Whole-Orange Snack Cake Recipe (2024)

By Samantha Seneviratne

Whole-Orange Snack Cake Recipe (1)

Total Time
45 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(1,933)
Notes
Read community notes

It may strike you as curious, but adding an entire orange to this easy snacking cake, rind and all, imparts a wonderful flavor reminiscent of orange marmalade, pleasantly bitter and sweet. A high-speed blender is the best way to process the orange, but a food processor works too. You want the purée to be as smooth as possible. While the cake bakes, prepare an easy orange glaze. For that step — or any recipe requiring both orange zest and juice — be sure to zest your orange before juicing it, as it’s much more difficult the other way around.

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Ingredients

Yield:16 servings

    For the Cake

    • 6tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
    • 1small navel orange (about 250 grams), ends trimmed, cut into large chunks, and seeds removed, if necessary
    • ¼cup/60 milliliters whole milk
    • cups/192 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼teaspoon baking soda
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¾cup/151 grams granulated sugar
    • 2large eggs, at room temperature

    For the Glaze (optional)

    • ¾cup/77 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • ½teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, plus 3 to 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)

154 calories; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 113 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Whole-Orange Snack Cake Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pan: Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.

  2. Step

    2

    Transfer the orange chunks and milk to a high-speed blender (or food processor) and process until it is the texture of smooth applesauce. (You should have about 1 generous cup.)

  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

  4. Step

    4

    In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.

  5. Step

    5

    Add half the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in the orange mixture, then beat in the remaining flour mixture. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.

  6. Step

    6

    Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Then, using the parchment, transfer the cake to a rack to cool completely.

  7. Step

    7

    While the cake cools, prepare the glaze, if using: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, orange zest and orange juice. (Use a little less juice for a thicker glaze that will sit on top of the cake, or add a little more juice for a thinner glaze that will soak into the cake.)

  8. Step

    8

    Spread the glaze over the cooled cake, then slice to serve. Store leftovers well-wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Ratings

4

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1,933

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

DL

Did I add triple sec to the glaze? I did.

Melissa

I swapped out the butter for olive oil, mostly because I am lazy and didn't feel like cleaning the mixer after creaming butter. It came out moist and tasty with a tender crumb and allowed us to feel okay about calling it breakfast.

Anne B

This cake is super easy to make and makes the house smell great. The cake itself isn’t too sweet so the glaze is a good addition. I used tangerines because I had some left over from something else and it turned out well. I was skeptical about including the peel but I was pleasantly surprised - not too bitter, nice and tangy!

Meg

A wonderful version of this concept is Molly Wizenberg's olive oil marmalade cake, which shares the method of blending a whole piece of citrus, but has you boil the oranges first: https://orangette.net/2010/02/we-ate-this-cake. I've made it with oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, all delicious. And being olive oil based, it stays moist for days...if it lasts that long

Michelle

I did this recipe twice and I have to admit that I am NOT a baker, but it looked easy enough. First time I used blood oranges. This produced the ugliest cake ever. Blue-green algae colored batter and peto-pink glaze. A truly foul combination that looked even worse the next day. Frankencake. Next try was with tangelo, which made a pretty cake and put tangerine slices on top of the glaze and sprinkled a bit more zest. Much, much better. Both cakes tasted and smelled great.

cbloring

Using brown sugar instead of white add a whole other dimension.

Peter

I finally found my orange cake recipe. My old recipe was picking up Hostess orange cupcakes at the store. A perfect size for snacking. And making this was even easier than driving to the grocery. I even like the confetti like orange zest in the glaze more than the doodles across the top of that cupcake.

Pam

We love this cake. I took someone’s tip and added a little butter to the glaze and made more of a frosting the second time. It’s great both ways. I also added a little cardamom on the cake batter both times. So good!

Lo Baker

Loved this cake, amazing flavor. I only had one egg so substituted with 1/4 cup full fat yogurt and it was perfect. Will be making this again!!

Katie C

We love this cake. I've made it 4 times in the past two months. So good for tea and for dessert. I am allergic to milk, and this is really easy to make dairy-fee with almond milk and unsalted Miyoko's cultured butter or Unsalted Earth Balance sticks.

