Description
This Orange Cake is soft, moist, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor from real orange zest and juice. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, this easy homemade orange cake is ideal for dessert, brunch, or afternoon tea. Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with a bright orange glaze for a refreshing treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 cup granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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½ teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon orange zest
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½ cup fresh orange juice
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3 large eggs
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½ cup unsalted butter, melted
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½ cup milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Orange Glaze:
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1 cup powdered sugar
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2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan, 9-inch round pan, or bundt pan.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and orange zest.
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In a separate bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until light and slightly fluffy.
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Add melted butter, orange juice, milk, and vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Mix until smooth.
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Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
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Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
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Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
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Whisk powdered sugar with orange juice until smooth and pourable.
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Drizzle over cooled cake and allow to set before slicing.
Notes
Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the brightest flavor.Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.Add poppy seeds for a citrus poppy seed variation.Substitute part of the flour with almond flour for a subtle nutty flavor.Blood oranges create a beautiful color variation.The cake freezes best without glaze; add glaze after thawing.
