FLUFFY ORANGE CAKE WITHOUT BUTTER
What’s the best orange cake recipe? The one grandma makes, of course!
I still remember as a child when I went to visit her, and I could already smell the freshly baked cake from the hallway. I would rush into the kitchen eager to slice a piece without even taking off my coat.
The orange cake is a classic, genuine dessert, fragrant and delicious in its simplicity. It takes just a few minutes to prepare, with a simple batter flavored with orange juice and zest, and it’s butter-free, making it light and suitable for everyone.
A soft and delicious breakfast cake, also ideal for a snack, simply dusted with a bit of powdered sugar. You can also cut it in half and fill it with jam or enrich it with chocolate chips in the batter, or glaze it with a white orange glaze made by simply mixing powdered sugar and orange juice.
The taste and aroma of oranges will be the stars of the recipe, as we will use both the zest and juice of two oranges (make sure they are untreated) that will be mixed with the other ingredients.
Discover how to prepare the best homemade ORANGE CAKE you’ve ever tried. No one will be able to resist a slice of this delight, and it stays soft and moist for many days at room temperature.
Ready to make my butter-free orange cake recipe together? Be sure to let me know if you liked it!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 433.88 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 78.69 (g) of which sugars 37.44 (g)
- Proteins 9.04 (g)
- Fat 11.47 (g) of which saturated 2.03 (g)of which unsaturated 8.71 (g)
- Fibers 2.59 (g)
- Sodium 27.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 75 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
WHAT YOU NEED FOR ORANGE CAKE RECIPE
For a gluten-free orange cake, replace the flour with a gluten-free flour mix for desserts.
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 oranges (zest and juice)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- as needed powdered sugar
Tools
- Bowl
- Fork
- Mixer
- Springform Pan
ORANGE CAKE RECIPE
Before starting, wash the oranges (untreated) and then grate the zest. Squeeze them and filter the juice with a strainer. You need to get 200 ml of juice, if it’s less, add a little water or squeeze another orange.
Place the whole eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl and beat with a mixer. It should become a white and slightly frothy mixture. Then add the orange juice and zest and mix again to combine.
At this point, gradually add the sifted flour, initially mixing with a spoon then with the mixer to remove any lumps. Finally, add the baking powder and incorporate it with the mixer. You should get a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into a previously buttered and floured 8.7-inch diameter cake pan. Bake the orange cake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for about 45 minutes. Before removing from the oven, do the toothpick test and if it is not completely cooked, continue for a few more minutes covering with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before taking it out of the pan and dusting with powdered sugar.
NOTES AND TIPS
GLUTEN-FREE ORANGE CAKE For a gluten-free cake, replace the flour with a gluten-free flour mix for desserts.
AIR FRYER COOKING
By replacing baking powder with Air Fryer Baking Powder, you can divide the batter into muffin liners and prepare delicious orange muffins to be cooked in the air fryer at 300°F for about 15 minutes.
ORANGE CAKE VARIANTS
Let’s say it’s already good like this, but if you want, you can make it richer by adding 3.5 oz of chocolate chips to the batter, or once cooked, fill the orange cake. Just cut it in half and spread some orange or apricot jam inside. And if you’re in the mood for indulgence, you can also decorate it with orange-flavored powdered sugar glaze or chocolate ganache.
STORAGE
The butter-free orange cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap or inside a cake dome, keeping it soft for 3-4 days.
