Super Soft Orange Bundt Cake without Butter and without Milk

If, like me, you love having breakfast at home with healthy, wholesome products, this soft, fragrant and delicious orange bundt cake is the one for you!

Without butter and without milk so, if like me you are lactose intolerant, you can treat yourself to a little breakfast indulgence and more!

In fact this cake made with fresh organic oranges is perfect also for an afternoon snack, for both adults and children.

It’s ready in a flash, stays soft for several days and, if you wish, you can even freeze it, so you have breakfast ready all week.

This orange bundt cake also has a special trick: once out of the oven it is drizzled with orange juice, which soaks in slowly, making it incredibly moist and fragrant.

When you taste it it practically melts in your mouth and it’s a real pleasure to eat!

I hope I’ve made you want to try it with me!

Please read to the end because you’ll find my tips for perfect results, variations to suit different tastes, answers to the most common doubts and a wine pairing box to serve this wholesome cake even at the end of a meal!

Are you ready to turn a simple bundt into a cake that wins everyone over? 🍊✨

But first I’ll leave you a few other tasty recipes starring oranges ❤️

orange bundt cake
  • Cost: Budget-friendly
  • Portions: about 10 servings
  • Cooking methods: Electric oven
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, Spring, Summer

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs (medium, whole)
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp neutral seed oil (such as high-oleic sunflower oil)
  • 1 1/4 cups orange juice (from ripe oranges)
  • orange zest
  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 packet baking powder

Tools

  • Mixing bowl
  • Citrus juicer
  • Grater
  • Electric mixer
  • Sieve
  • Spatula
  • Bundt pan
  • Small saucepan

Steps

  • Before we start I’d like to leave you with this guide of 6 tips you can apply every time you bake a cake like this.

  • PLEASE save it and always keep it with you ❤️

    ✅ WHAT TO DO

    ❌ WHAT NOT TO DO

  • Now that I have revealed the little tricks to get a perfect cake we can prepare our soft orange bundt cake!

  • Let’s start with the oranges which, needless to say, should be organic if we want a healthy and genuine product.

  • Those who follow me on social media know that for a year I have sourced from a Sicilian farm that grows citrus, and whenever possible I order directly from them in Palagonia.

  • They produce excellent quality citrus that I love to enjoy with my family and use to make many tasty treats, like this one!

  • The great thing about oranges is that they keep very well in the refrigerator, so you can buy them in larger quantities and have a nice supply.

  • You can even freeze them, whole or sliced, to use in various preparations: for a simple tisane, a dessert or savory dishes.

  • This way I can enjoy oranges even out of season and they retain their delicious flavor!

  • So take the oranges, wash them under running water, dry them well and grate the zest. Then squeeze the juice until you have about 1 1/4 cups and set it aside.

  • Now take a bowl, break in the eggs and add the sugar, either white or cane sugar.

  • With the help of an electric mixer beat well the eggs for about ten minutes until you obtain a light, voluminous and frothy mixture.

  • Then pour the oil in a thin stream and continue to work with the electric beaters. I usually recommend a neutral seed oil that doesn’t leave any aftertaste and keeps the cake soft. You can find more info at the bottom.

  • At this point add a little grated zest (store any leftover zest in the freezer, well covered) and add about 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp of orange juice (from the 1 1/4 cups).

  • Put the remaining juice aside for later (about 7 tbsp). Mix with a simple whisk by hand to prevent the liquids from splashing out of the bowl!

  • Sift the flour and baking powder and add them little by little to the batter. Mix first with the beaters off otherwise the dry ingredients will fly all over the kitchen!

  • When the liquids have been absorbed by the flour, turn the electric mixer on and mix for just a few minutes.

  • We’re almost done! Butter and flour a bundt pan, pour in all the batter and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 338°F for about 45 minutes.

  • I rarely bake breakfast cakes at higher temperatures to prevent the surface from browning too much.

  • A gentler bake without fan is better. If your oven only has a fan (convection), cover the surface with foil for the first 20 minutes and then remove it.

  • With convection it will bake about 5–10 minutes faster but you should still do the toothpick test.

  • Once baked, take it out of the oven and leave it in the pan for just 5–10 minutes. Then gently unmold and immediately pour all the reserved juice (slightly warmed over the lowest heat) over the surface so it soaks in.

  • Let it cool and then you can finally enjoy this fantastic orange bundt cake that melts in your mouth!

    orange bundt cake without butter
  • As already mentioned, for this cake I chose organic oranges from Agrumi Faro, a company located in the heart of Sicily.

    I invite you to take a look at their website to discover all the wonderful products you could bring to your table.

    If you like, here is a DISCOUNT CODE: GABRIELLA03 that you can use whenever you want.

    If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments, I’ll be happy to answer you 🧡🍊

    #noadv #productsent

  • Don’t forget to tell me if you try this wonderful bundt and come back soon!

  • Article copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All rights reserved

🍊 Variations

• Candied version
Add candied orange peel to the batter for an indulgent touch.
• Spiced version
A pinch of cardamom, ground ginger or cinnamon adds aromatic depth.
• Mandarin version
Replace part of the juice with mandarin juice for a sweeter fragrance.
• With chocolate chips
Add dark chocolate chips (about 2 oz) to contrast the citrus.

💡 Tips for a perfect bundt


The warm juice should be poured in a thin stream over the just-baked bundt to make it even moister.
Do not open the oven during the first 25–30 minutes
Use organic oranges for full aroma
Finish with a little grated zest on the surface

🧊 Storage

At room temperature

Covered with a cake dome: 2–3 days

In the refrigerator

Wrapped with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container it keeps for about 4–5 days

Freezing

You can freeze it already sliced and it lasts for about three months.

📌 Before serving, warm it slightly: it regains softness and aroma.

FAQ (Questions and Answers)

  • 🤒 Which oil to use in soft cakes?

    When a recipe calls for oil instead of butter, the question is always the same:
    is seed oil or extra virgin olive oil better?
    The answer is: it depends on the cake and the flavor you want to achieve.

    Seed oil (the most neutral choice)
    Perfect for:
    very soft cakes
    bundt cakes, loaf cakes, whole-orange cake
    citrus or yogurt cakes
    👉 It has a neutral taste, doesn’t overpower other ingredients and ensures lasting softness.
    Best choices for baking:
    high-oleic sunflower oil
    corn oil

    🤒 Extra virgin olive oil (only if mild)
    You can use it, but carefully.
    It’s okay if:
    it is very mild
    it isn’t bitter or peppery
    you want a slightly more “rustic” note
    👉 In citrus cakes it can work but must not dominate.

    Oils to avoid
    For very soft cakes it’s better to avoid:
    very intense extra virgin oils
    bitter-tasting oils
    unrefined oils with a strong aroma
    They risk masking the cake’s fragrance.

    Practical tip
    If you want to play it safe and never go wrong:
    👉 high-oleic sunflower oil
    It guarantees:
    clean taste
    soft batter
    balanced result

    ⚖️ Corn oil or sunflower oil?
    Both work well, with a small difference:
    High-oleic sunflower oil → even more neutral, slightly more stable
    Corn oil → a touch more aromatic, but still mild
    👉 In the final result the difference is minimal: use whatever you have in the pantry

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Welcome to Mela Cannella e Fantasia, Mela Cannella e Fantasia! In this blog, you will find only personally tested and 100% reliable recipes. A virtual diary full of simple ideas accessible to everyone, even those who are less experienced or have little time to spend in the kitchen.

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