Best Orange Cake

This moist, light, and airy orange cake is made with reduced orange juice, zest and extract for maximum flavor before being frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream in a pretty leaf pattern. Perfect to decorate as a layer cake for a birthday, celebration, or special occasion.

Table of Content

• Why make this cake?
• Ingredients and substitutes
• Step by step instructions
• More layer cakes
• How to store orange cake?
• Frequently asked questions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Join the conversation

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Citrus fruits are in season and guess what is the popular flavor this month for wedding cakes. Yes, orange and lemon. I made a three-tier wedding cake with orange, lemon, strawberry. I made these small 6-inch cakes for the home too. Isn't that color so pretty? And the cake is bursting with orange flavor!

Why make this cake?

• The cake is rich and light with a soft crumb. And, the recipe is very simple and easy with the standard creaming method used.
• This is just a small 6-inch cake which means it's perfect for that afternoon tea party. Of course, you can double this recipe to make an 8-inch cake
• For cake decorators this cake has a stable structure and can be used in a tiered cake, as well as covered with fondant.  Also, it works perfectly to carve for novelty cakes.
• For the frosting I am using Swiss meringue buttercream but it works great with many other combinations. Try filling the cake with orange curd, lemon curd or even marmalade. For frosting, lemon buttercream, vanilla buttercream or even white chocolate ganache.
• Orange juice does not give the cake a bright orange colors so I like to add a few drops of orange gel food color. Of course, this is optional as it does not affect the taste in any way.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of salt in my recipe. But, if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
• All-purpose flour - I like using all-purpose flour for my cakes with fruit juices. I think it adds stability to the cake.
• Orange juice - Fresh juice is always the best when using it in cakes or desserts. You can used reduced orange juice to enhance the flavor or add an orange extract.
• Sour cream - Gives the cake a soft crumb. You can make sour cream at home or for a quick substitue Greek yogurt is great too.
• Vanilla Extract - Always use a good quality vanilla extract. You can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.
• Zest - enhances the citrus flavor in the cake but feel free to omit as well.

Step by step instructions

Cake batter

• Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3.
• Grease and line 2× 6-inch baking pans with parchment paper. You can also double this recipe to make 2 x 8-inch round cakes.
  Pro tip - I am baking in 2 pans, so I can torte in half to make four. But, you can also use 3 x 6-inch round pans to make 3 layers. That way you don't have to torte.
• Dry ingredients - Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – set aside.
• Reduce orange juice - Place the orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce it to ⅓ (almost ½ cup). Cool completely.
  Pro tip - by reducing the liquid in the orange juice we concentrate the flavor.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, orange juice, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated.
  Pro tip - Adding eggs one at a time will prevent the batter from curdling
• Next, add the flour, sour cream, and cooled orange juice reduction in three batches making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often. Then, add the vanilla and orange extract and combine well.
  Pro tip - Do not overmix at this stage as we do not want to activate the gluten in our flour.

• Pour the batter into the two prepared baking pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes on the middle rack or until a center inserted in the center comes out clean.
  Pro tip - It is a great idea to use cake strips around my baking pans to prevent a dome. That way you don't lose much height on your layer cakes.
• Once baked, leave in the pan for no more than 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  Pro tip - Always frost cakes only when they are completely cooled. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.

Swiss meringue buttercream

• Watch my video on how to make Swiss meringue buttercream
• Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer.
  Pro tip - make sure the bowl is grease-free otherwise the egg whites will not whip
• Using a whisk, place the bowl over a double boiler and constantly whip until all the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are fairly warm (about 160 F).
  Pro tip - you don't need a thermometer, as long as all the sugar has completely melted your eggs are ready to use
• Take the bowl off the heat and whip the egg whites until you have a thick meringue with stiff peaks.
  Pro tip - it is best to start whipping eggs at medium speed then increase speed as you go for the best meringue
• Let the mixer continue to whip on medium-low until the mixer bowl feels cool to touch. Then gradually add butter, one cube at a time, with the mixer at medium speed.
  Pro tip - it is VERY important that the meringue is cooled completely before you add the butter otherwise you will have a soupy mess.
• Once all the butter is added, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Lastly, add the vanilla. Combine well until everything is well combined.

Orange syrup

• In a saucepan over medium heat cook the orange juice and sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved bring it to a boil. Cool completely before you use it on the cake.

Assemble

• Once cooled, cut the domes off the cake layers using a serrated knife. Brush each layer with the cooled, orange syrup.
• Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a dollop of buttercream and spread evenly.
  Pro tip -if you plan to move the cake again, it is best to use a cake circle under the cake, so you can pick the cake with its base and without any accidents.
• Next, top the second cake layer on top followed by more buttercream. Then, place the last cake layer on top.
  Pro tip - it is best to lift individual cake layers on pieces of clean cardboard or cake lifter so you do not break them from table to cake.
• Crumb coat or spread a little buttercream around the cake. (this helps seal the crumbs). Place the cake in the fridge to chill for 10 to 15 minutes.
  Pro tip - Chilling the cake at this point will ensure the layers don't move when you frost the outside. Though, if you leave the cake uncovered in the fridge for too long it can dry out. So, 10 minutes is all you need
• Add orange gel food color to the remaining buttercream. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with a leaf piping tip nozzle. Pipe around the cake in a zig-zag from the bottom to the top.

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More layer cakes

• Zesty Lemon Cake
• Best Carrot Cake Recipe
• Moist Vanilla Bean Cake
• Fresh Strawberry Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• See all layer cakes

How to store orange cake?

• The unfrosted cake layers will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature. And, longer if kept in the fridge. Without frosting, this cake can be frozen for up to a month or more.
• Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) has egg whites, which are considered perishable.
• In good weather, a cake frosted with SMBC can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the fridge for up to 5 days

Frequently asked questions

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Printable Recipe

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