Whole Orange Cake Recipe: Bright, Moist and Zesty

My bright and moist orange cake uses one whole orange to deliver a bold, natural citrus flavor. It’s an easy, fresh cake recipe that works any time of year. Don’t skip the homemade cream cheese frosting — it truly is the icing on this cake.

What makes this recipe great ⤵️

• Perfect bright orange flavor: The recipe calls for boiling a whole orange and then blending it into the batter for fresh, concentrated citrus notes.
• So moist & fluffy: The texture stays light and tender rather than dense.
• Versatile: Slice into layers for a layer cake, or turn the batter into muffins or cupcakes for individual servings.

Ingredients Needed

For the Cake

• Navel orange: One whole navel orange, boiled until soft and blended. Boiling helps reduce peel bitterness and softens the fruit so it purees smoothly.
• All-purpose flour: Use AP flour for the right structure and texture.
• Baking powder: Helps the cake rise and stay fluffy.
• Avocado oil: A neutral oil that keeps the cake moist without overpowering the orange flavor. Olive oil can be used in other orange cake variations.
• Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deeper, caramel-like sweetness.
• Spices: A touch of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg for warmth and complexity.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the citrus and sugar flavors.
• Eggs: Three large eggs to provide structure and richness.

For the Frosting

• Cream cheese: Softened cream cheese for creamy tang.
• Unsalted butter: Softened, to lighten and stabilize the frosting.
• Powdered sugar: Sifted into the cream cheese and butter for a smooth finish.
• Vanilla extract: A small amount to round out the frosting’s flavor.

About the Oranges

This recipe uses one whole navel orange. Submerge the orange in a large stockpot and simmer or boil it for 45 minutes. Boiling softens the fruit and reduces bitterness from the peel. Skipping the boiling step can leave an unpleasant bitter edge in the finished cake, so it’s an important part of the process.

Helpful Tools

• High-speed blender: Needed to puree the softened orange into a smooth puree.
• Large stock pot: Big enough to fully submerge the orange during boiling.
• 9-inch round cake pan: This recipe was tested for a 9-inch round pan for best results.

How to Make an Orange Cake

1. Boil the orange: Place the whole orange in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 45 minutes.
2. Cool and blend: Let the orange cool slightly, then puree it in a high-speed blender until completely smooth.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In a bowl, whisk the blended orange with avocado oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.
4. Add dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, then fold into the wet ingredients until just combined. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into a prepared 9-inch cake pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the frosting: Beat softened cream cheese and butter together, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and spreadable.
7. Frost and serve: Once the cake is fully cooled, frost the top. Garnish with orange zest or peel spirals if desired, slice, and enjoy.

Make Muffins or Cupcakes Instead

This batter adapts well to a muffin tin. To make muffins or cupcakes:

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and preheat the oven.
2. Fill each cup nearly to the top and bake for 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
3. Let them rest 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack. Frost if you prefer cupcakes.

How to Serve It

The bright orange flavor pairs beautifully with coffee or tea and works equally well for brunch, dessert, or a weekend treat. Try serving thin slices with a dollop of extra frosting, whipped cream, or fresh orange segments for contrast.

Storage Notes

Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 3 days. If you plan to freeze the cake, freeze it before frosting: cool completely, wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before adding frosting.

More favorite cake recipes

• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Lightened Carrot Cake
• Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• Single-Serve Banana Mug Cake
• Coconut Loaf Cake

Whole Orange Cake Recipe

Author: Emily Richter

Prep: 20 mins • Cook: 1 hr 30 mins (includes boiling the orange) • Total: 1 hr 50 mins • Servings: 12

Ingredients

Wet

• 1 large navel orange
• 1/3 cup avocado oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

Dry

• 1.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Frosting

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place the whole orange in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes.
2. Remove the orange and let cool about 5 minutes. Cut if needed and transfer to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch cake pan.
4. Add the avocado oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs to the blended orange and whisk until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. For frosting, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy and spreadable.
8. Frost the cooled cake, garnish if desired, slice, and serve.

Tips & Notes

• You can use a muffin pan to make muffins. Fill cups nearly full and bake 18–22 minutes.
• Use a large stockpot so the orange stays submerged during boiling. A 10-quart pot works well.
• Roasting the orange instead of boiling was tested and produced a bitter aftertaste, so boiling is recommended.
• If your blender struggles, add a tablespoon of water at a time while blending to reach a smooth consistency.

Nutrition (approx.)

Per serving: Calories: 360 kcal • Carbohydrates: 54 g • Protein: 4 g • Fat: 14 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 39 g