This Moist Orange Cake with Fresh Orange Syrup is wonderfully easy to make, delicately buttery, and bursting with fresh citrus flavor. Infused with fragrant orange zest and soaked in a homemade orange syrup, it has a tender, beautifully moist crumb that might remind you a little of baba cake.
This beautiful orange cake, also known as Le Gâteau Sévillan, is adapted from Cooking to Dine, written by one of my favorite food writers, Linda Gassenheimer. It was the very first cookbook I ever owned, and it had a tremendous influence on me and my love of cooking and baking. I must have made this orange cake more than 30 times, and it has delivered wonderful results every single time!
I made just a few small adjustments to the original recipe: I doubled the cake batter, used granulated sugar instead of caster sugar, and slightly reduced the powdered sugar in the syrup. The recipe is wonderfully straightforward and practically foolproof, even if you are not a confident baker. If you love moist, buttery cakes with a bright, refreshing orange flavor, this homemade orange cake is one you will want to bake again and again!
What Makes This Orange Cake So Special?
Fragrant with fresh orange zest and finished with a luscious orange syrup, this cake is delicately buttery, wonderfully moist, and bursting with citrus flavor. Its lovely syrup-soaked texture might even remind you a little of baba cake!
There is no better excuse to gather friends around the table than this beautiful orange cake. Whether served at brunch, afternoon tea, or a special celebration, it brings effortless elegance to any occasion. A longtime family favorite, this rich and moist cake needs very little dressing up beyond its fragrant orange syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Simple, elegant, and utterly irresistible!
The Secret to This Cake’s Double Orange Flavor
Sweet, moist, and bursting with a double dose of orange flavor, this cake gets its beautiful citrus aroma from fresh orange zest folded into the batter and an irresistible orange syrup poured over the baked cake. The syrup does more than add moisture; it infuses every bite with a deep, refreshing orange flavor, making this cake wonderfully fragrant and delicious.
How to Add the Orange Syrup
Pour the orange syrup over the cake while it is still warm, allowing it to soak up all that wonderful citrus flavor. The cake will absorb most of the syrup, but some may run off onto the serving plate. Simply scoop it up with a spoon and drizzle it back over the top so every bit of the cake gets its share!
Ingredients You Need to Make This Orange Cake
For the best results, I recommend sticking to the ingredients listed below and avoiding substitutions. Each ingredient plays an important role in creating this cake’s delicate texture, buttery flavor, and wonderful orange aroma.
Sugar: You can use either granulated sugar or caster sugar.
Baking powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and achieve a light, tender texture.
Orange zest: Adds a beautiful citrus aroma and a delicate orange flavor throughout the cake.
Eggs: Bring the eggs to room temperature about 30 minutes before baking. They help bind the ingredients together, contribute to the cake’s structure, and assist with leavening. Add them one at a time, beating well after each addition, to help prevent the batter from curdling.
Butter: Use softened butter at room temperature. It should be soft and spreadable but still hold its shape, rather than melted. Butter tenderizes the cake and gives it that lovely, rich, buttery flavor.
All-purpose flour: Sift the flour before adding it to the batter to remove any lumps and ensure an even, smooth mixture.
Orange syrup: Made with powdered sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice, this simple syrup is the secret to the cake’s wonderful moisture and deep citrus flavor. It soaks into the warm cake, making every bite fragrant and delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orange Cake
What type of oranges should I use for this orange cake?
I used navel oranges, but you can use any good-quality, flavorful oranges. Since the recipe calls for orange zest, choose oranges with clean, healthy-looking peels. Wash and dry them thoroughly before zesting. Be sure to grate only the orange-colored part of the peel, avoiding the white pith underneath, as it can impart a bitter taste.
What ingredients go into making the orange syrup?
You only need two ingredients: freshly squeezed orange juice and powdered sugar. Simply whisk them together until the sugar dissolves. There is no need to heat the syrup!
Can I use ready-made bottled orange juice instead of fresh orange juice?
