Whole Orange Blender Cake
on Jan 31, 2023, Updated Jan 14, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
My mom’s whole orange blender cake is light, 🍊 citrusy, and moist. It’s always on rotation in my house. I know it’s crazy, but this cake combines a few simple ingredients in the blender, including a whole orange, to make the most amazing cake. My mom and I worked on this recipe to bring you the easiest and most flavorful coffee cake ever! The subtle hints of orange and lemon 🍋 make this cake irresistible.
Why You’ll Love Whole Orange Blender Cake
Using a 🍊 whole orange, blended to perfection, infuses the cake with a zesty and citrusy element that is both refreshing and healthy. Some citrus cake recipes require you to zest, peel, or juice an orange – not this one! All you have to do is clean and cut your orange into 🔶 quarters and toss it in the blender. Don’t worry, the resulting cake won’t reveal your secret and you’ll be making this cake on repeat, just like me!
How to Prepare Whole Orange Blender Cake
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper and baking spray.
🌀 Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender, starting with the wet ingredients. Blend for 30-40 seconds until a thick pourable batter forms. Do not over-blend!
♨️ Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean 2 inches from the side.
🧊 Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the loaf pan.
❄️ Once cooled, dust the cake with powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🍊
I used a Navel orange which was sweet. Do NOT over-blend this cake. If your blender is not powerful enough to break down the orange peel, please zest it, peel it and use that instead. I use a Vitamix and blend only for 20-30 seconds.
Variations and Substitutions for Whole Orange Blender Cake
Remember to adjust quantities accordingly and have fun experimenting with these variations to create your best version of my whole orange cake 🧡 that suits your preferences!
- You can use alternative flours such as almond flour, 🥥 coconut flour, or 1-1 gluten-free flour for a gluten-free cake.
- Feel free to experiment with 🍯 honey, maple syrup, or monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar if you prefer a natural sweetener.
- Add chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Include shredded coconut or grated 🥕 carrots for additional texture.
Other Coffee Cake Recipes
Best Served With
- Coffee or tea 🫖
- Other loaf cakes, like my Carrot Cake or cookies with a brunch
| Product Image | Description | Product Name / Primary Rating / Price | Primary Button |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Must Have Knife
|
|
|
|
|
Nonna's Dry Measuring Cups
|
|
|
|
|
My Favorite Parchment Paper
|
|
|
|
|
Best Blender Ever
|
|
|
|
|
Liquid Measuring Cups Set
|
|
|
|
|
Baking Fave!
|
|
|
This knife is my most used tool in the kitchen. The love I have for this knife is unmatched.
This is my favorite set. I have had mine for 10 years and need a new one. Highly recommend!
This is the parchment paper that I use for all my recipes!
I have had my Vitamix blender for 12 years and I cannot live without it. It is hands down the best blender in the world. Definitely an investment but worth every penny.
This set includes 1-cup, 2-cup, and 4-cup Pyrex measuring cups that are perfect for baking, cooking, and melting ingredients. They're also dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
The perfect loaf pan for making baked goods! The ceramic is non-stick and it's super easy to clean.
Common Questions
I used a Navel orange which was seedless and sweet. You could also use a Cara Cara orange. If you are unsure if your orange is bitter, peel it and throw it in peeled! You can also add the zest as well.
Yes you may. However, if the food processor is not powerful enough it may not break down the skin. To be sure, please peel the fruit and add the zest as well.
As per your feedback, this recipe would work with a Cara Cara orange.
I have not tested this, but yes, you can experiment with a blood orange for this recipe. Your cake may turn out a different color (maybe pink!).
Do NOT over-blend this cake. If your blender is not powerful enough to break down the orange peel, please zest it, peel it and use that instead. I use a Vitamix and blend only for 20-30 seconds.
I have not tried making this cake gluten-free but you could try using a gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour for baking. Let me know if you try it and how it comes out!
Certainly, you can use clementines or tangerines to prepare this cake. Click HERE to make my Clementine Cake.
You can add poppy seeds to this recipe!
If you have any dietary preferences (like keto or low-carb), you will have to experiment with a 1-to-1 monk fruit sweetener and various other 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. Feel free to add more if you like your baked goods sweeter. Alternatively, you could do less sugar if you’re trying to cut sugar out.
