No matter the season, we’re always craving something sweet and tangy, and this Orange Cake recipe hits the spot every time! It’s bursting with bright citrus flavor and has the most incredible moist texture. Plus, making the batter is a breeze – just throw everything into the blender and you’re good to go!
Table of Contents
What is Orange Blender Cake?
This cake is as easy as it is delicious. It’s like a magic trick in the kitchen – just throw all the ingredients into your trusty blender, give it a whirl, and voila! You’ve got yourself a moist, citrusy masterpiece.
A favorite in our homes, this cake is bursting with the bright flavors of fresh oranges, thanks to using the whole fruit. It’s a lazy baker’s dream come true, with no fancy techniques or complicated steps required. Plus, the cleanup is a breeze – just rinse out the blender and you’re done!
Ingredients You Need
Orange Cake
- Whole seedless navel orange – We’re throwing in the whole orange – zest, juicy flesh, and all! It makes this cake taste like a little burst of sunshine in every bite.
- Eggs – Eggs are the backbone of the cake, giving it fluffiness and structure.
- Olive oil – Using oil instead of butter is our secret weapon for a super moist cake with a hint of fruity goodness.
- Granulated sugar – Simple white sugar balances out the tart orange flavor.
- Sour cream – We use sour cream to give the cake a bit of tanginess but it also makes the cake rich and moist.
- All-purpose flour – Using this type of flour will give your cake the perfect crumb.
- Baking powder – This leavener helps our cake rise to fluffy perfection.
- Sea salt – This simple ingredient makes all of the flavors of the other ingredients pop.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla adds warmth and depth to the cake and balances out the other flavors.
Glaze
- Confectioners’ sugar – This stuff is like powdered magic! It gives our glaze that sweet, silky-smooth finish that’ll have you licking your fingers.
- Orange juice – We’re squeezing in some fresh OJ for that extra zing! It’s the perfect finishing touch, tying all the citrusy flavors together.
How to Whip Up This Easy Orange Cake
Orange Cake
- Combine. Add the quartered navel oranges, eggs, olive oil, granulated sugar, and sour cream to a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients. Place the flour, baking powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract in the blender with the orange mixture. To avoid over-mixing, use the pulse function to quickly mix the dry ingredients in until just moistened.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and bake until the cake passes the toothpick test.
- Cool. All the cake to cool briefly while still in the pan before removing it and placing it on a wire rack.
- Garnish. When the cake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle it with the glaze or add a dusting of powdered sugar to the top.
Glaze
- Combine. Add the orange juice and powdered sugar to a small bowl and whisk together until silky smooth.
- Add to cake. Drizzle, pipe, or spread the glaze over the top of the cake.
Variations
- Citrus – Swap out the navel orange for other citrus fruits like tangerines, blood oranges, or even a mix of lemons and limes.
- Nuts – Add a handful of chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or walnuts to the batter for some extra texture and flavor.
- Coconut – For a tropical vibe, stir in some shredded coconut.
- Spices – Sprinkle in a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the batter for a warm and cozy flavor profile that’s perfect for chilly evenings.
- Chocolate – Fold in some chocolate chips or chunks for a decadent treat!
- Greek yogurt – Swap out the sour cream and use Greek yogurt instead.
Can I Store Leftovers?
Absolutely! When storing your orange cake, try wrapping it with plastic wrap before then wrapping it with aluminum foil. This will keep it super moist. If you prefer, though, you can also store it in an airtight container.
Instead of refrigerating the cake, keep it stored at room temperature so it retains its moisture. It will stay fresh for 4-5 days if it’s been wrapped or placed in a sealed container.
You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months — just let it thaw at room temperature.
More Super Simple Cakes
Searching for more easy desserts that are chock-full of flavor? Check out more of our favorites!
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Lava Cake
Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Orange Blender Cake
Ingredients
- 1 whole seedless navel orange washed, quartered, and seeds removed
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a blender, combine the whole seedless navel orange (quartered and seeds removed), eggs, olive oil, granulated sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Process the mixture until smooth. Be careful not to over-blend.1 whole seedless navel orange, 4 eggs, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the blender. Pulse the blender just a few times until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet mixture. Do not overmix.2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, you can serve it as is or dust it with powdered sugar for decoration.
Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth.1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1-2 Tablespoons orange juice
- Pour the glaze over the cake.
Equipment
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Nutrition
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What a success. Bought orange sherbet to go with. Highly recommend!!
Yum! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Iris!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This turned out to be such a refreshing, spring-y recipe! I made a few alterations: reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup, swapped out coconut oil for the olive oil, and replaced 1/2 of the white flour with whole wheat flour. It also did not blend very well for me in the blender once I added the dry ingredients…I may try the food processor next time. I didn’t have orange juice but I had another orange so I squeezed out some juice and used that for the glaze. It turned out perfect, and I love that the whole orange was used!
