The best orange cake recipe! Easy to make, soft, fluffy, and moist. This orange sponge cake is made with fresh orange juice and zest for that citrusy flavor. You can serve for afternoon tea, dessert or as party cake. Let me show you how to make orange cake from scratch.
What can you make with a lot of oranges? This cake recipe is one. You don't need a lot though just one whole orange is called for in this recipe and you get the perfect orange cake.
This orange cake recipe is so simple with an amazing outcome. You know I'm all about simplifying recipes without compromising on taste and this step-by-step cake recipe is straightforward.
It looks and tastes amazing. I mean just look how fluffy this orange sponge cake is..don't you just want to have a taste. Yes? Make yours with this easy recipe.
Best Orange Cake Recipe (Orange Sponge Cake)
This is the best orange cake recipe. It is quite easy to make with no fuss and you get an amazing outcome. No need for boiling orange or using cake mix. This is as easy as it gets.
You can top with orange drizzle, frost with buttercream, or even cover with fondant and decorate.
Let me give you some reasons why this is the best orange cake recipe:
It's easy to make and requires just a few ingredients.
No special skill is required to make this moist orange cake and anyone can make it. Even kids under supervision.
Failproof recipe. You get fluffy, moist, soft cake all the time with this recipe. No trial and error.
The ingredients used are inexpensive which makes it budget-friendly.
It's perfect served as desserts or at tea time.
Whether you are looking for an orange cake recipe UK, Australia, or US recipe, this one gives a step by step directions and convertible measurements.
This is an 8 inch round cake recipe but you can also use a loaf tin to bake it.
Now let me show you how to make orange sponge cake from scratch.
Tools for Baking Cake
You will need the below tools to make it:
Mixing bowl
Mixer
Cake pans
Cake tester - skewer or toothpick
Cooling rack
Baking paper
Ingredients
The detailed ingredient list, measurements, and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Orange
Self raising flour
Baking powder
How to Make Orange Cake (Orange Sponge Cake)
In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer till it's fluffy and turns pale.
Break the eggs into a bowl, add orange zest and juice then whisk.
Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture very slowly while still mixing with electric mixer. This is to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the flour to the mixture by folding it in with spatula. Do not over mix the batter. Overmixing might make the cake dense.
Grease the cake pan with butter and layer with baking paper/parchment.
Pour the batter into the lined cake pan and bake it in a preheated oven at 170C for 40 minutes or till the cake is done.
Bring the cake out of the oven and leave it in the cake pans for 5 minutes before turning on the cooling rack to cool.
K's Cuisine tip: To check if cake is done, dip a toothpick or skewer in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean then the cake is ready. If it comes out wet then bake some more.
Once it's cooled, you can then serve it or top it with buttercream or glaze of choice.
There you have fluffy, moist cake.
To Make the Buttercream
For the buttercream, Here's how to make it:
Using a mixer, cream the butter for 2 minutes.
Add in the icing sugar, and mix till well combined.
Add in orange zest and mix for another 5 minutes or till light and fluffy.
If too thick, you can add some orange juice or milk, and if too thin, add more icing sugar to thicken it.
Tips for Making Orange Cake
- Sift flour before use to avoid lumpy batter and get a lighter cake.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before use.
- Cream the batter till it's pale in colour and fluffy.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. When you add flour, mix with spatula and then low power setting on the mixer to mix for a minute. Overmixing result in dense cake.
- Bake the cake on a middle rack in the centre of oven. This helps with equal heat distribution and even baking.
- Cool the cakes on a cooling rack. Make sure cakes are cooled completely before storing or decorating.
- You can make 2 of this and layer them to make celebration cake like birthday cake, baby shower cake, etc.
How to Store
Allow it to cool completely and wrap it in clingfilm. Store it on the countertop for up to 3 days.
Although this cake can last up to 3 days on the countertop at room temperature, If storing for longer, to be safe, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat it, bring the cake out of the refrigerator and let it get to room temperature before serving.
What To Serve With
You can serve with drinks like Orange juice, apple juice, coffee, tea.
Serve with ice cream like vanilla ice cream for desserts.
You can top with drizzles and
Why is my orange cake bitter?
Using the whole orange can yield a bitter cake that is why I use the juice and zest. The zest also should not be used excessively.
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Best Orange Cake Recipe (Orange Sponge Cake)
Equipment
- Oven
- Mixing bowl
- Mixer
- Cake pan - 8 inch
- Cake tester
Ingredients
- 150 g Butter
- 140 g Sugar granulated or Caster
- 3 small Eggs (150g)
- 1 Orange zest
- 3 tablespoons Orange juice
- 160 g Self raising flour
For the Buttercream
- 100 g Butter
- 200 g Icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- ½ teaspoon Orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven at a temperature of 170C.
- In a mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat with electric mixer till it's fluffy and turns pale.Break the eggs into a bowl, add orange zest and juice then whisk.
- Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture very slowly while still mixing with electric mixer. This is to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Add the flour to the mixture by folding it in with spatula. Do not over mix the batter. Overmixing might make the cake dense.
- Grease baking pan with butter and line with baking paper/parchment paper.
- Pour the cake batter into the lined cake pan.
- Bake cake at a temperature of 170C for 40 minutes or till cake is done and toothpick when inserted comes out clean.
To Make the Buttercream
- For the buttercream, Here's how to make it:
- Using a mixer, cream the butter for 2 minutes.Add in the icing sugar, and mix till well combined.
- Add in orange zest and mix for another 5 minutes or till light and fluffy.If too thick, you can add some orange juice or milk, and if too thin, add more icing sugar to thicken it.
Notes
- Sift flour before use to avoid lumpy batter and get a lighter cake.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before use.
- Cream the batter till it's pale in color and fluffy.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. When you add flour, mix with a spatula and then low power setting on the mixer to mix for a minute. Overmixing results in dense cake.
- Bake the cake on a middle rack in the center of the oven. This helps with equal heat distribution and even baking.
- Cool the cakes on a cooling rack. Make sure cakes are cooled completely before storing or decorating.
- You can make 2 of these cakes and layer them to make celebration cake like birthday cake, baby shower cake, etc.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 16 April 2019, republished on 13 April 2020.
Republished December 5, 2021, to add more information.
Hi Kemi I made an amazing vanilla cake yesterday using your recipe and my children loved it.It was the best cake I ever made . Want to make an orange cake today but I want double the quantity .Can I double your recipe to have double the quantity .I mean using times 2 of all what’s listed .Will it come out well?
Thank you
Hi Adeola, thanks for the feedback. Yes you can double the recipe but share in two cake pans.