This Blood Orange Povitica recipe features a blood orange cinnamon pecan filling swirled inside layers of an enriched bread dough and topped with a pink blood orange glaze. This swirled bread recipe is a great way to use up pecans and take advantage of the blood orange season.
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Growing up my mom’s friend would send her povitica every year on her birthday. She would always let us have a few slices, toasted and heavily buttered. These slices were always the highlight of the day. At the very beginning of youthsweets, I developed a pumpkin and chocolate version before I had this blog. So technically, this is the first povitica recipe to be recorded on this blog, but not the first I have developed. I adapted this recipe from Little House Big Alaska.
Blood orange season is my favorite because of the color and delicate floral citrus flavor the fruit brings to desserts. Last year, I developed a Blood Orange Layer Cake, featuring tall homemade sprinkles and a blood orange ermine frosting. I also ventured into tiramisu territory with my Blood Orange Tiramisu, that has a fun, stenciled top.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This recipe uses real blood oranges to flavor the filling and glaze.
- The swirl is impressive and easy to accomplish.
- This is a great recipe to use up a lot of pecans, if that is what you need.
- The pink glaze is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour is the base of the enriched dough.
- The loaf uses instant yeast for its rise.
- Powdered sugar is the base of the blood orange glaze.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the enriched dough.
- Egg binds the filling and gives a sheen to the loaf.
- Blood orange zest and juice flavor the filling and the glaze.
- Ground cinnamon flavors the filling as well.
- Pecans are roasted, and serve as the base of the filling.
- Kosher salt and vanilla bean paste balance the overall flavor profile.
- Unsalted butter provides richness to the dough and the filling.
- Milk provides moisture to the dough.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this povitica bread to your liking:
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- Walnuts — sub walnuts for pecans, as they are actually traditional for povitica. I used pecans because I had them on hand.
- No cinnamon — omit the cinnamon in the filling or replace with another spice or cocoa powder (for taste and color).
- No glaze — leave off the glaze or sub blood orange juice or lemon juice.
- Different garnish — garnish with candied orange peels or sprinkles.
- Vanilla — vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract are interchangeable.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to shape povitica bread
Step 1: Roll out dough to a 12x20-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter. Roll out further to 24x40 inches.
Step 2: Spread the filling evenly all over the surface of the dough.
Step 3: Roll up the dough tightly from the longer side.
Step 4: Lay the end of the dough log in the pan in a U-shape, then repeat over the top, looping the rest of it into another U. See this video for help.
Hot tips
- Optionally reduce ½ cup of blood orange juice to ¼ cup by heating in a medium saucepan over medium/medium-low for a stronger blood orange flavor.
- Toast raw pecan halves spread in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch closely for burning.
- If the filling becomes too stiff, you can thin it with an extra tablespoon of blood orange juice or milk.
- Pull the dough that is in front of the rolling pin while pushing it forwards with the rolling pin. This will help it not to bunch and tear when rolling out.
Recipe FAQs
This is not recommended as the yolk binds the filling. If you are worried about raw egg, the loaf is fully baked, therefore the filling becomes completely cooked.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Yes, swap bread flour for all-purpose flour without issue.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Blood Orange Povitica recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Blood Orange Povitica
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312g)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (40g)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g)
- ⅔ cup milk (162g) whole or other dairy milk
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blood Orange Cinnamon Pecan Filling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113g, 1 stick) DIVIDED
- ¼ cup blood orange juice*
- 2 ½ tablespoon blood orange zest
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (70g)
- 3 ¼ cups halved pecans (335g) toasted**
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (15g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk save the white for later
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Blood Orange Icing
- ¼ cup blood orange juice
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (287g)
Instructions
Do ahead
- Grease a large bowl for the dough to proof.
- Grease an 8-inch loaf pan for baking.
Make the dough
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl, if using), whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
- In a medium saucepan, warm together the butter and milk, just until the butter melts. Do not boil.
- When the butter and milk mixture cools down (to 100°F-110°F), add it to the dry ingredients. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix (with the dough hook, if using a stand mixer).
- Once a dough forms, knead until the dough passes the windowpane test. If using a stand mixer, continue mixing with the dough hook until it passes the windowpane test.
- How to conduct a windowpane test: Pinch off a small bit of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center with your fingers. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it’s thin and translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready yet. Keep kneading for a few minutes and check again.
- When it passes the test, place it in a greased bowl and cover. Proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Make the filling
- In a medium saucepan, warm the blood orange juice and 4 ½ tablespoons (64g) butter together just until the butter is melted. Let cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, rub the granulated sugar and blood orange zest together. Add to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the toasted pecans, flour, cinnamon and salt as well. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the cooled juice butter mixture, egg yolk and vanilla. Pulse until completely combined.
Rolling and shaping
- Prepare a large work surface, such as a large island or dining table, by washing it down thoroughly, drying it and sprinkling it with flour.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out to a 12x20-inch rectangle with a rolling pin.
- Melt the remaining (49g) unsalted butter. Brush it onto the surface of the dough. Roll with the rolling pin or stretch gently with the backs of your hands underneath the dough until it is 24x40 inches. Be careful not to tear the dough. It helps to roll and stretch at the same time.
- Spread the filling*** evenly and gently across the dough with an offset spatula. I find it easiest to place small dollops all over and then spread carefully.
- Roll from the longer side into a log. Lay the end of the dough log in the pan in a U-shape, then repeat over the top, looping the rest of it into another U. See this video for help.
- Cover loosely and let rise for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the loaf
- When ready to bake, uncover and brush the top of the loaf with the reserved egg white. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F and bake another 45 minutes. If the top is darkening too much, cover with foil. The bread is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 190°F.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the loaf to cool completely.
Make the icing
- In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar and blood orange juice, starting with less juice and adding more as needed for your desired thickness. Whisk until smooth. Spoon or pipe on top of the cooled bread loaf. Garnish with additional blood orange zest.
