.

Orange 1-2-3-4 Cake

4.72 from 25 votes

Basic pound cake has never been easier than with this recipe. Orange 1-2-3-4 cake with a simple sweet citrus glaze has an amazing, moist texture.

Servings 12

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

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Ingredients

For the cake:

1 cup salted butter room temperature, 8 ounces
2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
3 cups all-purpose flour 390 grams
4 large eggs room temperature
1 orange zest and juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2% or 5% milkfat

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

Make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each egg.
Mix in the orange zest, juice and vanilla.
Add half of the flour and the baking powder. Mix just until combined.
Mix in the Greek yogurt.
Then add in the remaining flour and mix just until combined.
Pour into the prepared pan and smooth it out evenly.
Bake for 1 hour or until the cake tests done. (should be almost 210ºF inside). Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice. Add the juice one tablespoon at a time until you get the drizzling consistency that you'd like.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This cake freezes well, too.

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**