Florida Orange Cake
Fresh orange zest and juice flavor both the tender butter cake and its simple glaze. It makes one 8-inch round cake, about 4 generous slices. Scale the people count in the app to 2, 4, 6, or 8 — ingredients adjust from this base of 4 servings.
Open interactive cooker (change people count)
Food safety
Scrub oranges under running water before zesting or cutting. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean so the eggs are fully cooked, and do not taste raw batter. Cover leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F).
Allergens: wheat, milk, egg
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pan
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- zester or fine grater
- citrus juicer
- cooling rack
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 2 oranges)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (for cake)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (for glaze)
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Scrub the oranges under running water, dry, then zest and juice them.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. Beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the 1/2 cup orange juice, mixing just until no flour shows.
5. Spread the batter in the pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean (the center reaches about 200°F, well above 160°F).
6. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool 20 minutes more (cooling time is included in the cook time).
7. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons orange juice until smooth and pourable. Spoon over the warm cake and let it set 5 minutes. Cut into 4 slices.
Skill taught
Creaming butter and sugar and using fresh citrus zest for full flavor.
Affordable substitution
Use bottled 100% orange juice for the cake and glaze, and zest just one orange.
Optional variation
Use half orange and half tangerine juice and zest for a sweeter citrus flavor.
Leftovers & storage
Cover within 2 hours (within 1 hour if above 90°F). Keep at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate at 40°F or below up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.