Orange bundt cake made with fresh orange juice and zest is an incredibly moist and tender cake bursting with flavor.
A straightforward, quick cake for times when you crave something sweet but don't have the time or the patience to be in the kitchen for a long time. Just squeeze some oranges, mix a few ingredients, and bake.
And if you are a fan of oranges and are looking for more orange desserts, check out the Orange Polenta Cake, another fantastic moist cake. Or try this incredible Orange Tiramisu.
Jump to recipe
Why will you love this recipe?
The crumb: Absolutely the best crumb ever. Have a look at those pictures! Soft, moist, and so enticing.
Fast: It beats any cake mix you could ever buy, and it's probably just as quick to stir together.
This is a so-called “clean” cake, which makes it very suitable for picnics/potlucks/children's parties, meaning you will not need a plate or a fork, you can eat it from the hand.
Recipe ingredients
Oranges: You will need 2-3 medium-sized to large oranges to get the amount of juice you need. It is preferable to use organic oranges because you will also need the zest.
- Either organic or not, wash them with hot water and rub them dry before you zest them.
Flour: I recommend using cake flour for making this orange cake, it's more delicate, and it will make the cake fluffier. However, if you cannot find it, all-purpose flour will work fine.
Oil: I love using oil to make bundt cakes and muffins; I think it makes them even moister and helps them keep moist for longer. Make sure you use neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil. Don't use olive or sunflower oil; you will be able to taste them, which is not what you want when making this cake.
Other ingredients: large eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, icing sugar, and a pinch of salt.
How to prepare a bundt cake for baking?
Silicon mold: I usually bake bundt cakes in a 26 cm/10-inch bundt pan made of silicone. That requires no preparation of the pan at all. Just pour the cake batter into it, bake, and get it out of the pan in just about 3 seconds; that’s it!
Regular bundt cake pan: No worries if all you have is a traditional form. That is not difficult to work with either but keep in mind that although these pans are called non-stick, if you don't prepare them carefully, everything will stick to them anyway, and you can then scrape the pieces out of it instead of having a nice looking whole Gugelhupf.
Steps:
- Butter the form very thoroughly, including all the nooks and crannies of the pan. Make sure every inch of the pan is well-greased.
- Take about ¼ cup or so of flour, sprinkle it in the pan, and start shaking and turning the pan so that the flour coats its insides, including all the nooks and crannies again.
- Do that over the kitchen sink so that the flour will not get on the working surface or all over the floor.
- When the pan is adequately coated with flour, turn it around and start shaking and patting it gently on the bottom and sides to remove the excess flour. Again, do this over the kitchen sink, which is quicker to clean than the floor.
How to make an orange bundt cake?
Preparations: Preheat the oven and prepare the pan as instructed above. Wash, dry, and zest the oranges. Halve and juice them. Measure the juice and set it aside.
Wet ingredients: Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg whites with the mixer until stiff (1).
Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until pale and fluffy (2).
Slowly add the oil and combine (3).
Pour in the juice and mix again (4).
Dry ingredients: Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Sift them over the egg mixture and fold in carefully with a spoon (5).
Fold in the egg whites as well; make sure you don't overmix the cake batter (6).
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan (7) and bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes (8).
Check with a cake tester or a toothpick; it should come out clean.
Rest: Rest in the pan for about 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool before sprinkling it with powdered sugar.
Optional glaze
You can sprinkle the cooled cake with icing sugar or glaze it.
Simple orange glaze: mix some icing sugar with some orange juice to get a paste and pour over it. You can use the glaze I've made for this other orange raisin bundt cake. It does make it sweeter but also enhances the orange taste.
Cream cheese glaze: Mix 115 g/ 4 oz cream cheese with 4 tablespoons soft butter, ½ to 1 teaspoon orange extract (to taste), 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 100 g/ 1 cup icing (powdered) sugar until smooth. You should have a thick yet slightly runny consistency. Add more icing sugar to thicken it or a little orange juice to make it thinner, as required.
Good to know!
A digital kitchen scale will give you the most precise measure, ensuring the best bake possible.
Make sure you read the instructions on preparing a bundt cake pan properly.
Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan, ensuring that the center is not higher than the edges. This will help the cake rise properly.
Recipe FAQs
You can try lemon, lime, blood orange, or even grapefruit. Or check out these fantastic Lemon Drizzle Cake, Orange Drizzle, and Lime Drizzle Cake.
Measure the baking powder correctly and ensure that the baking powder is not too old.
Preheat the oven in time and bake as soon as you finish stirring the batter, within 2-3 minutes. If it sits and waits for the oven to get hot (or if the oven is not preheated correctly), the baking powder will lose its power, and the baked good will not rise.
You can use a 22-23 cm/ 8.5-9 inches cake pan or springform or a 30 cm/ 12 inches loaf pan.
The baking time might vary accordingly, but not too much; make sure to check.
How to store orange cake?
Unglazed cake: If it's only sprinkled with icing sugar, you can keep it in an airtight container for 3-4 days, a bit longer if you keep it in the fridge.
Glazed cake: Refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze only an unglazed cake. Wrap it well in cling film and place it in an airtight container or a freezer bag, or wrap it in an extra layer of aluminum foil. It is best when consumed within 2-3 months.