I wouldn’t recommend it! Freshly squeezed orange juice has a brighter, fresher citrus flavor that makes all the difference in this cake. Bottled orange juice tends to have a more muted flavor and may sometimes taste slightly bitter.
Will the orange syrup make the cake too sweet?
Not at all! The orange syrup does more than add sweetness. It brings out the citrus flavor, adds moisture, and gives the cake its wonderfully tender, syrup-soaked texture. The result is a lovely balance of buttery richness and refreshing orange flavor.
Can I make this orange cake a day ahead for entertaining?
Absolutely! This is a wonderful make-ahead cake, and I actually think it tastes even better the next day. For stress-free entertaining, bake it a day ahead, let it cool, and wrap it well in cling film to help retain its moisture. Refrigerate until needed, then bring it to room temperature before serving. Add the final dusting of powdered sugar just before serving for that beautiful snowy finish.
Does orange cake taste better the next day?
I implore you to try it! Not only does this cake have an incomparable buttery richness, fragrant citrus flavor, and wonderfully moist texture, but its flavor and texture actually improve as it sits. Unlike many cakes that become dense or stale after refrigeration, this orange cake keeps beautifully. In fact, having leftovers is a real bonus because you get to enjoy another slice the following day!
More Refreshing Citrus Recipes to Try
Click Moroccan Preserved Lemons
Click Lebanese-Style Steak with Garlic and Lemon
Click Lemon and Passion Fruit Posset
Click Lemon Blueberry Cake
Click Lemon Pound Cake
Click Homemade Mint Lemonade
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Moist Orange Cake with Fresh Orange Syrup (Easy & Buttery)
Description
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan 7 cups capacity
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 200 g / 7 oz butter
- 200 g / 7 oz 1 cup granulated sugar or caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 200 g / 7 oz 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 10 g / 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Zest of 2 oranges
For the Orange Syrup:
- Juice of 2 large oranges
- 150 g / 5 oz ¾ cup powdered sugar (or granulated sugar)
- To Prep the Cake Tin:
- 1 tablespoon butter to grease
- 2 tablespoons sugar to coat
Before Serving (Optional):
- Powdered sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Prepare the loaf pan. Tear off a piece of parchment paper slightly larger than your pan. Trace around the base of the pan onto the paper and cut it out with scissors. Grease the bottom of the pan with a small piece of butter, place the cut parchment paper inside, and grease the paper as well. Grease the sides of the pan and sprinkle granulated sugar all over the inside to coat evenly.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. With the electric mixer on high speed, add the sugar gradually and continue beating for 1 minute until light.
- Emulsify the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Adding the eggs gradually is essential for achieving a light, airy cake texture.
- Incorporate the flour. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the orange zest, and gradually stir in the sifted flour mixture. Mix just until a smooth batter forms, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is combined.
- Bake the cake. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer or knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Unmold gently. Remove from the oven and let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert it carefully onto a deep serving plate, then grasp the edge of the parchment paper and gently peel it off.
- Make the syrup. While the cake is baking or resting, whisk the orange juice and powdered sugar together in a small bowl until completely smooth and combined.
- Glaze and serve. Douse the warm cake evenly with the orange syrup. The cake will absorb most of the syrup, leaving a lovely gloss with a bit of delicious run-off. Let it cool completely. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Happy baking and eating!
Notes
- Looking for more citrus cakes
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake
9 Comments
Very delicious Orange Cake, moist and fluffy. Will do it over and over again. I cut down half the sugar in the recipe and the syrup, just a personal preference to less sweet deserts.
Great cake, amazing texture and moisture .I added more orange zest and managed to mix the batter with a wooden spoon since I don’t have a mixer, worked well. Best orange cake I made. Thank you.
Best recipe ever, simple and few ingredients but equally delicious.
What substitute can I use for the eggs? What is the measurement of the substitute?
Did this today and it turned out awesome. My kitchen smells good too! I was a little nervous abt the oven heat as I normally bake at 350. But I did it anyway and the cake turned out golden and so beautiful. Thank you!