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Whole Orange Blender Cake

By The Modern Nonna

on Jan 31, 2023, Updated Mar 04, 2023

4.86 from 113 votes

Did you know if you put a whole orange in a blender you can make the most epic cake? If you have been looking for an easy and moist orange cake, you’ve come to the right place. All the ingredients are combined in a blender, making this one of the simplest baking recipes. This cake is so light, citrusy, and always on rotation in my house. My mom and I worked on this recipe together to bring you the easiest most flavourful coffee cake ever! The subtle hints of orange and lemon make this cake irresistible.

My mom and I wanted to bring you a simple cake recipe that didn’t require having to separate the orange zest/skin from the juice. We wanted to show you that using the whole fruit is just as good (if not better)! Even if you’re not a baker, you are capable of making this cake.

Did you know if you put a whole orange in a blender you can make the most epic cake? If you have been looking for an easy and moist orange cake, you’ve come to the right place. All the ingredients are combined in a blender, making this one of the simplest cakes.

4.86 from 113 votes

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Servings: 1 Loaf

Author: The Modern Nonna

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Equipment

Loaf Pan

Parchment Paper

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ avocado oil spray for lining the loaf pan
• ▢ 4 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup avocado oil or any neutral oil, (175ml)
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar, (200 grams)
• ▢ 1 whole seedless navel orange, washed, quartered and any seeds removed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract (optional), (5 grams)
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, (250 grams)
• ▢ ¾ tablespoon baking powder (make sure it's not expired*), (8 grams)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt, (3 grams)
• ▢ powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray (I will link my loaf pan in the notes below). You can use a bigger size pan as well, but the cake will be larger and thinner, so you may need to adjust the bake time.
• Add all of the ingredients to a high-power blender, starting with the wet ingredients. Be sure to add the wet ingredients first so that the blender doesn't get stuck. Blend for 30 to 40 seconds or until a thick pourable batter forms.
• Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean 2 inches from the side.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Take the cake out of the loaf pan and once it has cooled, dust the cake with powdered sugar, if using. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Do NOT overblend this cake. If your blender is not powerful enough to break down the orange peel, please extract the zest and juice of the orange by hand and use that instead. I use a Vitamix and blend only for 20-30 seconds. 

When using baking powder, always check the expiration date. Expired baking powder will not help your recipe rise in the oven, and you’ll have a sad, deflated cake. You can test if your baking powder has expired by adding ½ teaspoon baking powder to ¼ cup hot water. If the water bubbles up, it’s not expired; if it does not bubble, it’s expired and should be tossed.

I used a Navel orange which was sweet. Make sure you use a sweet orange as some can be bitter. If you are unsure if your orange is bitter, extract the juice and zest and use that instead of the full orange. 

I have not tried making this cake gluten-free but I am sure you can use a gluten-free 1-to-1 all purpose flour instead.

If you have any dietary preferences (like keto or low-carb), you will have to experiment with 1-to-1 monk fruit sweetener and various alternatives. Please let us know in the comments of this blog how you made this cake differently so others can learn as well.

You can always adjust the sugar in this recipe as it’s not overly sweet.

The bake time will depend on the oven so please keep a good eye on it.

The link to my loaf pan is in both of my Amazon stores, Canada & USA

You can use a different pan but please keep a close eye on it as the baking time may reduce.

We like to spray and line the loaf pan for easier cleanup, feel free to butter and flour it if you wish to do so as well.

The lemon extract is optional. You can also use freshly squeezed lemon juice or zest. Be sure to remove the seeds of the lemon or orange prior. 

You can store this cake, covered, on the counter for a few days but it probably won’t last you that long!

You can use a whole lemon instead but taste and adjust the batter, as it may be more sour. Please discard the seeds so the cake isn’t bitter. 

You can use almond flour but please add a little at time until you have a thick pourable batter as almond flour is more absorbent. You will have to experiment but always add a little at a time until you have the proper consistency. 

To ensure lemons/oranges are clean, you can soak them in a vinegar and water solution and give them a scrub to draw out any impurities. Mix 1/4 cup of vinegar + 2 cups of water and soak for 5-10 minutes. Rinse and use as directed. 

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