Italian Orange Cake (Made with a Whole Orange!)

Italian Orange Cake, known also as Sicilian Whole Orange Cake, is a simple and bright Italian cake assembled in the blender. This cake has the most amazing citrus flavor and light and airy crumb. 

Italian Orange Cake is one of those desserts you’ll make again and again. It’s simple to make with all of the ingredients combined in the blender, and is perfect for any occasion. 

If you love orange cakes, don’t miss my Orange Ricotta Cake or this Orange Mascarpone Ciambella. For another orange scented Italian dessert, try this Cannoli Pound Cake or Frozen Cannoli Bark. And, if you love olive oil cake recipes, be sure to try my Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake. 

You’ll Love Italian Orange Cake

Italian Orange Cake is a simple recipe that comes together fast! The entire batter is assembled in a blender or food processor and is ready to eat in just 45 minutes.

This is a cake that’s delicious enough for special occasions but simple enough for a breakfast or brunch treat. Plus, this is a great recipe to use up fresh oranges. 

Sicilian Orange Cake is made using the entire orange, peel, zest, orange juice, and all! You’ll need just a few ingredients to put this together this moist cake, most of which are pantry staples. 

I love this orange cake recipe because it seems to get better the longer it sits. Plus, it stays moist for days and is great to make ahead of time. 

If you love classic Italian cakes with citrus flavors, be sure to give this Italian Orange Cake a try!

Ingredients

Orange: you’ll need one whole organic orange for this recipe, measuring about 300 grams. Try to find Valencia oranges with a thin skin if possible. Since you are using orange zest, I recommend using an organic orange for best flavor. 

Sugar: use regular granulated sugar for the cake. 

Oil: you want to use a neutral-flavored oil like canola oil or vegetable oil here. You could use olive oil to make an orange olive oil cake, but it may take away from the orange flavor. 

Eggs: you’ll need three large room temperature eggs. 

Vanilla: use a bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor in the cake batter. You could also use almond extract here. 

Flour: use regular all purpose flour. Almond flour or almond meal could be substituted but it would make cake texture more dense. 

Baking powder: make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda. 

Salt: add a bit of kosher salt. 

Powdered sugar: finish of the Italian orange cake with a dusting of powdered sugar. 

How to Make Italian Orange Cake

This simple recipe for Italian Orange Cake comes together fast and is made in the blender or food processor. Start by preheating your oven and greasing a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper. 

Step 1: blend the oranges slices

In a large blender or food processor, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and diced oranges. Then, blend until the mixture is well combined and the oranges are finely diced. 

​If you don’t have a blender, you could make this recipe in a large bowl by finely dicing the orange and combining it with the other ingredients. 

Step 2: add the dry ingredients

Next, add in the flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Then, blend until the flour mixture is well combined with the orange mixture. 

You will need to scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor bowl to get everything well combined. 

Step 3: bake

​Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. You can also make this in a bundt pan or 9×9 inch baking pan. 

Bake on the center rack in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

Step 4: garnish and serve

Once the Italian Orange Cake is done, remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove the collar from the pan and let cool completely. 

​Top the cooled cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and orange slices. You can also serve with a simple orange glaze made from orange juice and powdered sugar. 

Helpful Recipe Tips

• Be sure to select an organic orange with thin skin. Valencia oranges are a good option if you can find them. An orange with too thick of a rind will make the cake taste bitter. 
• This recipe is easy to put together in a large blender but you can also use a large food processor. If you don’t have either, you can make this in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer and finely diced pieces of orange. 
• If you don’t have a springform pan, this can be made in a large cake pan, bundt cake pan, or 9×9 inch baking pan. 
• Top your cooled Italian Orange Cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar and sliced oranges. You can also make a simple glaze out of powdered sugar and orange juice. 
• Store leftover cooled cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freezer for up to a month. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best orange for whole orange cake? 

To make a sweet and delicious Italian orange cake using the whole orange, you need to use an orange with thin skin like Valencia oranges. Oranges will thick rinds will made the cake bitter and unappealing. Use a thin-skinned variety such as Valencia oranges. 

If you can’t find a thin-skinned orange, your best just to use the zest and segments of the orange and discard the rind. 

What is Pan d’Arancio? 

Pan d’Arancio, which translates to “orange bread,” is actually the name of Sicilian Orange Cake that is made using the whole orange and can be completely assembled in a blender or food processor. It uses a whole thin-skinned orange in its preparation. 

Why is my orange cake bitter? 

​The key to making an orange cake that is sweet and light is to use a whole thin-skinned orange rather than a thick-skinned orange like a Navel orange. Look for a thin variety such as Valencia oranges for best results. 

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