This recipe for Orange Bundt Cake is flavored unlocked. Made with fresh orange zest and orange juice in the cake and a combination of orange juice and lemon juice in the two glazes this delicious cake has amazing citrusy flavor in every bite. The cake is tender, soft, and moist, easy to make, and will have you coming back for more. Get the recipe and learn how to make this cake for your next special occasion.

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Like the recipe for my Blood Orange Pound Cake this cake packs plenty of sweet tart citrusy flavor. An orange soaking syrup is brushed into the while it is still warm and then once the cake is cooled a delicious and creamy orange glaze is added to the cake.
I discovered this recipe in my mom's recipe notebook. It lacked some details since she had made it so many times. So I tested this recipe multiple times to get the details necessary to ensure your success. I hope you try this recipe and if you like citrus cake in general, try my Southern Lemon Pound Cake (a recipe from my Texas aunt) and my Meyer Lemon Pound Cake, a tasty combination of lemon and cardamom.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft and Moist: This recipe delivers a perfectly moist and tender crumb, thanks to the creamed butter, sugar, and buttermilk.
- Great Flavor: The fantastic orange flavor is in every bite. Orange zest and orange juice in the cake batter, and two orange glazes that ensure plenty of citrus flavor
- Easy to Make: Despite its size and impressive appearance this cake is easier to make than you think. With readily available ingredients and simple instructions, this cake will be ready in no time.
- Crowd Pleaser: The moist texture and the incredible flavor will have everyone who tastes it asking for more.
Orange Bundt Cake Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this incredible and citrusy orange bundt cake recipe:
For the cake:
- Fresh Oranges: The fresh orange zest and orange juice are the main flavors of the cake. Zest the oranges directly into the sugar and rub it into the sugar to maximize the flavor of the orange zest. Look for oranges that have a shine to the orange peel. The shine indicates that there is still plenty of oil in the peel. If the peel looks shriveled or dull don't use the oranges for zest.
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour: The flour adds structure to the cake. Sift the flour to aerate and use a scale to weigh to ensure you’re not using too much or too little.
- Granulated Sugar: Sugar not only adds sweetness, but it also adds moisture and structure to the bundt cake.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter gives richness, tenderness, and structure to this recipe. Start with room temperature butter (65-68 degrees F) so that it emulsifies with the the other ingredients. Unsalted butter is recommended so that you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. Salted butter can contain up to 7 grams of salt per every 4 ounces of butter.
- Large Eggs: The eggs combine with the sugar and butter to add flavor, richness, moisture, and tenderness to the cake. Combined with the flour they also add structure to the cake.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract elevates the other flavors in the cake
- Pure Almond Extract: The almond pairs well with the all-natural orange flavor in the cake.
- Kosher Salt: The salt helps elevate all the other flavors in the cake.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is a chemical leavener and reacts with the air bubbles in the cake batter to help the cake rise.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and tenderness to the cake. The lactic acid combines with the baking powder to help give the cake an open crumb.
For the glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: Forms the base of the glaze, creating a smooth and sweet coating that adds a smooth finishing touch to the cake.
- Orange Juice: Infuses the glaze with a beautiful orange flavor.
- Lemon Juice: The small amount of lemon juice adds a nice tart balance to the glaze.
- Kosher Salt: A little bit of salt balances out the sweetness from the powdered sugar.
- Orange Zest: Sprinkled over the glaze, orange zest brings a burst of citrus aroma and a vibrant visual appeal, accentuating the cake’s citrus notes while adding a touch of freshness.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Equipment
For this recipe, I used the Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt Pan. This pan holds to 12 cups Nordic Ware Anniversary Braided Bundt Pan. A beautiful pan with a braided pattern. You can also use the
Both of these pans hold at least 12 cups of batter, which is needed for this recipe. Don’t use a smaller pan. If you do the batter will overflow when the cake bakes.
For Nordic Ware pans the number of cups that the pan will hold is on the bottom of the pan, so check before you start this recipe.