Halina

Added vanilla and cardamom to orange sauce. Eggs were ginormous Used half and half mix of olive oil and butterUsed 1/2&1/2 in lieu of milk Used TJs Cara Cara orangesAdded zest to batter not glaze. Used glass baking dish w parchment Delicious.

Rosemary

An easy way I learned to remove seeds from an article on making marmalade: Cut the citrus into wedges from stem-to-flower; take a knife and cut off the pith in the center; remove the seeds. (all of the seeds are along the core)If you're making marmalade, you can then easily slice the wedges.

Nicole

I haven't made this yet, but a note: Florida oranges have less pith (the bitter white stuff in the peel), so maybe would make a less bitter cake than California oranges.

Adelaide blair

Saw this recipe on Instagram and immediately made it. Delicious! I left off the glaze and it was a perfect snack cake.

Allison

I replaced the glaze with a more substantial frosting by adding a couple of tablespoons of butter to the sugar and juice. Added a richness without much extra effort.

Kathy

For some reason I read the recipe wrong and forgot the milk. It was still good. Had to push the batter around a bit before it went in the oven as it was dense. Next time I would replace the milk with yogurt.

Annie

Forgive me…but do I peel the orange first? Before putting it into the processor with the milk?

Sarah

You do not peel it first. That's why it's called "whole-orange." It's super good!

chloe

Made with half butter have coconut oil, subbed coconut milk for the water, and added shredded coconut. And poof you have the most delicious and moist coconut orange cake!

Sarah

If you choose to substitute olive oil, you’ll use 60g.

LH

I decided to use olive oil instead of butter - turned out rather gooey. Next time I’ll reduce the oil to 4 Tbs!

BB

A very easy and forgiving cake. It came together quickly and is totally delicious. There wasn’t quite enough glaze for my liking, I’d use a 1/4 cup more powdered sugar next time.

Jordan

• Half and half olive oil / butter • Half and half light brown sugar / natural cane sugar • Extra sharp cheddar slice with a piece for lunch the next day. Do not inquire into this madness further, just do it and thank me later.

Jonathan

Well, it's a cake, so it's good. But the orange flavor is not particularly pronounced. It's subtle.

Eileen

Can these be frozen?

Mary B.

I made this twice, with modifications to make it gluten-free and vegan. I thought the glaze was much too sweet, so the second time I added the extra orange zest to the cake batter and skipped the glaze altogether. I think topping it with marmalade might work well, but I haven't tried that yet.

More Orangey-ness

It was nice and tasty, but not nearly as orangey as I was hoping, especially since the batter tasted like a creamsicle which got my hopes up. I'd like to figure out a way to add more oranges without unbalancing the wet to dry ratio.

MMK

Substituted corn meal for half of the flour and otherwise followed the recipe except for no frosting. Weight of citrus instead of "one orange" enables use of smaller varieties including blood oranges. Makes a wonderful breakfast with yogurt on a 1/8 or larger serving. Freezes well to enjoy another day.

Olivia

I replaced ~10g sugar with molasses and added 1/2 tsp almond extract and enjoyed the flavor much more - more complex and less stridently sweet

Shelby Watters

Easy, simple, quick to assemble and absolutely delicious. I ended up with a just-barely-heaping cup of orange/milk puree (which I pureed in three batches in a mini food processor, and due to Celiac, had to use a gf flour blend. I weighed the flour blend according to the label's stated weight of 1/4 cup. That's the only change that I made. It came out perfect. Moist, with a depth and complexity that I wasn't expecting. Perfectly balanced orange flavor. Even before icing, it exceeds expectation.

Nadine

Used half-n-half instead of milk. To the orange pulp mix (just before adding to the batter), added 1 Tab Cointreau, 1/4 tea orange extract, and 1/4 tea vanilla. Added extra orange zest to final batter.Glaze: started with 2 Tab. orange juice, 1 Tab. Cointreau, 1/4 tea orange extract. Added extra orange juice as needed to make it thickness I wanted. Also added tablespoon or so very soft leftover sweet butter. Added zest to glaze at very end, gently.Might make with cake flour next time.

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Whole-Orange Snack Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a cake and a snack cake? ›

But not every cake is a snacking cake. Like leftover birthday cake for breakfast is definitely a snack cake. Snacking cakes are traditionally a sheet cake with little to no icing. A powdered sugar-based icing, not like a buttercream you might find on a cake.

