Orange Cake {Moist & Flavorful}

Posted by Lashay Rain on Monday, May 13, 2024
Home » Cake & Cupcakes » Orange Cake

This homemade Orange Cake is bursting with the flavor of fresh oranges. A combination of orange zest and orange juice make this cake extra moist and flavorful. This bundt cake can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert, or alongside a cup of afternoon tea.

We can’t get enough fresh citrus this time of year. Although eating plain oranges is delicious and all, what’s even better is using those oranges in an Orange Cake! This cake joins our other favorite bundt cakes: Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, and Banana Bundt Cake. If you love bundt cakes, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get baking!

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Recipe overview

This recipe has three components:

Orange cake: This cake bakes up tender and soft. Buttermilk and orange juice add moisture and orange zest and vanilla extract add flavor.

Start by creaming butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest. Add eggs and extract. Alternate adding dry ingredients with a mixture of buttermilk and orange juice. Pour the batter into a 12-cup bundt pan and bake.

Orange syrup: This orange simple syrup is equal parts orange juice and granulated sugar. Dissolve the sugar into the juice then brush or pour the syrup onto the warm cake. The cake will soak up the syrup adding even additional flavor and moisture to every bite!

Orange-vanilla icing (optional): A small batch of orange-vanilla buttercream frosting is made with butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and milk. Drizzle or spread the icing over the top of the cake for the perfect finishing touch.

Recipe tips

  • Make sure you have plenty of oranges. I recommend about 7 large oranges to ensure you have enough zest and juice for all components of the recipe.
  • Don’t have buttermilk? Try one of these buttermilk substitutes.
  • Use a fine microplane style grater for the orange zest. Only grate the orange skin, not the white pith.
  • I recommend a stand mixer for this recipe. There is a large volume of batter and I find that a stand mixer with a paddle attachment works best.
  • Grease your bundt pan really well. I use a non-stick spray that contains flour. Wait to spray the pan until right before you add the batter.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. You want to remove it when it is still slightly warm (so that the orange syrup will soak in) but not when the cake is hot (it might fall apart).

Why this recipe works

A combination of butter and oil. Butter for flavor and oil for moisture.

A whole cup of buttermilk in the cake for moisture, tang, and texture.

Adding orange syrup while the cake is warm allows the syrup to get absorbed into the cake.

Fresh orange juice and orange zest in the cake, syrup, and icing for maximum flavor.

Serving and storage

Serving: Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

Storage: Store tightly covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days. The cake may also be frozen (double wrapped) for up to 3 months.

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Recipe

Slice of orange bundt cake on a white plate with a gold fork.

Orange Cake

This homemade Orange Cake is bursting with the flavor of fresh oranges. A combination of orange zest and orange juice make this cake extra moist and flavorful. This bundt cake can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert, or alongside a cup of afternoon tea.

5 from 32 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 14

Calories: 445kcal

Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Set aside a 12-cup bundt pan (don't grease it just yet).

  • In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, oil, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Beat until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

  • In a liquid measuring cup combine orange juice and buttermilk.

  • Add one third of the dry ingredients to the sugar/egg mixture, beat until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk, beating until just combining. Repeat adding half the remaining flour, all the remaining buttermilk, then the last bit of flour, beating between each addition. Stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is completely combined.

  • Thoroughly grease a 12-cup bundt pan (I use nonstick spray with flour in it). Pour the batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes (don't invert it yet). Proceed with syrup as you approach the end of the 30 minute cool time.

Syrup:

  • Combine orange juice and sugar in a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Cook until the juice begins to bubble. Carefully remove it and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

  • After 30 minutes of cooling, carefully invert the cake directly onto a cooling rack. Place a large piece of parchment paper or foil under the rack to catch any drips of syrup.

  • Spoon or brush the syrup onto the cake. The cake should still be a bit warm so it will soak up the syrup. Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding with the icing.

Icing:

  • Using a hand mixer or stand fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar until combined. Add milk, zest, and extract, beating until smooth and combined. Adjust the consistency of the frosting by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more half and half to thin it out. Drizzle or spread the icing on top of the cooled cake (I placed it in a ziptop bag with the corner snipped for easy application). Grate some additional orange zest over the top, if desired.

Notes

Serving: Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture. Storage: Store tightly covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days. The cake may also be frozen (double wrapped) for up to 3 months. Tips:
  • Make sure you have plenty of oranges. I recommend about 7 large oranges to ensure you have enough zest and juice for all components of the recipe.
  • Don’t have buttermilk? Try one of these buttermilk substitutes.
  • Use a fine microplane style grater for the orange zest. Only grate the orange skin, not the white pith.
  • I recommend a stand mixer for this recipe. There is a large volume of batter and I find that a stand mixer with a paddle attachment works best.
  • Grease your bundt pan really well. I use a non-stick spray that contains flour. Wait to spray the pan until right before you add the batter.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. You want to remove it when it is still slightly warm (so that the orange syrup will soak in) but not when the cake is hot (it might fall apart).

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

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