Whole Orange Cake
This Whole Orange Cake is packed with fresh citrus flavor and comes together easily with the help of a food processor—no boiling required. The entire orange, including the peel and pith, is blended into the batter, creating a bright, balanced flavor that's just sweet enough. Finished with a simple glaze, it's a beautiful, fragrant cake you'll want to make year-round.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 10-cup Bundt pan
- Food processor
- Stand mixer or hand held mixer
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened. Extra butter will be needed to grease the pan.
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 oranges about 1 pound
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour stirred and then scooped into the measuring cup
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
For the glaze
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar plus more if needed
- 3 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat oven to 325℉, placing oven rack in the center. Generously butter a 10-cup Bundt pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer over a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fully, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated after each addition.1 cup butter, 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, 3 large eggs
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp sea salt
- Trim the ends of the oranges; do not peel them. Cut into large chunks and remove seeds. In a food processor, pulse the orange chunks until the pulp is mostly smooth, don't over process it into a puree. Spoon out 1½ cups of the orange mixture and add this to your batter, beating until blended. Add the flour mixture in two additions and beat until smooth, about 20 seconds. Don't over beat the batter. Smooth the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top.2 oranges
- Place the Bundt pan directly on the center rack and bake until the cake has risen and is evenly golden and firm to the touch, 40-50 minutes. A toothpick stuck in the middle should come out mostly clean, but the firm touch of the cake is your best indication that it's done. Remove the cake to cool on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert it onto the rack and let cool completely.
Make the glaze
- To make the glaze, once the cake is cool, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a medium bowl. Adjust the sugar or orange juice until the glaze is thick to your liking. I recommend making it pourable but still thick enough that it doesn't all run off the cake. Once you like the glaze consistency, spoon over the top of the cake. I highly recommend covering as much of the cake surface as possible with glaze. Let the glaze set about 30 minutes before serving. Cut the cake into slices and serve. Store any leftovers airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days.2 cups confectioners' sugar, 3 tbsp orange juice
- The cake freezes well, even after glazing and can be frozen up to 2 months.