Defrost in the fridge, allow it to reach room temperature on the counter, and then glaze and serve.
Moist Orange Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Bundt cake pan 9.5 - 10-inches/ 24-26 cm diameter
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar 7 oz/ 200 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil like canola, 200 ml
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 200 ml, Note 2
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2½ cups cake flour 10.5 oz/ 300 g, Note 3
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the bundt pan: Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 360°F/ 180°C. Butter and flour the bundt pan (Note 4).
- Egg whites: Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Set them aside. 4 large eggs
- Make cake batter: Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Slowly add the oil and continue beating until combined. Add the orange juice and zest.1 cup granulated sugar / 200 g + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil/ 200 ml + ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice / 200 ml + 2 teaspoons orange zest
- Add dry ingredients: Mix and sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt over the egg mixture. Fold in carefully.2½ cups cake flour / 300 g + 3 teaspoons baking powder + ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the egg whites and carefully fold in as well.
- Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 50 minutes. Make the skewer test: it should come out clean.
- Rest: Let the cake in the pan for about 15 minutes, release it from the pan by gently going around the edges with a small butter knife, and then turn it onto a plate.
- Dust: Let the cake cool completely and dust it with powdered sugar or cover it with glaze just before serving (Notes 5 and 6).
Notes
- A digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) will give you the most precise measure, ensuring the best bake possible.
- Oranges: You will need 2-3 medium-sized to large oranges.
- Flour: All-purpose flour also works, but cake flour is better when making bundt cakes.
- Prepare bundt pan: Butter the form very thoroughly, including all the nooks and crannies of the pan. Sprinkle it with about ¼ cup flour. Start shaking and turning the pan to coat it with flour, including all the nooks and crannies. Turn it around over the sink and start shaking and patting it gently on the bottom and sides to remove the excess flour.
- Optional orange glaze: Mix 100 g/ 1 cup icing sugar with 1 tablespoon orange juice and stir to get a smooth paste; it should be thick yet slightly pourable. Add a little more liquid if necessary.
- Optional cream cheese glaze: Mix 4 oz cream/ 115 g cheese with 4 tablespoons soft butter, ½ to 1 teaspoon orange extract (to taste), 1 tablespoon orange zest, and 1 cup/ 100 g icing (powdered) sugar until smooth. You should have a thick yet slightly runny consistency. Add more icing sugar to thicken it or a little orange juice to make it thinner, as required.
Marie says
I followed the directions to a T however I felt that mine was a little dry, airy and crumbly. I guess I expected it to be denser. I realized that this may be because I am at 5280 altitude. Thoughts?
Emma says
Thank you for this recipe. It is absolutely scrumptious! I first made it three weeks ago and again yesterday. Perfect result both times. Yesterday, I made 1.5x the recipe and produced 1 bundt cake and 1 loaf cake, both cooked in identical time for my oven (42 mins). I love cakes and sweets, but I find the majority of recipes out there are far too sweet and I frequently use only half of the recipe amount of sugar. However, this recipe is beautifully sweetened for my taste, no adjustments needed! It remains moist for days, and I have received compliments from every person who ate it. One friend described it as eating an orange cloud ?
Adina says
Oh, wow, Emma. Thank you so much. I had a shitty time today and this comment just saved the day! 🙂
Monika says
Dear Adina, I just made today your Orange Bundt Cake and I little upgraded your recipe ... I followed your recipe to the letter with some little changes ... as I love the combination of ginger, orange, almonds, and white chocolate, I made some changes ... increased the eggs to 6, used 200 g of soft butter instead of oil, added 100 g of crystalized ginger soaked in brandy and also 100 g of sour cream .... I must say that it turned out fantastic .... the texture, the orangy gingery brandy taste .... finally I glazed it with white chocolate almond ganache .... 🙂 it''s my favorite recipe from now on .... 🙂 thank you
Adina says
Hi Monika. So glad to read this. It sounds like an amazing recipe, I should try it myself (and maybe post it 🙂 ). I especially love the crystalized ginger, I have a soft spot for it. 🙂
Monika says
You are my inspiration and the well of great ideas .... and I love it 🙂 thank you ... today I received a catfish so I'm gonna browse your fish recipes .... 🙂 ps. btw, that soaked crystalized ginger in brandy was really a good idea ... it added to the bundt cake a heavenly taste ....
Adina says
Catfish! I've never had that. I would love to try it!
Monika says
Dear Adina,
I don't think I will ever get tired of your recipes ... 🙂 I am starting to get addicted to them 🙂 I just feel that I have to try each and every of your recipes .... thank you <3
Adina says
Monika, this is one of the nicest comments I have ever read on my blog. Thank you. It is nice we have a similar taste when it comes to food and I hope you will like every recipe you try. I wish a Merry Christmas!
brenda says
I covered my orange cake with chocolate ganache it was amazing. A couple of days before I made the cake I created sugared orange rinds and left them out to dry to top my ganache with it came out so beautifully my hubby actually took a picture of it NOW THATS A FIRST lol
Adina says
Wow! That sounds like a really impressive cake with the chocolate ganache and especially the sugared orange rinds. I would love to see a picture. If you ever post it somewhere send me a link. 🙂
MasterRusk says
Such a beautiful cake! What lovely flavors ? MasterRusk
Adina says
Thank you.