Yes, you use the whole orange with the skin and just blend everything! It's so easy and proved to be a success. This recipe has more than 4 million views on our Youtube channel (as to this post's publish date). It's also one of our reader's favourite recipes!
This is one of the first cakes that I baked when I first started. As a beginner back then, I was thrilled because it felt so easy to make (it still is). I was also happy because the ingredients list was super short and basic.
One bite of this, and ohhh la la! I felt like a pro immediately! Can you blame me? I mean look at the texture, the colour and I wish you could smell the amazing orange scent lingering in the air.
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Why This Recipe Works
Despite the hesitations that you might feel, trust me, it works like magic. It's because of these reasons:
- Easy method (blend and briefly whisk).
- Easy basic ingredients.
- Unbelievably delicious orange cake
For the effort, you will get a moist, tender cake with amazing orange flavour. You can tell it's going to be an amazing cake just by the smell of the raw batter. And ohh, don't get me started on the heavenly smell as it bakes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Self-rising flour - It's all-purpose flour with the addition of leavening agents that helps the cake rises when baked.
SUBSTITUTION: Make your own self-rising flour. For this recipe you'll need 2 cup all-purpose flour (250 g), 3 teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well and use it as self-rising flour as per instructions in the recipe below.
Oil - I originally used vegetable oil in the video but I've since changed to better ones like olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil. Use any oil that you prefer.
BUTTER: You can, of course, use butter. For this recipe, use 7 tablespoon melted butter (105 ml).
Sugar - Granulated sugar. I've also made it with brown sugar, coconut sugar and erythritol (I use ⅔ cup or 130 g for erythritol). Just know that if you use brown or coconut sugar, the colour of the cake would be darker.
What Orange To Use
I've made this cake a million times and what I noticed is that, the type of orange matters. So I'm sharing my findings with you here.
- Orange for juice - Here in Spain we have the option to choose between oranges to make juice from or simply to eat or snack on. Choose the orange to make juice because they're sweeter and in general have thinner skin.
- Orange size - The most common, which is more or less an adult's fist size.
- Thin-skinned - Yes, choose orange with thinner skin. This is to avoid that strong bitter taste.
- Seedless - Preferably seedless orange since it's easier, you don't need to remove the seeds one by one. But it's not like it's going to take 5 minutes anyway if you have to. Bottom line, remove seeds if there's any.
What Utensils To Use
- Loaf pan - I highly recommend you use a 5x9 inch loaf pan (13x23 cm) for this recipe amount. The silver color reflects the heat, meaning the cake cooks slower, doesn't get overly brown, and helps in avoiding dry cake.
- Blender - I use this food blender, which blends everything in less than 1 minute. The tall jar and multiple blades help to blend the ingredients and amount perfectly. It's from a whole set of kitchen systems. Very useful for me in the kitchen!
How To Make Whole Orange Blender Cake
- Blend: Add the whole orange, oil, eggs and sugar in a food blender and blend.
- Whisk: Pour into a bowl and add in self-rising flour. Whisk to combine.
- Assemble: Pour into a loaf pan.
- Bake: Bake. Cool completely, slice and enjoy!
How To Store
Room temperature - This delicious orange cake lasts up to 4 days in an air-tight container.
Fridge - It lasts up to a week, in an air-tight container. Bring it to room temperature before serving, or warm it up in a microwave for a few seconds. You won't regret it.
Freezer - Wrap each slice individually in cling wrap (easier to take the only amount that you need), and freeze. Best consumed within 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Warming it up for a few seconds in the microwave will make it feels as if it just came out of the oven.
FAQs
Like a fresh natural homemade orange cake that you eat when you visit somebody who bakes their entire life. So homemade and naturally fresh.
This cake is with amazing orange, citrusy flavor (and smell!). It's not overly sweet at all. It has that light hint of natural bitterness that you find in freshly squeezed orange juice. Not the artificial orange juice from the box that has 50 more ingredients added to it, alright?
This is just pure orange flavor transferred into a soft tender cake.
Nope, it's not bitter.
Do you notice that freshly squeezed orange juice has that very light hint of natural bitterness to it? Well, that's the extent of bitterness (if we were to say it's bitter) in this cake.
I know this recipe works magically with oranges. I haven't tried with other citruses though.
I have a killer lemon loaf cake that I really think you should try. It's also one of our readers' favorites!
It's because I use self-rising flour which already comes with leavening agents to help the cake rises beautifully when baked. You can make your own self-rising flour, I've written the recipe down below.
Most probably due to 2 factors. 1) You've changed the recipe by using only all-purpose flour, thinking that it's the same as self-rising flour. It's not the same. See the question/answer above 👆. 2) You over-mixed the batter, producing gluten in the process which results in a dense and chewy cake. Less is always more, remember that.
Because of the orange. Use the orange to make juice from, not to snack on. Use a ripe, sweet one, the size of an adult's fist.
Or perhaps you're used to sweeter cakes. No worries. Simply add more sugar, I've written the adjustment in the recipe below.
Due to 2 factors. 1) Again, it's the orange. Use oranges to make juice from, not to snack on. Those oranges are so common. Remove the seeds if any. See the question/answer above 👆 . 2) Perhaps you're not familiar with the natural bitter touch of freshly squeezed orange juice. Might I recommend you my amazing lemon loaf cake then, I promise it's a hit. No blending whole lemons here.
Of course! Any oil that you prefer. You can also use melted butter (7 tablespoon or 105 ml).
I understand and I've got you. I've made this many times with whole-grain spelt flour and it turns out amazing every single time. Be alert on the baking time though as spelt flour tends to cook faster (we don't want your cake to over-bake and get dry).