What can I do with a bunch of oranges? ›

Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Oranges
  1. A Fruit-FULL Dessert! Add peeled, sliced oranges and grapefruit, orange marmalade, and vanilla extract. ...
  2. Orange Salsa. ...
  3. Warm Your Day. ...
  4. Try an Asian-Inspired Chicken Wrap. ...
  5. Make fruit kebobs! ...
  6. Spice Up Your Fruit Salad. ...
  7. Orange Lemonade! ...
  8. Add to Salad.

What is orange cake made of? ›

Orange cake is made with whipped egg whites which keeps the cake fluffy and light, orange zest, and fresh orange juice that gives this cake a delicious fresh flavor. The rest of the ingredients are super simple. Flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, kosher salt, vegetable oil, and sugar!

What are the famous American snack cakes? ›

Examples include Drake's Devil Dogs, Twinkies and zebra cakes. Well-known American manufacturers of snack cakes include Hostess, Little Debbie, Dolly Madison, Tastykake and Drake's.

Why is it called Elvis Presley cake? ›

Before it's served, you'll add a layer of cream cheese frosting and sprinkle candied pecans on top for some crunch. Internet lore would have you believe this pineapple-topped concoction was Elvis Presley's favorite cake, that he even asked his grandmother to make it for him as a kid.

Can you freeze full oranges? ›

You can, but why would you? A whole orange could burst or split as it freezes, but also...you have to wait hours for a rock-hard frozen orange to thaw before you can do anything with it. Save time by cutting before freezing.

Can you freeze whole oranges? ›

Can oranges be frozen whole with the skin on? Yes, but there's no point as you'd have to then deal with a frozen orange which would be much harder to peel. Rather peel and freeze the segments 'as is' and when needed it can just be thawed and used. Or juice them.

When should you throw away oranges? ›

Some tell-tale signs of oranges that are past their prime are bruising, shriveled peels, and mushy spots. Fresh oranges should be firm when you give them a gentle squeeze. Of course, if your oranges are growing mold or giving off a foul smell, throw them out ASAP.

What's in a Robert Redford cake? ›

Ingredients
  1. 1 chocolate cake (baked in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan)
  2. 3/4 cup fudge topping, slightly warmed.
  3. 3/4 cup caramel topping, or butterscotch topping, slightly warmed.
  4. 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.
  5. 6 chocolate-covered toffee bars, such as Heath bars, divided; or 1 1/3 cups toffee and chocolate chips.
Aug 29, 2021

Why does my orange cake taste bitter? ›

If you purposely or accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder without making any changes to your recipe, you'll definitely end up with a bitter taste. Remember, baking soda is an alkaline, or base, ingredient that naturally has a bitter taste. Baking powder is a multi-ingredient leavener.

What does adding an extra egg yolk do to a cake? ›

  • Moisture: Extra egg yolks can add extra moisture to the cake, making it more tender and soft.
  • Richness: Egg yolks are high in fat and can add a richness and depth of flavor to the cake.
  • Color: The extra yolks can also give the cake a deeper yellow color.
Feb 19, 2021

Is orange zest just orange peel? ›

Orange zest is not the same thing as orange peel, which is also known as orange rind or orange skin. Orange zest is only the outer layer of the orange peel, while the orange peel is both the zest and the pith, or the bitter-tasting white part beneath the outer layer.

Can I use orange peel instead of orange zest? ›

Sweeter and less tart than lemon peel, orange peel brings a bright, citrus flavor to everything from desserts to main dishes. Use it whenever recipes call for orange zest, substituting equal amounts of dried orange peel to fresh.

Can I use orange juice instead of orange zest? ›

The flavor is not as concentrated so expect to use more orange juice to get the orange flavor. 1 teaspoon of orange zest = 2 tablespoons of orange juice.

What makes a snack cake a? ›

A snacking cake is “a single layer cake, probably square, covered with a simple icing—or nothing at all—and it must be truly easy to make,” requiring little “besides a reasonably stocked pantry, a bowl, and a whisk,” she writes.

What is the difference between dessert and snack? ›

Dessert can be something sweet like cake, pie or pudding. Dessert can also just be some fruit. A snack is something you eat between meals or perhaps a couple of hours after dinner. A snack could be something like cheese and crackers, cookies and milk, yogurt or fruit.

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