How to Make Orange Bundt Cake
Baking Tip: One of the key steps for success in this recipe is to gradually add the sugar to the butter. Adding the sugar to the butter a little at a time while creaming them together helps incorporate air into the mixture. This air gets trapped in tiny pockets throughout the batter, which expands during baking and gives the cake its light and fluffy texture.
Step 1: Prep the bundt pan. Melt the butter and then stir it together with the flour. Use a pastry brush to cover the inside of the pan evenly. Be careful to get into every crevice.
Step 2: Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk the ingredients until well combined.
Step 3: Zest the oranges directly into the sugar. Zesting directly into the sugar will ensure that you capture the oils and moisture in the skin of the oranges and will add more flavor to the cake.
Step 4: With your fingers rub the orange zest into the sugar until the sugar starts to clumps (from the moisture in the orange zest) and turns orange.
Step 5: Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Next add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition.
Step 6: Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium until each egg is incorporated. Add the orange juice and mix on medium speed until incorporated. The batter will look curdled which is okay.
Step 7: Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated.
Step 8: Add half the milk and mix until just incorporated. Repeat these steps, alternating the addition of the flour and milk.
Step 9: Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Mix the cake batter on low for another 20 seconds.
Step 10: Spoon the batter into the bundt pan, evenly distributing the batter around the pan. Once all the batter has been added use an offset spatula to spoon and even out the batter. Tap the bundt pan against the counter 4 times to remove air bubbles from the batter.
Step 11: Bake the cake until it has risen, is golden brown, and the temperature in the center registers about 202 degrees F.
Step 12: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
Baking Tip: Don’t let the cake cool longer than 15 minutes. If the cake is left in the pan too long it will restick to the pan and break apart when you invert it from the pan.
Step 13: When ready to invert the cake, place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the pan so it covers the cake. Place a large wire rack over the parchment paper and invert the cake onto the rack.
Step 14: Immediately brush the cake with the orange soaking syrup. Let the cake completely cool before adding the creamy orange glaze.
How to Make the Orange Glaze
Combine the powdered sugar, the orange juice, the lemon juice, and the kosher. Stir until the glaze is smooth. At this point, the glaze will be very thick. Add the remaining orange juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Spoon the glaze over the cake once it has completely cooled.
How to Store the Cake
- Room Temperature: The cake is good at room temperature in a cake container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: The best way to store it in the refrigerator is to cut the cake into pieces (about 2-3 servings in size) and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Wrapping the cake pieces will help it stay moist. When ready to serve let it come to room temperature or warm it in the microwave for about 15 seconds
- Freezer: To freeze the cake wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer storage bag. To freeze a whole cake, wrap it in two layers of plastic and then one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze the cake for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour, butter, and eggs. Weighing the eggs is especially important if you’re using organic cage-free eggs. I typically use conventional large-grade AA eggs, which have a consistent weight of 50 grams.
- Cream the butter and sugar and don’t skip this step. Creaming the butter and sugar creates air bubbles and when the cake is put into the oven the baking powder reacts with these air bubbles and causes them to grow and expand.
- Add the eggs one at a time to ensure they emulsify with the butter and sugar. A large portion of the egg is water and since the sugar and butter mixture, you’re trying to emulsify fat and water. Adding too many eggs at one time will make it harder for this emulsification to take place.
- Follow the cooling time for the bundt cake. Once the cake comes out of the oven it needs time to finish setting and to start to release from the pan. If you invert it too soon the cake will stick. If you wait too long, the cake will start to restick to the pan.
If you make this Orange Bundt Cake please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Recipe Card
Easy Orange Bundt Cake with Citrus Glaze
Ingredients
Pan Release
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
Orange Bundt Cake
- 3-1/2 cups (438 grams) unbleached all purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (12 grams) orange zest
- 20 tablespoons (282 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 large (250 grams) eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ((210 grams) buttermilk room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice
Orange Soaking Syrup
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) orange juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
Orange Glaze
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) orange juice divided
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Pan Release
- Melt the butter, then stir it with the flour until it forms a paste. Use a pastry brush to cover the entire inside of the pan with the paste. Be careful to get into every crevice. I find it easier to brush from the base up. (If the mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for about 10 seconds, or until warm and softened.)