The bake time will depend on the oven and what type of pan you use, so please keep a good eye on it.
I use a ceramic, non-stick loaf pan for this recipe. You can use a different type of pan, but please keep a close eye on it as the baking time may reduce or increase.
I like to spray and line the loaf pan for easier cleanup, but feel free to butter and flour it if you wish to do so as well.
The lemon extract is optional. I would use lemon zest instead of lemon juice, as it has a stronger flavor, like the extract.
You can store this cake, covered, on the counter for a few days but it probably won’t last you that long!
Certainly, you can use Meyer Lemon to prepare this cake. Click HERE to make my Whole Lemon Blender Cake.
Although I have not tried this cake with almond flour, you will have to experiment. 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 scrub them 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.
Any oil will work for this cake. You can also use melted butter if you’d like.
Yes, you can certainly use butter instead of oil for this recipe.
A Nutribullet is not nearly as powerful, but If you try it in a Nutribullet, I would suggest peeling the orange before blending.
Always check the baking powder and flour before use! If the cake comes out too dense and not fluffy or moist, the baking powder is most likely out of date.
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. 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.
Whole Orange Blender Cake
Ingredients
- avocado oil spray
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup avocado oil, 175ml
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 grams
- 1 whole seedless navel orange, washed, quartered, and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 5 grams
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, 250 grams
- ¾ tablespoon baking powder, 8 grams (make sure it's not expired)
- ½ teaspoon salt, 3 grams
- powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Please check if the baking powder or flour is expired prior to starting.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. You can use a bigger size pan as well, but the cake will be larger and thinner, so you may need to adjust the baking 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 20-30 to seconds or until a thick pourable batter forms. Do NOT over-blend.
- Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake on the middle rack 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Used vanilla olive oil instead of Avocado oil. I as very good but the oil slightly over powdered the orange.
Hi Janeen, I recommend a mild flavored oil.
Without doubt, really tasty…I was concerned that the bitterness of the peel would come through, but it is quite a solid cake, not like an nice and airy sponge cake. In fact, my husband said, when he saw it on the cake rack, was, ‘oh, is that a new slab?’ (!!). I feel the oil was unnecessary, as it this makes the cake mix heavy and perhaps butter would be better. But, really delicious!
Thank you for trying the recipe and leaving a comment Catherine!
wonderful recipe!
leftovers?…slice and toast…serve buttered!
Ooh I like the idea of toasting leftover cake!
This is an amazing recipe.
Thanks Ronald! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe is amazing. Thanks.
@The Modern Nonna hi!!!!!!!! LMK if you love this as much as I do!!!!!! 😍
Can this cake be made using gluten free flower?
Hi Sarah! Yes, you can use almond flour, coconut flour, or 1-1 gluten-free flour.
Made this for the family last night prompted by my sweet tooth after cooking a hearty beef stew for dinner…they loved it. When I asked my grandmother if she wanted to know how I made it, she said no because “she might try making it herself!” 🤣 I used my nutribullet to blend the orange and it worked amazingly. They really are quite powerful machines, just not for blending things like seeds. The orange did perfectly fine though…pulverized even lol. I will say that my cake was surprisingly moist but didn’t really feel light or airy. I think maybe I could have used some more flour (I added a few tablespoons of water to help the orange blend) or maybe I over mixed the batter since I did it by hand. I also used a glass baking dish instead of a loaf pan and decreased the amount of sugar by about 1/3 (Diabetics). I will definitely be making this recipe again.
Hi Mari, I’m glad the recipe worked out for you with all of those modifications! Your grandmother sounds hilarious!
My husband could not get over that the cake was made in a blender. Thank you so much for this recipe and I will use it when guests pop over unexpectedly!
Omg this made me smile! Soooo happy 🙂
I really loved it. My blender is not really a high power blender but it came out so well. Thank you so much for this. I look forward to making more of your delicious recipes.
So happy to hear this! Thank you Blessed!
Tried this today and the only change was I used two smaller Cara Cara oranges. Super easy and quite tasty. The more I eat the better I enjoyed it. Its texture is amazing and the flavor is light but definitely orangey! Great recipe! Thank you!
Love this, April! Sounds delicious! Happy baking!