This recipe worked great in a 12 cup Bundt pan! I just reduced the cooking time to 35-40 minutes and it was so pretty! Cake was very good, not too sweet! One of my kids’ favorites!
We’re so happy to hear it! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave feedback, Bettina. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Despite having a vitamix, the blender did not blend once I added the dry ingredients. In the end, I don’t care because the cake is delicious and a little bit of mixing by hand never hurt anyone. Didn’t out the glaze on because I don’t have OJ, but I don’t think it needs it. It’s the perfect amount of sweet as is!
We’re sorry it didn’t blend well but are so glad you still enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Bethany!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I am not a baker! But this orange blender cake is so delicious and easy. I have made it a couple times. All with a little twist and all fantastic. This last time, I used 2 medium oranges, not one bigger one, I replaced the olive oil with canola,(to be honest , I wanted to see if canola can do the job, at a lesser cost lol I use a lot of olive oil for cooking….and it did!) I also thought of cutting the sugar in half but I decided to do part granulated sugar and part stevia for baking) that worked too. The glaze was a nice added touch to finish this cake off. These changes did not alter the taste factor of the cake. Also I used prepared Bundt pan. And a food processor not a blender . Brilliant no fail recipe. Thank you ,
We’re so glad it turned out well for you and that you enjoyed it! Thank you, Cathy. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes, I have told lots of friends about you. This is so much fun!
Thank you so much, Kathy! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipes and appreciate you sharing them with friends. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I just made this, wow it was huge, I could have made it in 2 bread pans. The middle was a bit under cooked and the bottom burned, I made it in a silicone bread pan.
I also had a hard time on the 2nd blend when I added the flour. It really wouldn’t blend. I followed the recipe to a T.
Any suggestions for next time?
Hi Jennifer,
Sorry to hear this! You could try using smaller oranges and an aluminum pan. If the batter is not mixing you can do it by hand. Hope this helps!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can you substitute a cara cara orange for a navel orange in your recipe?
Sure!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Could this be made in a Bundt pan?
Hi Karen! Yes, the cake can be made in a bundt pan, but it wont make a very big bundt cake. Also, you will need to keep an eye on the baking time as it will differ with the size.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Hello, the cake is so easy to make,
and very delicious. What would you recommend as the best non-dairy substitute for sour cream? thank you!
Hi Laura,
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Coconut milk would probably work or just a diary-free sour cream. Hope this helps!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Could one just use orange juice? I have no oranges but it has lots of pulp. How much orange juice should I use.
It would probably work, it just won’t have quite as much flavor. Use at least 1/4 cup!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
how big is the navel orange used? They can vary quite a bit in size.
Looking forward to making this as it looks wonderful
As big as you can find! We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Please can you add metric measurements to your recipes.
We will see what we can do! We hope you still continue to enjoy the recipes. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Okay there was no need for that 1-star review, because this recipe is FANTASTIC. And it’s not just that it’s fantastic, but it’s also simple enough that my husband and I did it with our 6 year old and 2 year old. They loved baking it and we loved eating it! Win-win! Will be making this one again and again!
We’re so happy to hear this! Thank you so much, Christine! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can you sub out flour for almond flour?
We haven’t tested it, but it should work. We’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Should you include the orange peel?
Yes! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
love this! any sugar alternatives to make it healthy? applesauce? Thanks!
Hi can I use lemon instead of oranges
Hi Vicki! The flavor of the cake will change and won’t be as sweet (you might want to add more sugar), but lemons should work. Or, you might enjoy our lemon loaf recipe instead!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Could this be baked in a Bundt pan?
Hi Hilda! Yes, the cake can be made in a bundt pan, but it wont make a very big bundt cake. Also, you will need to keep an eye on the baking time as it will differ with the size.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Just tried the recipe. It is still baking and pouring over the top of the pan into the oven. Not sure how you adjusted the recipe for the loaf pan, but very frustrating that the photo shows it in a loaf pan, the recipe calls for a 9″ round, and I now have batter burning all over my oven.
It’s no good to post a picture that doesn’t match the recipe. *sigh*
We are so sorry for the mistake, it should be a 9×5 loaf pan.
would a food processor replace the vita mix for preparation?
That should work. Just make sure to blend the ingredients well!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can I use normal veg oil instead of olive oil?
The flavor will be slightly different, but it will still work!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Hi, maybe I missed something but the pictures are of a loaf not a round 9” cake??
Looks delicious ~ same cooking time for a loaf pan?
Thank you for catching, it is a 9×5 loaf pan. The recipe has been updated. Thank you!
Hmmmm…..the image was baked in a loaf pan, but the recipe calls for a 9″ round pan. ?? Baking times aren’t the same for these two options, are they?
Hi Terry! Sorry, the recipe was adjusted it should be a 9×5 loaf pan. We updated the recipe card!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I have an 8 inch round pan and a loaf pan… which one would be better to use? Thx!
Hi! This should be a 9×5 loaf pan, the recipe has been adjusted! Thank you!