For the Cake
- Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Put the flour, baking powder and salt together in medium-sized bowl and whisk together for 30 seconds.
- Place the sugar in a medium-sized blow and zest the oranges directly into the bowl on top of the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the zest and sugar together. This method better releases the oils and flavor of the orange zest into the cake batter.
- For this cake you will need 3/4 cup in total of orange juice - 1/4 cup for the cake, 1/3 cup for the soaking syrup and about 3 tablespoons for the glaze. After zesting your oranges juice them until you 3/4 cup of juice.
- Whisk 1/4 cup of orange juice into the buttermilk.
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and with the paddle attachment mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup of the orange-sugar mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, Stop the mixer, add another 1/2 cup of the sugar mixture and beat for 30 seconds. Repeat this step until all the sugar is added. Stop after the 3rd addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle attachment. After all the sugar is added beat the cream and sugar for 2-3 more minutes on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle attachment. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until each egg is well incorporated, about 20 seconds. Stop the mixer after adding the first 3 eggs and scrape the bowl from the bottom to ensure the ingredients are well mixed. Add the remaining 2 eggs one at time and scrape the down the sides and bottom of the bowl after beating in the last egg. Mix in the almond extract and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well combined, but do not over mix. Add one-half of the buttermilk mixture and mix on medium speed until well combined. Add half of the remaining dry ingredients, then the rest of the buttermilk, mixing after each addition. Add the remaining the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to make sure the batter in well mixed.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Use an offset spatula to spoon the top of the batter. Next place a kitchen towel on the counter and bang the bundt pan 4-5 times to settle the batter in the groves of the pan and break up any air bubbles.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or if using an instant-read thermometer and take the temperature in the center of the cake. The temperature should be 203 degrees F.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cake rack. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack. Brush the entire surface with the blood orange soaking syrup using all the glaze. Allow the cake to completely cool, about 90 minutes.
For the Orange Soaking Syrup
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven combine 3 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/3 cup the sugar in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and as soon as the sugar is dissolved remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until butter is melted and thoroughly combined into the glaze.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cake rack. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a cake rack. Brush the entire surface with the orange soaking syrup, using all of it. Allow the cake to completely cool before adding the orange glaze, about 2 hours.
For the Orange Glaze
- Place the cake and the rack over a plate to catch the excess glaze.
- Place powdered sugar and salt in small bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir together until the juice is thoroughly combined. The glaze will be really thick at this point. Next add the remaining orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
- If you want a really thick glaze, you won’t need more than 1-2 teaspoons of juice. If you want a really thin glaze you’ll may need up to 2 additional tablespoons of liquid.
Storing the Cake
- The cake is good at room temperature for 2 days in a cake container. The best way to store it in the refrigerator is to cut the cake into pieces (about 2-3 servings in size) and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.
- If you want to store the whole uncut cake in the refrigerator then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap. Unwrapped cake can dry out in the refrigerator.
Barbara K Rigney says
This cake is very delicious.
I would it use for any occasion
Simply delightful
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Barbara
Thank you so much for this review. I'm happy that you enjoyed the cake.
Audrey Glantz says
Tried it . . . loved it! The perfect texture. Pound cakes can turn out dense but this recipe produced a soft moist cake without that cloying heaviness.
Next time I plan to double the orange zest to really push that citrus flavor!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Audrey
Thank you for visiting the blog and trying this recipe. I know you have a lot of choices. I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I got this recipe from my mom's handwritten notebook of recipes. I don't know where she got it from but it's definitely one of my favorite recipes. If you do double the orange zest please let me know what you think. I tried that when testing the recipe and found that a lot orange zest overwhelmed the other flavors in the cake.