Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, including fresh oranges and Greek yogurt, this is a super easy Orange Cake recipe, that produces an incredibly moist cake with a lovely tender crumb. Lasts for days at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months!
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This is honestly the best homemade Orange Cake (and I've tried quite a few!). Made with fresh orange juice and orange zest, this really is an orange Orange Cake! Whisked together in a few minutes with just a balloon whisk, so there's no electric mixer required. It’s the perfect Orange Cake for an afternoon tea, and because it stays so soft and moist for days, it’s the perfect special occasion cake for when you need to make your cake ahead of time. Serve it with Chantilly cream for a delicious dessert.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No electric mixer required
- Simple, fresh ingredients
- Greek yogurt creates a beautifully tender cake
- It’s the perfect cake to use in layered desserts -think Trifle or Tiramisu
- It's the best, most tender and moist orange cake you'll ever make!
Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetable oil: makes it super moist and tender
- Eggs: adds richness and structure
- Orange Juice and Zest: for fresh orange flavour
- Greek Yogurt: for the perfect texture
- Caster Sugar: (superfine sugar) for sweetness
- Self-Raising flour: see substitutions if you don’t have SR flour
- Icing Sugar: for dusting
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make An Orange Cake
- Step 1: Pre heat your oven to 180 Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit (160 celsius if using a fan oven). Spray a 9 inch cake tin with oil and line with parchment paper
- Step 2: Spray a 9 inch cake tin with oil and line with parchment paper
- Step 3: To a large bowl, add the vegetable oil, eggs, zest, juice, Greek yogurt and caster sugar. Use a balloon whisk to whisk it all together.
- Step 4: Add the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk gently until there are no remaining lumps of flour
- Step 5: Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked in the middle (use a cake tester and make sure it comes out clean).
- Step 6: Remove from the oven and sit the cake tin on a wire rack, to allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar and serve.
Hint: How to tell when your cake is ready: it will spring back when gently pushed in the centre. When you insert a cake tester into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean
Because this cake is so moist, really make sure it has cooked completely, otherwise it will sink in the middle.
My family loved this cake!
.....was even better the next day."
Substitutions & Variations
- Self Raising Flour: whisk 2 teaspoons of baking powder into all purpose flour, to make self raising flour
- Greek Yogurt: can be swapped for sour cream here -it will still produce that lovely tender crumb.
- Icing Sugar: for a more intense orange flavour, make a simple syrup using orange juice and brush it over the top of the cake while it's still warm.
- Add Vanilla: for a more rounded and less citrus flavour, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Glaze: want to make it a little more fancy? Top your orange cake with a simple vanilla or orange glaze and sprinkle with orange zest.
- Swap the round cake tin: instead of the 9 inch cake tin I have used, try a loaf pan or bundt pan -the bake time should still be around the same, but be sure to test the cake with a knife or cake tester.
Storage
Room temperature: in an airtight container, this Orange Cake will store well at room temperature for 4-5 days
Fridge: you will only need to refrigerate this cake if you are going to cover it with frosting
Freezer: this cake will freeze perfectly either whole or in slices. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for 3 months
Top Tip
Prepare your cake tin before you start the recipe and make sure your oven is pre heating. That way, you won't be rushing at the last minute.
FAQ
Absolutely. Sour cream or plain natural yogurt both work beautifully. They’ll keep the cake just as soft and moist. Avoid low-fat or runny yogurts as they can change the texture.
This cake is super moist, so it’s important to make sure it’s fully baked. If your oven runs cool or you open the door too soon, it can cause sinking. Bake until a skewer comes out clean and the top springs back lightly.
Yes! This is one of those cakes that actually gets better the next day. Once it’s completely cool, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
If you have any Orange Cake left over, make my Orange Truffles, cake pops, or use it to make a Trifle or Tiramisu
The Perfect Orange Cake Recipe (easy and moist!)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 Eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoon Orange zest you will need around 2 oranges
- ¼ cup Orange juice from the fresh oranges you just zested!
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups Caster sugar superfine sugar
- 2 cups Self Raising flour see notes
- Icing sugar to dust
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven to 180℃ or 350℉ (160℃ if using a fan oven)
- Spray a 9 inch cake tin with oil and line with parchment paper
- To a large bowl, add the vegetable oil, eggs, zest, juice, Greek yogurt and caster sugar. Use a balloon whisk to whisk it all together
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients and whisk gently until there are no remaining lumps of flour
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown and cooked in the middle (use a cake tester and make sure it comes out clean)
- Remove from the oven and sit the cake tin on a wire rack, to allow the cake to cool completely in the pan
- Once cooled, dust with icing sugar and serve
Notes
- Self Raising Flour: whisk 2 teaspoons of baking powder into all purpose flour, to make self raising flour
- Greek Yogurt: can be swapped for sour cream here -it will still produce that lovely tender crumb.
- Icing Sugar: for a more intense orange flavour, make a simple syrup using orange juice and brush it over the top of the cake while it's still warm.
- Add Vanilla: for a more rounded and less citrus flavour, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Glaze: want to make it a little more fancy? Top your orange cake with a simple vanilla or orange glaze and sprinkle with orange zest.
- Swap the round cake tin: instead of the 9 inch cake tin I have used, try a loaf pan or bundt pan -the bake time should still be around the same, but be sure to test the cake with a knife or cake tester
Save this recipe 💌
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Debbie says
Very moist, easy to make & love the mouth watering orange flavor
Sandra says
My family loved this!