If you love bright, citrusy flavors, this Whole Orange Cake is sure to become a favorite! Made using an entire orange—minus the bitter white pith—this cake is packed with fresh, zesty goodness in every bite. It’s incredibly soft, moist, and not too sweet, making it perfect for afternoon tea or a light, refreshing dessert.
Why This Is the Best Whole Orange Cake
I have to say, this whole orange cake is definitely one of my proudest cake recipes. It’s truly an outstanding cake, and here’s why:
Packed with vibrant orange flavor – By using a whole orange (peel and all, minus the bitter white pith), this cake is bursting with fresh, zesty orange goodness. I did try including the pith at first, but I found it made the cake taste a bit too bitter. I didn’t want to overwhelm the flavor with extra sweetness just to counteract that bitterness, so removing the pith really makes all the difference. Trust me, it’s totally worth the extra step!
Incredibly soft and moist – The texture of this cake is on another level. It’s ultra-tender, incredibly soft, and super moist—just the way a cake should be. It practically melts in your mouth! Honestly, it’s probably one of the best cakes I’ve ever made in terms of texture. No exaggeration here—it’s that good!
Simple and easy to make – This cake couldn’t be simpler to make, using common household ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. And the best part? It’s absolutely delicious on its own. A simple dusting of powdered sugar (that’s right— no frosting required!) at the end is all it needs for a beautiful finish. The flavor is simple yet so satisfying, making it the perfect treat for afternoon tea or a quick, sweet snack to enjoy with your coffee or tea.
For more citrus-packed recipes, check out my soft lemon cake, lemon loaf and orange cake recipe!
How to Make a Whole Orange Cake
You can find the full list of ingredients for this recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional and grease a 9-inch springform cake tin (I use my homemade cake release). Line the bottom with parchment paper as well.
Prepare the orange: Zest the entire orange into a large bowl and set aside for later (see note 2). Using a small knife, remove and discard the white pith. You should be left with the flesh of the orange. Slice it in half, remove any seeds if necessary, and blend until smooth (a food processor will work too). Set the blended orange mixture aside for later.
Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined, then set aside.
Return to the large bowl with the orange zest from earlier. Add in the butter, oil, and sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, cream for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Next, add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on a low speed, making sure to mix well between each addition.
Next, add in the blended orange juice from earlier, along with the milk and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined. The batter may look slightly curdled — but that’s okay! Remove any batter from the attachments, as the rest of the mixing will be done by hand.
Add the pre-sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and using a spatula, gently fold until just combined and the batter is uniform. Be careful not to over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top, then gently tap the pan on the counter once to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it. Carefully remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Let the cake cool to room temperature before transferring it to a serving plate or cake stand. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar), slice, and enjoy!
How to Store Orange Cake
To keep your whole orange cake fresh, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’d like to keep it for longer, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. Just be sure to allow the cake to cool to room temperature before serving (cold cake just isn’t as good!).
Whole Orange Cake (Super Moist!)
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- 1 large orange
- 1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour - plain flour in the UK. In the video I say 1½ cups, but this is incorrect—sorry!
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 1½ tsps baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ⅓ cup (70 g) unflavored vegetable oil - I use canola oil
- 1¼ cup (250 g) white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 3 tbsps (45 g) milk - room temperature
- 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
- powdered sugar - for dusting. Also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease a 9-inch springform cake tin (I use my homemade cake release). Line the bottom with parchment paper as well.
- Prepare the orange: Zest the entire orange into a large bowl and set aside for later (see note 2). Using a small knife, remove and discard the white pith. You should be left with the flesh of the orange. Slice it in half, remove any seeds if necessary, and blend until smooth. Set the blended orange aside for later (see note 3).
- Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined, then set aside.
- Return to the large bowl with the orange zest from earlier. Add in the butter, oil, and sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, cream for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Next, add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on a low speed, making sure to mix well between each addition.
- Next, add in the blended orange from earlier, along with the milk and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined. The batter may look slightly curdled — but that’s okay! Remove any batter from the attachments, as the rest of the mixing will be done by hand.
- Add the pre-sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and using a spatula, gently fold until just combined and the batter is uniform. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth out the top, then gently tap the pan on the counter once to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges to loosen it. Carefully remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Let the cake cool to room temperature before transferring it to a serving plate or cake stand. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar, slice, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
24 Comments
Hi MK,
Wow! The cake was delicious. The orange flavour came out so well, it was pillow soft and the crust was tops. 💯%
Yay! So glad you loved the recipe Smarties 😀