Orange Butter Cake

simply deLIZious baking is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to [Amazon.com or .ca, .co.uk, etc.]

This recipe for orange butter cake is simple and easy to make.  It’s made with fresh orange juice and zest and is bursting with vibrant orange flavor.

Is It Orange Butter Cake Or Orange Pound Cake?

I found this old fashioned orange cake recipe in one of my older church cookbooks and it was titled “orange cake”. However, as I was reading the ingredients, it sounded like an orange pound cake recipe (BTW, I consider myself a pound cake aficionado) or an orange butter cake with it’s cup of butter and 3 cups of flour.  

As I researched this orange cake recipe to get the appropriate title “Orange Pound Cake” or “Orange Butter Cake”, I couldn’t decide and just went with Orange Butter Cake. However, no matter the title, I just know you and your taste buds will love this rich, buttery, moist orange cake recipe that’s packed with loads of orange yum.

Ingredients In Orange Butter Cake Recipe

• 1 cup butter – room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs  – room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour sifted – you can use all purpose flour or cake flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup buttermilk – room temperature
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ cup orange juice – room temperature – freshly squeezed orange juice is best.
• 3 oranges, zest of 3 to 3½ oranges
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ⅛ to ¼ cup orange juice – freshly squeezed orange juice is best
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons orange zest

How To Make Orange Butter Cake

How To Make The Orange Butter Cake

• Grease and flour tube pan or spray with baking spray.
• Preheat oven to 350℉
• Zest oranges and set aside. Also, juice your oranges and set juice aside
• Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside
• Cream butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time. Mix each egg until yellow is just gone before adding the next.
• Add vanilla and mix
• Combine buttermilk, baking soda and orange juice.
• Add flour and buttermilk mixture alternately to batter. Start and end with flour. Do not overmix. Mix until just incorporated.
• Fold in orange zest.
• Pour or spoon batter in prepared 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 350℉.
• Remove from oven and let cake cool 12 to 15 minutes and release from pan.
• Let cake mostly cool.
• Glaze with orange cake glaze.

How To Make Orange Cake Glaze

• Zest orange and also squeeze the juice from the orange.
• Combine powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Mix well.
• Allow cake to mostly cool and spoon or pour orange glaze over top of cake.

Tools Used In Orange Butter Cake

• Tube Pan 10 inch tube pan
• 9×5 Loaf Pan
• Stand Mixer
• Zester
• Sifter
• Spatula
• Dry Ingredient Measuring Cups
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Oven Mitts
• Cooling Rack

Tips For The Best Orange Butter Cake Recipe

• This can be baked in a loaf pan to make a lovely orange loaf cake.  However, there is too much batter for (1) 9×5 loaf pan.  You can use the extra batter to fill an 8×4 loaf pan, 1 or 2 mini loaf pans or to make several cupcakes.
• Grease your pan well.  This orange butter cake batter sticks to the pan easily.  Even though we’re using a tube or loaf pan, be safe and grease your pan well.
• This orange butter cake can be baked in a 10 inch bundt pan.  However, this batter sticks to the pan easily and can easily get stuck in the cracks and crevices of a bundt pan.  If using a bundt pan, please, please grease your pan well.
• For a smooth batter, be sure to bring your butter, eggs, and orange juice to room temperature before you begin mixing.
• When adding your flour and buttermilk mixture to the batter, do not overmix.  This can lead to a tough cake.

If Possible, Use Fresh Orange Juice

You can use bought orange juice. However, I prefer using the zest and the juice from fresh oranges for this orange butter cake from scratch.  I know store bought orange juice can be delicious, but I believe fresh orange juice taste better in this orange butter cake, especially in the orange cake glaze.

Should I Serve Without Orange Cake Glaze

This cake is delicious naked, without a glaze.  Your taste buds will be having a party in your mouth as you bite into this orange gem.  However, you can take this simple orange butter cake to the next level of orange yum by adding the orange cake glaze.  The orange cake glaze is literally the “icing on the cake”.

How To Store Orange Butter Cake

You can store orange butter cake at room temperature for 3 days.  Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or place in a Ziploc Bag or airtight container.  

You can refrigerate this cake up to 6 days.  Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or place in a Ziploc Bag or airtight container.  

You can freeze this cake up to 3 months.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and place in a Ziploc Bag or an airtight container.  The glaze might not be quite as crunchy after being frozen, but it will still be delicious.

Easy Orange Butter Cake, Why Not?

This moist orange butter cake is on of the ultimate orange cake recipes, a true refreshing delight and a breeze to whip up.  It’s a rich, buttery cake that is full of vibrant orange flavor and it’s sure to become a family favorite.  So, why no go ahead, and treat yourself to a slice or two or three – your taste buds will be overjoyed.

In case you have any queries regarding this simple orange cake recipe feel free to reach out via the comment section or the contact page. Also, if you have tried this orange butter cake recipe, I would love to hear about your experiences.

I have linked to our related recipes below and I’m sure you will love them.

More Pound Cake And Butter Cake Recipes

• Old School Butter Cake Recipe
• Old Fashioned Butter Pound Cake (With Caramel Frosting)
• Elvis Presley Pound Cake Recipe
• Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe