Orange Cake
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My whole orange cake is a simple yet elegant dessert that needs just 5 ingredients. Naturally gluten-free and ready in no time.
I’ve been making flourless desserts for years, and this orange cake is the one I come back to most (yes, more than the flourless chocolate cake)- five ingredients, one bowl, and the kind of result that makes people ask which bakery it comes from. Rude!
The trick most recipes skip is boiling the whole orange before blending it- rind and all. I tested out both ways, and the difference is shockingly significant: peeled oranges produce a flat, one-dimensional flavor, while the rind adds some depth that balances the almond meal and marmalade perfectly. Let’s be real, though- it also means no zesting or juicing beforehand.
The result is a moist, dense cake with a genuine orange flavor that even a beginner cook can make the first time. I reckon it also gets better the next day (seriously).
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Perfect texture. Almond flour (or almond meal) is the secret to this cake’s light and fluffy texture.
- It’s diet friendly. It is made with naturally gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients and relies solely on eggs for richness and moisture! No oil or butter is needed.
- 5 easy ingredients. Count them yourself.
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Absolutely delicious. Stayed moist and tasted better over time.”– Neela
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this flourless orange cake recipe, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Fresh oranges. Fresh organic oranges (rinds and all!) are boiled and then blended into a tasty homemade marmalade. Any kind of small or medium-sized orange should work well for the cake. Try using clementines, navel oranges, or tangerines.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs to provide structure and stay moist.
- Sugar. Use white granulated sugar or cane sugar.
- Baking powder. To help the cake rise.
- Almond meal. Almond meal or blanched almond flour adds a nice nutty flavor to the cake. Please do not substitute this for any other flour, as it won’t work.
How to make an orange cake
Step 1 – Boil the oranges. Place the whole oranges in a saucepan (including the zest and peel), cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until tender.
Step 2 – Chop and blend the oranges. Roughly chop them into bite-sized pieces. Transfer them to a blender or food processor, then blend until you have a marmalade-like puree.
Step 3 – Beat the eggs and sugar. Add the eggs and sugar to a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 4 – Finish the batter. Gently stir the orange marmalade, almond meal, and baking powder into the sugar and eggs until smooth.
Step 5 – Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine).
Step 6 – Slice and enjoy. Wait for the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t peel the oranges. Because most of the orange flavor is in the rinds. If you peel the oranges before boiling and blending, your cake will be unbalanced and miss out on the beautiful orange flavors.
- Don’t overmix! Gently fold the dry and wet ingredients together with a spatula. Only mix until everything is just combined.
- Cool completely. The cake needs to be cooled completely before slicing, or else it may fall apart.
- For a more pronounced orange flavor, make my favorite orange glaze by combining orange juice and confectioners’ sugar.
- To make a layer cake, double the recipe and bake the batter in two 9-inch round cake pans. Spread a layer of vanilla or cream cheese frosting between the cake layers, then slice and serve.
- Orange bundt cake. Make an orange bundt cake by using an 8-inch bundt pan. You will need to increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Any kind of small or medium-sized orange should work well for the cake. Try using clementines, navel oranges, or tangerines.
Yes, you can puree the boiled oranges 1 to 2 days before making the cake. Store the puree/marmalade in an airtight container in the fridge. Just keep in mind that this isn’t a traditional orange marmalade preserved with sugar and citric acid; therefore, its shelf life is much shorter.
Orange Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound oranges
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour or almond meal
Instructions
- Place unpeeled oranges in a saucepan. Cover them with water and bring the water to a boil. Boil the oranges for 10 minutes and drain. Repeat this process two times.
- After the third boil, let the oranges cool down. Once cool enough to handle, chop the oranges into 1-inch pieces.
- Add the oranges into a food processor or high-power blender and blend until you have a marmalade-like mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with baking paper, bottom, and sides.
- Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl. Add oranges, almond flour, and baking powder. Stir until you have a smooth batter.
- Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake the cake for 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
More easy flourless desserts
Originally published June 2023
Hi Arman, I like your recipe, but have a question, can coconut flour be subbed for the almond flour? My husband cannot have almond anything due to kidney stones. Thank you for any help.
Hi Clare- that won’t work at all, sorry. Coconut flour isn’t an equal swap with almond flour, and you’d need to significantly alter the other ingredients to get the same result. You can use sunflower seed flour- that’s an equal swap to the almond flour.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You are so welcome, Tabassum! 🙂
SO GOOD! And easy! I took this to a party where 2 of the guests were gluten-free. It was a hit and everyone wanted the recipe!
Hi Amy, thanks so much for sharing. This is the best kind of story! So glad everyone liked it.
Hi
I made this cake yesterday. It’s delicious but a little wet and more like a pasty consistency. Your pictures and videos seem to show a more cake like texture. Should I bake it more? Would that correct the texture
Hi Monica, yes, it sounds like it may have needed just a little longer in the oven. It should be moist but not overly pasty. The best way to check is with the toothpick test 🙂 Hope this helps!
I was so skeptical of pureeing the whole orange but this turned out AMAZING! Can’t even tell it’s low carb. This time I topped it with sugar free powder sugar but next time I’m going to make a sugar free glaze to drizzle over the top!
Thank you so much for your amazing recipes! Everything I’ve made from your site turns out great!
This looks really refreshing deseert. Myaybe for summer perfect.
I made this orange cake for my daughter since she has many allergies and baking has become a challenge. The recipe was easy to follow and the cake was delicious. My only dilemma was that the cake was very wet and the powdered sugar just dissolved into the cake. I believe it has to do with the fact that my oranges were probably on the larger side. Next time I will choose a different variety of oranges or just use 1.5 servings of the larger oranges.
Hi Arman, would this work with lemons?
Hi Geri- Not with the rind and all- I did test it out, and balancing the sweetness and tartness requires a substantial change of measurements. I do have two options- an almond flour cake where you can add some lemon juice to, or a lemon olive oil cake.
Okay thank you, will try the almond flour cake
Let me know how you go, Geri- it’s one of my favorite cakes 🙂
This looks really interesting. Can I use a sugar free substitute?? I’d love to try it!
You could try allulose 🙂
So i made a big batch of orange ‘marmalade’, how much should I use from this batch?
Can’t wait to taste this cake!! :))
Thank you!
Is it possible for me to try oat flour with this recipe?
Not sure- but you could experiment and see!
This looks yummy, but I’m curious if you’ve tried it with Splenda or Truvia to lower the cals and carbs a bit?
Can I substitute sugar with something else?
You could try powdered allulose 🙂
This recipe looks delicious! I was wondering if you could substitute store bought marmalade instead of making your own? If so, how many cups of marmalade would you add?
You could try- I haven’t tried myself 🙂
Can you substitute the oranges with lemon?
Would it be the same process?
I don’t see why not!
Delicous!
So easy so delious!
Thank you
You are welcome!
Hi there,
Can I subsitute eggs with flax eggs or Chia eggs?
I haven’t tried, but you are welcome to experiment and see!
Can this be made with sugar alternatives ?
Powdered allulose could work!
Can I substitute the sugar for anything?
Not that I’ve tried.