This Moist and Simple Orange Bundt Cake is made with fresh oranges and topped with an orange glaze icing. Every slice is infused with the flavor of orange, from the fragrant zest to the freshly squeezed juice. I strongly suggest using fresh oranges, but you can use bottled orange juice in a pinch. Don’t skip the simple 1 minute glaze, it adds another layer of flavor to it!

An orange bundt cake with icing on a blue patterend surface.
I love the fresh orange zest in the glaze, peaking out on top and adding garnish.

This orange bundt cake is proof that simple can sometimes be better! 

Instead of having a million ingredients and steps, this orange cake recipe has easy and fresh ingredients but seriously amazing results! 

As a professional baker , I’m a natural orange flavor purist, there’s no extract here. I use both freshly grated orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice, and they’re doing two different jobs: the zest holds the essential oils, where most of the flavor is hiding, while the freshly squeezed juice brings the bright, tangy flavor and adds extra moisture straight into the batter. You really need both, to bring out the most flavor.

Buttermilk is the other ingredient doing some work here. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise, and that same tang tenderizes the crumb so you end up with a soft, fluffy, and moist cake instead of a dense and dry one.

If you really must make this cake with bottles orange juice, you can. Just know that the flavor will be more muted.

On top, I went with an orange glaze icing, but honestly any of my glazes would work here, like this lemon glaze if you want to lean even more citrusy, or a chocolate glaze if you’re an orange-and-chocolate person like me. 

They all take about 1-2 minutes to throw together, but they make the cake look so much more elevated. 

One last thing before you start, don’t forget to prep your bundt pan!

I know they have a reputation for sticking, but if you follow my tips on how to get a bundt cake out of a pan, yours will slide right out, no drama.

Grab your favorite mold and let’s get baking!

Ingredients you need

Ingredients for an orange bundt cake.
I use fresh oranges for this cake.

How to make this cake

Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Mix on low-medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. To the butter and sugar, add vegetable oil and mix again until combined. Add the eggs one at a time on medium speed, mixing in between.
Wet ingredients for cake batter mixed in a bowl.
Mix until a you see a uniform batter.
Ingredients mixed in a measuring cup.
In a measuring cup, add the vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt and mix lightly. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients in thirds, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
The batter of an orange bundt cake.
The batter is thick, make sure not to overmix.
Cake batter in a bundt pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the cake is set and the sides are pulling away from the pan. Cool for 15-20 minutes, then flip the cake over a cooling rack to release and cool completely. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

HOW MUCH JUICE AND ZEST COME FROM ONE ORANGE?

When it comes to extracting juice and zest from oranges, the amount can vary depending on the size and juiciness of the fruit. As a general guideline, one large orange typically yields approximately 1/2 cup (120 ml) of fresh orange juice and about one tablespoon (15 ml) of zest.

OrangesOrange Juice Orange Zest
11/2 cup (120 ml)1 tablespoon (15 ml)
21 cup (240 ml)2 tablespoons (30 ml)
31 1/2 cups (360 ml)3 tablespoons (45 ml)
Check out this handy chart!

TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

  • Room temperature eggs and buttermilk are essential here . Cold ingredients just don’t blend together as smoothly, and you’ll end up with a lumpy batter instead of a lush, smooth and silky one, so make sure to pull these out a half hour or so before.
  • PLEASE try not to scoop your flour straight from the bag! It packs the flour down, and you’ll end up with wayyyy more than you need, which means a dry, dense and crumbly cake instead of a fluffy one. Use a spoon to spoon it into your measuring cup, and then level it off.
  • Add your dry ingredients and buttermilk in thirds, alternating back and forth, always starting with the dry ingredients. This helps you from over mixing, which is really what you’re trying to avoid here if you want a moist and tender crumb instead of a dense one.
A slice cut out of a bundt cake.
An orange bundt cake with icing on a blue patterend surface.
4.62 stars (21 ratings)

Moist and Simple Orange Bundt Cake

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 15 people
This Moist and Simple Orange Bundt Cake is made with fresh oranges and topped with an orange glaze icing. Every slice is infused with the flavor of orange, from the fragrant zest to the freshly squeezed juice. I strongly suggest using fresh oranges, but you can use bottled orange juice in a pinch. Don't skip the simple 1 minute glaze, it adds another layer of flavor to it!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (227 g) butter, (227g)
  • 2 cups (400 g) sugar, (400g)
  • ¼ cup (59.15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 (3) eggs, large room temperature
  • 2 ¾ cup (343.75 g) all purpose flour, 330g
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
  • ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) zest, from one orange
  • 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) orange juice
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) buttermilk, room temperature

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heavily spray a 10 cup bundt pan with baking spray.
  • In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar and mix on low-medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Add the ¼ cup vegetable oil and mix again until combined. Add the eggs one at a time on medium speed, mixing in between.
  • In a separate bowl combine the 2 ¾ cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp kosher salt and mix lightly.
  • In a measuring cup add the 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp zest, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup buttermilk.
  • Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients by thirds starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt cake pan.
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the cake is set and the sides are pulling away from the pan.
  • Cool for 15-20 minutes, then flip the cake over a cooling rack to release and cool completely. Once cool frost with orange glaze icing.

Notes

You can use bottled orange juice if you dont have any fresh oranges.

Yield

This cake is big enough to feed between 12-15 people depending on how big you cut the slices.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Storage: Once the bundt cake has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container or tightly wrap it in plastic wrap to maintain its freshness. The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freezing: Wrap the fully cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It’s recommended to freeze the cake without any glaze or icing. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight and bring it to room temperature before serving.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 347kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 257mg, Potassium: 64mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 449IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Bundt Cake, Cake, Cakes, Dessert
Author: Sam Adler
Cuisine: American
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