The Best Orange Cake (Easy and Moist)

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This amazingly moist Orange Cake is teeming with flavor from fresh-squeezed oranges. You won’t be able to stop at just one slice! This simple cake is easy to make but hard to resist! If you like Bundt cakes, you will also want to try my Italian Hangover Cake.

A Bundt cake with white icing drizzled on it surrounded by orange halves and greenery.

Thanks to the fresh orange juice and orange zest in the tender cake and glaze topping, this orange cake delivers a burst of citrus in every bite. It is perfect for every day but delicious enough for a special occasion. Think Christmas or Easter brunch, a simple dessert after a big meal, or enjoying a slice while relaxing with a cup of tea. This recipe will become everyone’s favorite cake!

This cake is in my regular rotation of recipes, along with my Almond CakeApple Cake, and Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake.

Ingredients and substitutions

I have added this cake to my list of go to recipes for when I need something special, but I am short on time. You will need simple ingredients that we all have in the house, and it doesn’t take long to make.

• Oranges: Don’t try to make this with store-bought orange juice, you really want to use fresh oranges to get the best and brightest flavor.
• Sour cream: This is what makes this cake extra moist and tender. If you don’t have sour cream, you can substitute Greek yogurt.

4 photos of how to make orange cake.

Step by Step guide to making this delicious orange cake

Make the cake:

  1. Mix the eggs, sugar, butter, sour cream, fresh juice, orange zest and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat at medium speed for a minute or 2.
  2. Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking pan (a greased and floured Bundt cake pan) and bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Insert a cake tester or a toothpick, in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is done.
  3. Cool the cake in the Bundt pan for 5 minutes then invert the warm cake onto a wire rack until it is completely cooled before frosting.

Make the orange glaze:

  1. Combine sugar, orange juice and zest in a bowl and whisk until creamy and pourable but not thin. If it is too thin, add a little more sugar and if it is too thick add a little more juice, one teaspoon at a time. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.

Tips

When you zest the orange, try not to get the white pith as this is bitter.
The eggs should be room temperature so that they mix easily with the other ingredients.
I recommend using unsalted butter so that you can control how salty the cake is.
I like to whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) together before I add them to the batter so that they are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
Start to check the cake for doneness at 35 minutes. Everyone’s oven heats differently and this can affect the baking time.

A Bundt cake with two slices in a plate in front of it with orange slices.

Variations:

• This recipe can be made in a loaf pan.
• If you would rather have frosting versus icing on the cake you can use a buttercream frosting, whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.
• Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract for a delicious sweet almond essence.
• Consider some add ins such as poppy seeds, fresh blueberries, chocolate chips, toasted coconut, or dried cranberries.
• This cake is also yummy when used in a fruity trifle.

Storing and freezing recommendations

The cake should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container such as a covered cake plate or covered with aluminum foil. To freeze the cake, I recommend covering it tightly with plastic wrap and then placing it in a freezer bag.

FAQ’s

Why does my orange cake taste bitter?

If your cake is bitter, you probably got some of the white part of the orange peel in the batter or the frosting. The white part of the peel is called the pith and it is very bitter.

Why is my orange cake dry?

This could be because the cake was left too long in the oven, or it was baked at too high a temperature.

A Bundt Cake ona a white plate with orange halves and rosemary leaves.

Have you tried this recipe?

I love to get your feedback so if you tried this or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below.  I hope you enjoy our recipes and look forward to hearing from you!

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More cake recipes you will love

Polish Pound Cake

Torta di Mele, Italian Apple Cake

The Best Almond Coconut Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Italian Cheesecake

A Bundt cake with white icing drizzled on it surrounded by orange halves and greenery.

The Best Orange Cake

Thanks to the fresh orange juice and the orange zest in both the tender cake and glaze topping, you get a burst of citrus in every bite of this moist Orange Cake.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cake
Calories 4021 kcal

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Ingredients
  

Cake

  • cups All purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 3 Eggs large
  • cups Sugar
  • ¾ cups Butter unsalted, melted
  • ½ cup Sour cream
  • 1 cup Orange juice fresh, about 3-4 small oranges
  • Orange zest from 1 orange
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Orange Glaze

  • 1/¼ cups Confectioners' Sugar
  • 5 tbsp Orange juice
  • 1 tsp Orange Zest optional

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.
  • Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
  • Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Beating with an electric mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture. Beat for up to 2 minutes.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack before frosting.

Orange Glaze

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and pourable but not thin. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Notes

Baking Tips:
  • When you zest the orange, try not to get the white pith as this will be bitter.
  • The eggs should be room temperature so that they mix easily with the other ingredients.
  • I recommend using unsalted butter so that you can control how salty the cake is.
  • I like to whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) together before I add them to the batter so that they are evenly distributed throughout the cake.
  • Start to check the cake for doneness at 35 minutes. Everyone’s oven heats differently and this can affect the baking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cakeCalories: 4021kcalCarbohydrates: 562gProtein: 56gFat: 177gSaturated Fat: 104gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 46gTrans Fat: 6gCholesterol: 925mgSodium: 2760mgPotassium: 1385mgFiber: 9gSugar: 313gVitamin A: 6358IUVitamin C: 170mgCalcium: 791mgIron: 19mg
Keyword butter, Orange, pound cake, glaze, sour cream
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Yummy cake. Question. Is it better to mix eggs and sugar together before adding other ingredients? I read that cake will be more moist. I did this and came out great but don’t know if it’really makes a difference.

    1. Hi Joan
      so glad you like the cake!
      When making this cake I have always mixed the wet ingredients together and then slowly added the dry ingredients. If you are looking for a fluffier textured cake then you would cream the butter and sugar first. That process incorporates more air into the batter resulting in a fluffier cake. I hope this helps.

5 from 2 votes

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