Recipe Video
📖 Recipe
Whole Orange Blender Cake
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 seedless sweet orange with skin (or remove seeds if any)
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (80 ml)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 gr), add ¼ cup (50 gr) more if you like it sweeter
Dry Ingredient
- 2 cup self raising flour * (250 gr)
* Make Your Own Self Rising Flour
- 2 cup all purpose flour (250 g)
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Wet Ingredients
- Add all ingredients into a blender jar and blend into a smooth mixture and pour it into a bowl.
Dry Ingredient
- Add flour into the mixture and mix everything together. You can use a spatula or a hand whisk. Do not over mix to avoid dense cake.
- * If you're making your own self rising flour, mix all purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and use that flour mixture instead.
Bake
- Pour the batter into a 5x9 inch (13x23 cm) loaf pan, previously greased and floured. Bake in a preheated oven on the ⅔ lower rack, using upper and lower heat, at 340ºF (170ºC) for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use ripe, seedless, sweet orange with thin skin.
- Use spoon and level method if you're using cup measurement.
- Use a portable oven thermometer to make sure your oven has the accurate temperature. I use it every single time.
- Check the doneness of your cake 10 minutes before the recipe says, to avoid over baking it (since all ovens are different).
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Originally published on Aug 16, 2017. Updated with improved text, recipe and pictures on Apr 16, 2022.
Cedar says
I take it that the recipe means just two cups of SR flour OR two cups of all purpose flour (with baking powder added to make it into SR flour) uncertain cook here! 4 cups of flour seems too much.
Bea & Marco says
Hi, Cedar! Yes, you're correct. It's just 2 CUPS of flour which can be self-rising flour OR all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder and salt. Do check out our tips and FAQs also, to clear any doubts. Hope it helps!
Mallory Dittmer says
I made this with 3 small mandarins. It’s incredible and so easy.
Bea & Marco says
We're happy to hear that, Mallory. Thanks for your comment!
Jamila says
Thank you for posting the ingredients for making my own self-raising flour. It's also perfectly sweet. I made this with two mandarin oranges and it was delicious! Next time I will also fold whole mandarin orange wedges into the batter to make it pop. This recipe is a keeper!
Bea & Marco says
You're welcome, and thanks for leaving your feedback and sharing your twist on the recipe, Jamila. We really appreciate it!
Suriya says
Thank you. This recipe is going in my keep file.
Absolutely delicious. I’ve made this cake and variations 3 times in the past week! Today I made a double batch with 3 navel oranges, a little additional polenta (as I was short SR flour), chopped dates and walnuts. I’ll take some into work tomorrow — assuming there’s any left of course!
Bea & Marco says
Yay, that's awesome to know! We're happy that you loved it. Thanks for leaving your comment and sharing your twist on the recipe, Suriya!
Tami says
I made this cake for 2 reasons. First, forbrhe easy and for the minimal amount of ingredients that most isially have on hand. I made my own self rising flour, I also folded in some fresh, beautiful, large blueberries. SO yummy I was excited to make more but a different flavor fruit. I only had whole, frozen lemons so I threw 3 (they were small) in the microwave to defrost and then threw them in the blender. I also threw in a few fresh basil leaves and about a teaspoon of some homemade lemon peel powder while the blender was going. It seemed to have a bit more dense texture. I was going to add poppyseeds but forgot. I will be making more and trying different combos. Thank you
Bea & Marco says
We're happy that you liked it, Tami! Thanks for sharing with us all the combos that you're trying!
Jackie says
Can I just use the freshly squeezed orange juice without the fresh and skin? Thanks in advance for your reply.
Lee says
Delicious and easy bake, has a marmalade flavour will use thinner skin orange or try satsuma next time, may increase sugar as well, love it!!!
Margaret Brown says
Love this recipe - used melted butter not oil - but so simple. Made it in a 19cm deep round tin and came out looking exactly like the picture used by Christina’s Cucina without all the fuss! 😂
Bea & Marco says
Well, being compared to Christina is really flattering! We're happy to know that you loved it. Thank you for your lovely feedback, Margaret!
April says
I dont use a food blender can my stand mixer and small food processor work instead?
Bea & Marco says
Yes, you can. The objective is to blend so you don't get big pieces of the orange. Hope it helps!
Lio says
Made recipe almost as written but with the addition of a few shakes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dash of almond extract (going for more of an orange spice cake since it's cold out!). Unfortunately, I think my orange was a bit too thick-skinned or simply too bitter -- so though it came out with a nice crumb and moisture level (especially considering my inconsistent college dorm oven), the cake is a little too bitter for me. I heated extra orange juice, zest, and sugar to make a syrup which I then let seep in, and that helped a bit. I think next time I will either try satsumas or clementines like some people suggested, or possibly add some brown sugar on top of the white. I don't doubt it's a great recipe with a better orange so I will try again soon!
Bea & Marco says
Hi, Lio! Yes, we've written in detail on what orange to use, in the article above and in the notes in the recipe. This is to avoid the bitterness that you mentioned. Hopefully you give it another go!
Jody says
I made this cake TWICE yesterday 😆
First time as written, 2nd time with 1/2 tsp ground cardamom and raisins added. It is perfect both ways! Next time I'll add some dry cranberries and drizzle with white chocolate!
Such a simple recipe yet so delicious!
Penny says
I made baked this cake with gluten free flour in 2 x 1lb loaf tins in the Airfryer. Worked well.
Pauline says
I have made this so many times since seeing this and have made a lemon
lyn says
easy and very tasty! thank you, lyn