This orange cake recipe uses the whole orange, rind and all! The batter comes together in the blender, and the cake comes out super moist, especially once it’s drenched in glaze. It’s practically bursting with sweet citrus flavor, just in time for spring.
Easy Whole Orange Cake
Today’s dessert has a lot in common with my olive oil cake, in that it’s choc full of bright orange flavor. This orange cake recipe is a fresh, citrusy cake that I make with the WHOLE orange, peel and all. The ingredients are simple, and making it couldn’t be easier. Combine everything in the blender, and then bake!
Like my semolina cake, the freshly baked orange cake gets brushed with a sweet glaze. One whiff as I cut into it takes me straight to the orange groves on the Mediterranean coast.
Why This Orange Cake Recipe Brightens Up Any Occasion
- Only 8 ingredients. Orange cake is a terrific way to use up a big haul of oranges, and the rest of the ingredients are staples in any pantry.
- No whisking. I make everything from muffins to ice cream in the blender, so I was thrilled to discover that I could use it to blitz up the batter for this cake.
- Great for gatherings. This sunny orange cake recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd, and citrus fans pretty universally love the flavors.
Cake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients in this easy orange cake recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete recipe with exact amounts.
- Oranges: Look for seedless oranges, or remove the seeds before you make the cake batter. Also, give the fruit a good rinse and scrub.
- Butter: Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. If the butter is cold, it won’t blend as smoothly.
- Sugar: I use both brown sugar and granulated white sugar to keep the cake moist.
- Eggs: At room temperature.
- Flour: Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off. This prevents overmeasuring, which can happen when you scoop directly from the bag.
- Baking Powder and Salt: Check that the baking powder hasn’t expired because the cake won’t rise properly.
- Orange Juice: For the orange glaze, I recommend freshly squeezed orange juice, or buy fresh orange juice “not from concentrate” from the refrigerator aisle.
Tips for the Best Orange Cake
- Use oranges with a thin peel. Thinner peels often have less of a white rind. The white part is bitter, and you don’t want that bitterness creeping into your cake. Valencia oranges and Cara Cara are good options.
- Avoid the bitter white rind. If the orange peel has a thick white part, carefully remove it using a sharp knife.
- Boost the flavors. For even more orange flavor, you could add fresh orange zest to the batter or glaze. For the batter, rub the zest into the sugar, then add it to the blender. It helps release the oils.
- Specks of butter are fine. You can ignore any small flecks of butter in the batter. These will melt into the cake while it bakes.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing. First, it gives the cake time to soak up that delicious citrus glaze. Second, the cake is more likely to crumble apart if you cut into it while it’s warm.
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Prepare to bake. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper, bottom and sides, and set aside.
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Blend the oranges. Cut the oranges into smaller pieces and remove any seeds. Add them to a food processor, including the peel, and blend until smooth. If the pith (the white part under the peel) is very thick or bitter, peel the oranges first, trim away some of the pith, then add the peel back in before blending.
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Add the remaining ingredients. To the food processor, add the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs. Process until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. It is okay if you see some specks of butter.
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Bake the cake. Pour the prepared cake batter into the cake pan. Bake the cake for 50 minutes.
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Make the glaze. Add orange juice and sugar to a small saucepan. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mixture reaches a syrupy consistency.
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Brush the cake. Remove the cake from the oven and, while it’s still warm, brush the prepared orange glaze evenly over the top so it soaks in.
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Cool, then serve. Set the cake aside to cool completely, then dust it with the powdered sugar before slicing and serving.
- Use oranges with a thin peel: These usually have less of the white part, and the white part is the one that causes bitterness.
- Remove the white parts: If your orange peel has a thick white pith, remove it with a sharp knife.
- Specks of butter are fine: Your batter may have some specks of butter. It is perfectly okay because during the baking, everything will melt together.
- Cool down completely: Cool your cake completely before serving.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make a Whole Orange Cake
You’re going to chop your whole oranges and toss them into the blender with the rest of the cake ingredients. And don’t worry – you won’t taste the orange peels!
- Prepare the oranges. First, chop the oranges into quarters. If you notice your oranges have a thick white rind, remove the rind and trim away as much of the white part as possible. Save the orange peels – you’ll blend them into the batter.
- Blend. Add the oranges and the peels to the blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Next, blend in the softened butter, both sugars, and eggs. Lastly, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Fill the pan and bake. Pour the orange cake batter into a lined 8-inch cake pan. Then, bake the cake at 350ºF for 50 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the glaze. Heat the orange juice and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is syrupy.
- Glaze the cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, brush the orange glaze evenly over the still-warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely, and if you’d like, dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
Storing Leftovers
- On the counter. This orange cake can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer-term storage, consider refrigerating for an extra day or two or freezing.
- Freeze. You can freeze this cake whole or in slices. Double-wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw the orange cake at room temperature before serving.