My Mom’s Go-To Orange Bundt Cake
This orange juice cake has been in my family for years. I got the recipe from my mom – she still makes it all the time. It’s our go-to “tea cake” because it’s perfect with a cup of hot tea or coffee. We both love how easy it is: one bowl, one whisk, no fuss. If my mom has friends over, she whips it up in minutes. I do the same whenever I want something sweet without much effort. Just mix, pour, and bake.
If you like cakes like this, you might also enjoy my Starbucks lemon loaf, this rich chocolate bundt cake, or a simple yogurt pound cake. You should also try my Orange Muffins, they’re delicious!
Ingredients Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Use at room temperature. They mix better and help the batter come together smoothly.
- Orange Juice & Zest: Use fresh oranges so you can zest first, then juice. Fresh juice has a brighter flavor. Bottled juice works, but it’s often sweeter and less zippy. Tip for Zesting: To get the orange zest, lightly scrape only the orange surface. Avoid the white part; it’s bitter.
- Oil: A neutral oil, like canola or vegetable, keeps the cake moist without adding flavor. Avoid strong oils like olive. You could also use melted unsalted butter if you prefer.
Tip!
Don’t open the oven early: Wait at least 30 minutes before checking. Opening the door too soon can cause the cake to sink.
Very easy cake to make and always delicious.
My go-to cake recipe for something quick and easy.
The fresh orange juice really makes this cake stand out!!.
Sherry B
Recipe Tips
- Not into oranges? Try lemon, grapefruit, or clementines instead.
- Try the full sugar amount first. The cake isn’t overly sweet, so adjust next time only if needed.
- This cake is meant to be a little dense. For a lighter texture, reduce the flour by ¼ cup.
- Storage: Keep the cake covered at room temperature. Use an airtight container or wrap it well in plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
- Want a spiced version? Add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for a warm twist.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Orange Juice Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven.
- In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk until combined.
- Add orange juice and orange zest, and mix until combined.
- Spray the bundt pan with non stick baking spray, then pour the batter in the pan.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the pan.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and place it on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a thin spatula if needed. Invert on a plate and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes:
- Always use fresh orange juice if possible. Whilst you could use store-bought bottled juice, I found that fresh orange juice tastes much best.
- If you’re not so keen on oranges, you can substitute with any other kind of citrus instead. Grapefruit, lemon, and clementines work well.
- This cake is not too sweet, so before you think of reducing the amount of the sugar please try my recipe first and then adjust to your preference the next time you bake it.
- The cake turns out quite dense, this is how it’s meant to be. If you prefer lighter cakes, then reduce the amount of the flour by ¼ cup.
- Store the cake at room temperature covered in an air-tight cake container, or cover it with cling film if you don’t have a container that fits. If you leave the cake out without covering it, it will dry out.
- If you like spiced cakes, you could add spices like ground nutmeg and cloves.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
This recipe first appeared on Little Sunny Kitchen on March 9th, 2019 but was updated with new images and more info on January 1st, 2020.
Lavina says
Superb, this is my new fave go to recipe. I used the 1/4C less flour, and also drizzled with about 1/2 cup OJ, as soon as it came out of the oven. Was especially delicious with cream/yogurt and a little orange liqueur tipple.
Carolyn says
Made this but not impressed. It was baked less time but still too dry.
Added orange butter cream frosting, but still not as moist as I was hoping.
Will not make again. Sorry.
Diana says
Hi Carolyn, sorry to hear that you did not like it. Most of the people that tried it loved it, but it sounds like you were expecting a light fluffy cake that can be frosted. This is a completely different type of cake, and it has a dense crumbly texture.
Margaret says
This was not in the least dense, perhaps because I only had a smaller bunt pan so I’ve made TWO cakes from this batter – each taking about half an hour. What a shame! It is a little sweet for my Australian palate but I’ll try again with a bit less sugar and see how we go. Truly awesome and delicious!
Amal says
How do you “prepare” the pan??? I baked this and it was amazingly delicious. I used Almond Flour instead of All Purpose Flour. It was Delicious. The only problem is the batter was stuck in the pan. I did brush the pan with butter but very little butter and I also sprayed the pan with pam.
Diana says
Hi Amal. It depends on your pan, the one that I used for this recipe is old and not so forgiving so I grease it with vegetable oil and then sprinkle some flour. You can also cut out parchment paper to line it. I’m glad that you still enjoyed it!
Laurie Rasmussen says
Can I make this in any cake pan? And what if I wanted to do a small 6” smash cake for baby?
Thank you! This recipe looks so good and even “healthy”!
Diana says
Hi Laurie, you can definitely make this in a cake pan, and make a smaller 6″ cake but you’ll have to keep an eye on the cake as I’m not sure how the baking time will change. It might take just 30 minutes. Enjoy!