Whole Orange Cake
A fluffy yet moist citrus dessert fully infused with orange flavors thanks to a whole orange in the cake. This recipe is quite similar to my Greek style whole orange cake or portokalopita except this version is made with flour not phyllo. It sooooo simple to make and can be made in a food processor or blender - don’t you love a good blender cake or food processor cake like my flourless chocolate cake or my lemon olive oil loaf cake. Its My new favourite cake not only for its simplicity, but also how it uses basic pantry ingredients and is so fluffy and delicious in texture and flavour.
What is Whole Orange Cake?
This cake has several different versions - there’s and Italian version and a Spanish version specifically from Valencia (Valencia orange cake) and Sicily (Sicilian orange cake) - Greece (Portokaopita) has a very similar version too. All regions with delicious citrus growing and enjoyed in savoury and sweet dishes like this cake. I cannot resist a lemon or orange cake and this one was no exception. The texture itself is not as dense as some orange cake variations. This one has a lightness to it which is different to some whole orange cakes out there because it uses all all purpose flour and no almond flour or polenta which usually makes for a more dense textured cake. Like I said above Im working on a flourless or grain free version and will be sharing it soon. I do have a fabulous one on the blog that has almond flour but is not completely gluten free/grain free - you must check it out - it’s my Orange Olive Oil Cake- you will love it!
How can you get rid of the bitterness of the orange peel?
The pith is what can give some recipes with orange and lemon a bitter flavor. This does not always happen, in fact it has never happened when I have made this cake but it has with some chicken dishes and my portokalopita I mentioned before. Not every time but sometimes depending on the particular orange or lemon it could leave your dish and baked goods with a bitter aftertaste. I try and select oranges with a thinner skin - my reasoning behind that is that the thinner the skin the thinner the pith or white part. So far my theory has been working - but if you are worried about it and prefer not to take the chance of a bitter bake up there is something you could do. By removing much of the pith, you can avoid most of the bitterness. Another option is to boil the peel or whole orange several times which I do in my portokalopita recipe. I noted this in the recipe below as a reminder too.
Do I need a food processor for this whole orange cake recipe?
Yes, you will need a food processor to pulverize the orange. A blender will work too. I also use the processor to cream the oil, sugar and eggs. A mini chopper would work as well to mince the orange chunks then you will need a mixer for the rest of the recipe or a whisk and bowl.
What size pans can I use for this recipe?
Dimensions of cake pans and varying oven temps will change the timing of baking cakes so always keep your eye on the doneness in the last 10 minutes or so. For this orange cake recipe, I used a 9″ (23cm) springform pan but you can also make it in two 8″ (20cm) round pans (for two layers), an 8″ (20cm) square pan, a 9″ round deep dish baking pan or 9×5′ (23×12.7″) inch loaf pan.
Can I make gluten-free orange cake?
Yes! You definitely can make the cake using a good GF all purpose 1-1 flour in the place of the four in this recipe. I do not have an almond flour version of this cake yet but working on that soon to have a flourless version of it soon - that would be more similar to Valencia orange cake.
Ingredients & Subsitutions:
- Orange - I use organic (choose ones with a thinner skin)
- Flour – the recipe calls for all purpose flour, but feel free to substitute 1/4 of the flour with almond flour or whole wheat flour for a more complex flavour. You could also make it gluten free by using an all-purpose 1-1 gluten free flour
- Vegetable Oil - you can use a neutral tasting oil like canola or for a stronger flavour feel free to use olive oil or coconut oil
- Sugar
- Eggs - room temperature
- Vanilla - pure vanilla extract
- Baking Powder
- Salt
Variations & Tips
- If you can find fresh oranges with a very thin layer of white pith beneath the orange skin, by all means, use the whole orange. Otherwise, I suggest removing some or most of the white pith if you are concerned about
- Skip the orange glaze or icing. Just dust the top of the cake with icing [confectioner] sugar.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature for even mixing and best rise.
- Try using different varieties of oranges in the same amount if that is what you have on hand. Any kind will work.
- This cake also works well baked in a loaf pan.
How Do I Store Whole Orange Cake? Storage
- The whole orange cake or leftovers can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container to keep it fresh and moist.
- The cake can also be frozen for 2-3 months wrapped tight in two layers of plastic wrap and foil or or in and air tight bag or container. Defrost in fridge or countertop
More Tasty Orange Sweet Treats you will love:
Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 large navel orange or two small ones (organic preferably)
- ¾ cups neutral vegetable oil like canola oil, olive oil or sunflower oil
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- 1 Cup icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tablespoon milk or cream or more if needed
Directions:
- Preheat Oven & Prep Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter / grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch (23cm) round cake pan.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside
- Prep the Orange: Cut the top and the bottom of the orange to remove its stalks. Then cut the orange into pieces without removing the peel but removing seeds. (For a pithless version - Zest the orange and place the orange zest in the bowl of a food processor. Cut away all of the white pith and discard along with any seeds from the flesh then slice and add the flesh to food processor.)
- Blend In Food Processor: Place the flesh in the food processor. Process or blend the oranges until finely ground and the consistency of apple sauce.
- To the bowl of the food processor with the orange mixture, add the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs and process until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- Add the flour mixture to food processor and process together until the batter is just combined. No need to over mix
- Bake: Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before releasing the sides of the pan to let cool completely.
- Frost/Glaze: Once the cake is cooled make the glaze. In a small bowl or medium bowl whisk all the glaze ingredients until smooth adding a little more milk or cream as needed to reach desired consistency or to taste then spoon over or drizzle over cake. Let set before serving
- Serve: Slice and serve with some whipped cream or even ice cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
How Do I Store Whole Orange Cake?
- The whole orange cake or leftovers can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container to keep it fresh and moist.
- The cake can also be frozen for 2-3 months wrapped tight in two layers of plastic wrap and foil or or in and air tight bag or container. Defrost in fridge or countertop
How can you get rid of the bitterness of the orange peel?
The pith is what can give some recipes with orange and lemon a bitter flavor. This does not always happen, in fact it has never happened when I have made this cake but it has with some chicken dishes and my portokalopita I mentioned before. Not every time but sometimes depending on the particular orange or lemon it could leave your dish and baked goods with a bitter aftertaste. I try and select oranges with a thinner skin - my reasoning behind that is that the thinner the skin the thinner the pith or white part. So far my theory has been working - but if you are worried about it and prefer not to take the chance of a bitter bake up there is something you could do. By removing much of the pith, you can avoid most of the bitterness. Another option is to boil the peel or whole orange several times which I do in my portokalopita recipe.
