Whole Orange Cake (Super Moist!)
Print Pin VideoIf 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.
IMPORTANT: 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
Note 1. If using a convection oven that has a fan function, bake at 160°C (320°F) as the fan function bakes food faster.
Note 2. Only zest the very top layer of the orange as we don't want the bitter white layer (the pith) underneath.
Note 3. If you want to be super precise, I end up with about 120g of blended orange from the large orange I use. A little more or a little less will be fine :)
Nutrition
Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 253IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
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.
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