This Orange Bundt Cake is deliciously different from other recipes, as it uses more fresh oranges and zest for big, bold, fresh orange flavor. This breakfast cake is also extra moist, as it uses buttermilk and it takes just 30 minutes of hands-on prep time. Serve it for weekend brunch or dessert. Grab a bag of oranges and try it this week.
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Amy’s Notes
If you love big, bold citrus flavors as much as I do, I’ve got the cake for you. This breakfast orange bundt cake brings sunshine to your mornings, and is actually fabulous for dessert as well. Every time I’ve made this orange cake, my brood of boys devour it in the AM and PM. The batter comes together in about 30 minutes.
- Super moist and tender: Buttermilk in the batter plus warm orange syrup soaked right into the crumb. There are no words to describe the huge flavors.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze it unglazed, and you’re ready whenever weekend brunch or grab-and-go breakfasts are needed.
- Even better on day two: The orange flavor deepens overnight, so it’s perfect for making ahead. I usually make this orange cake the night before.
- No fancy ingredients: Pantry staples, buttermilk, and a bag of oranges. That’s it.
If you’re planning a full brunch spread, you’ll definitely want to pair this with my Easy Blueberry Sour Cream Cake Recipe and a cozy batch of coffee. And if you’re craving more bright fruit flavors later this week, check out my favorite Cranberry Orange Scones.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh oranges: We’re using both zest and freshly squeezed juice to pack a real punch of natural citrus flavor without any artificial extracts.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a subtle tang that balances out the sweet glaze.
- Room-temperature butter and eggs: Soft butter and room-temperature eggs cream up to a light, fluffy texture, giving this cake its tender structure.
Substitutions and Variations
- Lemon swap: Swap the zest and juice for fresh lemons for a bright, tangy twist.
- Glaze option: If you want a cream cheese frosting, a simple honey or maple syrup drizzle instead of the light citrus drizzle, those would be delicious, too.
- Cream cheese frosting: Want something richer than the drizzle? Use the frosting from my Easy Carrot Cake Recipe.
- Orange poppy seed: Stir in 2 tablespoons poppy seeds. Love poppy seeds? Try my Poppy Seed Cake.
- Cranberry orange: Fold in 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries tossed in a spoonful of flour.
- No buttermilk? You can easily make it at home. Stir a scant tablespoon of lemon juice into 3/4 cup whole or reduced fat milk and let it sit untouched for 5 minutes.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until completely combined. Set this aside.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in your eggs one at a time, then toss in your fresh orange zest and mix.
- Mix the remaining orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla, then fold this wet mixture into the batter, alternating with the flour mixture.
- Scrape all the batter into your prepared bundt pan, and while the cake bakes, make the glaze.
- Let the baked cake rest in the pan, then drizzle your warm citrus syrup all over the warm cake so it soaks right into the crumb.
→ For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Prep Ahead
- Juice and zest: You can juice all the oranges and do the zest up to 2 days, covered in the fridge.
- Bake a day early: This cake actually tastes so good on day two because the orange syrup has time to soak deep into the crumb.
- Storage: Keep covered at room temp for 1 to 2 days, or airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freeze for later: Wrap the unglazed, cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil; freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight on the counter before glazing.
Orange Bundt Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For Cake:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt not table salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks softened just to room temp
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar divided
- 4 extra large eggs room temp
- ⅓ cup fresh orange zest from approx 6 oranges
- ¾ cup orange juice freshly squeezed from approx 3 oranges, divided
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temp
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For Orange Glaze Topping:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a standard bundt pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a hand whisk to thoroughly combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar on medium speed, 5 min or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until each is combined. Add orange zest, beating just until well incorporated; scrape down sides as needed.
- In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold half of the buttermilk mixture into the egg mixture, followed by half of the flour mixture. Repeat with other half of buttermilk and flour mixtures, until all batter is gently folded together. Batter should be just combined but not over mixed.
- Scrape all of batter into greased bundt pan and smooth top evenly. Bake 40-43 min or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean, with few tender crumbs attached. Let cake cool in pan at least 15-30 minutes before removing.
- While the cake is baking, heat remaining 1/2 cup sugar with remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in microwaveable bowl and microwave 1 min or so, until sugar dissolves.
- Gently remove cake from bundt pan and invert onto a serving plate . I use a super sharp knife to gently loosen sides, before inverting. Then I give the pan a few strong pats, upside down, to pop the cake out.
- Slowly drizzle sugar/orange mixture evenly over the cake and allow entire cake to cool completely.
- For Orange Glaze Topping: combine glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth (if needed, add another drop or two of orange juice for desired consistency.) Drizzle over top of cake.
Notes
- Zest and juice first: This recipe moves faster if you zest and juice all the oranges before starting.
- Make ahead: Bake the night before so it cools completely and sets up. It’s soo good on day two.
- Storage: Covered airtight at room temp for 1 to 2 days, or in the fridge up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze: Wrap the cooled, unglazed cake in plastic wrap, followed by foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight on the counter and then glaze.
- Brunch idea: Serve alongside our Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes for a crowd.
- Bake a day early: This cake actually tastes so good on day two because the orange syrup has time to soak deep into the crumb.
- This recipe is part of our Cake and Cupcake Recipe collection.
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Frequently Asked Questions
I wouldn’t recommend it. Freshly squeezed orange juice makes all the difference here. Bottled juice has preservatives and lacks that bright punch that makes this cake taste genuinely homemade.
Don’t skip the greasing step. Take a little extra time to thoroughly grease every single nook and cranny of your bundt pan with butter or baking spray with flour before pouring in the batter.
Navel oranges are my absolute go-to for this. They’re juicy, easy to zest, and give you that classic sweet citrus flavor without being overly bitter.
Absolutely! In fact, I highly recommend making it the night before. Letting it sit overnight gives the orange syrup time to soak into the crumb, making it even moister and more flavorful by the time your guests arrive.
You’ll definitely want a stand mixer or a sturdy electric hand mixer for the first part to cream that butter and sugar nice and fluffy—that’s what gives this cake its gorgeous lift. But once the dry ingredients and buttermilk go in, switch to a rubber spatula and fold gently by hand so you don’t overmix the batter!
No worries at all! You can easily make a quick DIY version by measuring out three-quarters of a cup of regular milk and stirring in three-quarters of a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for about five minutes until it gets slightly curdled, and you’re good to go.
Yes! Split the batter between two greased 9×5 loaf pans and start checking for doneness around 40 minutes, since baking time will vary.
More to Cook and Eat
- Easy Blueberry Sour Cream Cake Recipe: Bursting with berries and made for your morning coffee.
- Lemon Custard Cake: Light, lemony, and creamy. A citrus lover’s dream.
- Poppy Seed Cake: Moist, buttery, and dotted with crunchy poppy seeds.
- Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake Recipe: Why dirty a pile of dishes when one bowl does the job?
- Honey Pear Cake Recipe (No Refined Sugar): Naturally sweetened and loaded with juicy pears.
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