Orange Cake Recipe

Made with fresh orange juice, zest, and a crunchy orange glaze topping, this Ultimate Orange Cake recipe packs a citrus punch in every bite.

This versatile recipe can be made as a Bundt cake, two loaf cakes, or using a muffin pan for individual cakes. The recipe has baking times for all three options.

This tender and moist orange cake is bursting with fresh orange flavor. With a delicious crunchy glaze topping for texture, this easy to make cake is sure to make it into regular rotation!

For me, this recipe used a whole bag of small oranges, but it was totally worth it for that beautiful orange flavor.

I highly recommend using fresh oranges for this cake. Using fresh juice is key to getting that bright citrus flavor.

In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add the oil slowly until combined and repeat with the butter. Add orange juice and zest and keep mixing slowly until combined.

Add batter to a prepared greased pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean.

When the cake is done and is still warm, transfer to a wire rack and prick the warm cake all over with a skewer and then pour over the glaze.

The juice will sink into the cake and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.

With this recipe, the orange flavor becomes stronger with time, giving you a citrus burst in every bite. For the ideal texture, leave the cake to rest in an airtight container for 8 hours at room temperature before serving.

orange cake recipe

Ingredients
  1. ▢ 2½ cups all-purpose flour (300g)
  2. ¾ teaspoon baking powder.
  3. ¼ teaspoon salt.
  4. 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  5. 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 3 oranges)
  6. 1 cup vegetable oil (240ml)
  7. ¾ cup fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges/180ml)
  8. 3 large eggs.

Ultimate Orange Cake

orange cake recipe

This versatile recipe can be made using a Bundt pan, two loaf cakes or using a muffin pan for 24 individual cakes. The recipe has baking times for all three options.

Prep: 35min

Total: 85min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 161 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 3 g, Fat 2 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 46 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 22 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
  • ¾ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup butter (melted)
  • 1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 large oranges)
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (plus more to taste*)
  • ⅓ cup fresh orange juice (1-2 orange)
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Instruction:

  1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F/180°C and greasing the pan.
  2. In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set it aside.
  3. Next, using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar on high speed until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, which should take about 5 minutes.
  4. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the oil and then the butter, being sure to combine thoroughly. Add the orange juice and zest and continue mixing slowly until everything is combined. Finally, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.NOTE: depending on the brand of flour you use, the batter may be quite wet.
  5. Add batter to the prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes for a 12 cup/10-inch bundt pan until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (see recipe notes for more pans and cooking times).
  6. While the cake bakes, mix together the orange juice, zest, and sugar to make the crunchy sugar glaze (see the notes section if you prefer a softer style glaze).
  7. Allow to cool 30 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack and adding the glaze.
  8. While the cake is still warm, remove from pan, prick the cake all over with a skewer and then pour over the glaze.
  9. Place a second sheet of baking paper next to the cooling rack. Transfer the cooling rack with the cake to the clean paper and pour the glaze that dripped off the cake onto the baking paper over the cake. You may have to repeat this step a few times. Once glazed the juice will sink into the cake and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.

Orange Cake

orange cake recipe

This recipe yields 2 loaves or as my mom used to make it – one bundt cake. I find that it’s not easy to remove the cake from the bundt pan because it’s a very moist cake unless you butter and flour the pan well, so I prefer using a loaf pan and I think it looks beautiful. If you only want to make one loaf, you can halve the recipe.

Prep: 20min

Total: 80min

Yield: 2

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups (350g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (240 ml) canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Orange zest from 3-4 oranges ((I use the same amount of oranges I use for the juice))
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instruction:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt pan or two standard loaf pans (either 9 x 13 inch pans or 8½ x 4½ inch pans for taller cakes) and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a handheld mixer, whisk together eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed and with the mixer running, add oil slowly until combined. Add orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract and keep whisking slowly until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk just until combined. Don’t overmix.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan/pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes for the bundt pan or 40-50 minutes for the loaves or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top is browning quickly while baking, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow cake/cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
  5. Store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best moist texture, the cake is best served at room temperature. This cake freezes well so if you make two loaves, cover well, and freeze one of them in the freezer for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge

Amazing Orange Cake Recipe | Quick and Easy!

FAQ

Does anyone make orange cake mix anymore?

Product Overview. Try a Duncan Hines signature cake mix for a delicious dessert you can make at home. This perfectly moist orange supreme mix is made with real orange juice and is a citrus lover’s dream.

Why is my orange cake dry?

A dry cake is usually the result of one of the following pitfalls: using the wrong ingredients, making mistakes while mixing the batter, or baking the cake too long or at too high a temperature.

How do you make a Mary Berry orange cake?

Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. …
  2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and orange zest in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes, or until just blended. …
  3. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. …
  4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until well risen and golden.

Why is my orange cake bitter?

The bitter taste of orange cake is given by the use of the whole orange: juice, pulp and peel. Specifically, the bitterness comes from the white part of the peel. A trick to not get a whole orange cake too bitter, is to discard the white part and use only the colored zest (read step 1).

About the author

Helen is an author and editor at helenbackcafe.com, who has a passion for writing about recipes. She loves to experiment with different ingredients and cooking techniques to create delicious and unique dishes.

Among all the foods, pizza holds a special place in her heart, and she loves exploring different variations and toppings to create the perfect slice. Through her writing, Helen hopes to inspire others to get creative in the kitchen and share their love for food with the world.

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