Name: Whole Orange Butter Cake for Sweet Easy Recipes Lovers
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 whole seedless orange (washed and quartered); 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt

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If you’ve ever looked at a whole orange and thought, ‘I wonder what would happen if I just tossed the whole thing into a cake batter,’ then you and I are on the same zesty wavelength. This Whole Orange Butter Cake is proof that sometimes the best desserts start with a little curiosity and a lot of citrus. The peel? In. The pulp? Absolutely. The result? A rich, buttery loaf with the bright punch of orange that doesn’t hold back. What makes this cake even better is that it checks all the boxes for those of us who live for sweet easy recipes. No complicated steps, no fussy techniques—just real ingredients doing their thing. I’ve made this cake on lazy Sunday mornings, during midweek baking therapy sessions, and even as a last-minute ‘oh no I forgot it’s potluck day’ dessert. It never disappoints. If you’re into easy dessert recipes, love baked goods recipes that actually work, and believe that simple homemade sweets – easy recipes especially – are the best kind of comfort food, you’ll want to bookmark this one. And hey, it even smells amazing while baking. Like a citrus hug for your kitchen. Let’s bake, shall we?

1) Key Takeaways

This orange butter cake uses the *entire* orange, peel and all.
The flavor is bright, buttery, and not overly sweet—perfect for citrus lovers.
It’s a simple loaf cake recipe, great for both new and seasoned bakers.
Only one bowl and a blender needed. No mixer required.
It stores well and tastes even better the next day.

2) Easy Whole Orange Butter Cake Recipe

If there’s one cake that feels like a warm hug wrapped in citrusy sunshine, it’s this Whole Orange Butter Cake. The recipe is as low-stress as they come, using basic ingredients you probably already have on hand—and a whole orange. Yep, peel and all. Sounds bold? It is. But it works, beautifully. The result is a sweet easy recipe with flavor that’s bright but balanced.

One of my favorite things about this cake is that it hits all the right notes for easy dessert recipes. No long list of ingredients. No fussy steps. Just straightforward baking, the kind that feels grounding and smells like home. It’s ideal for weeknight baking, casual brunches, or when you just want to treat yourself to a citrusy slice of something lovely.

If you’ve been craving simple homemade sweets – easy recipes you can bake on repeat – this is the one to pin down. With a short prep time and a quick clean-up, it’s perfect when your brain says “bake,” but your energy says “nope.” And let me tell you, the leftovers (if there are any) taste even better the next day.

3) Ingredients for Whole Orange Butter Cake

1 whole seedless orange: Use the entire orange—peel, pulp, everything (minus seeds). This gives the cake that amazing bold citrus flavor.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: Butter makes everything better. Here, it gives the cake richness and moisture.

3/4 cup granulated sugar: Just enough to sweeten things without overpowering the natural orange goodness.

2 large eggs: These add structure and help the cake hold its shape. Plus, they make the crumb tender.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the citrus, adding warmth and depth to the flavor.

1 cup all-purpose flour: The base of the cake—keeps things light and easy.

1/2 teaspoon baking powder: Adds lift and keeps the texture fluffy.

1/4 teaspoon baking soda: Reacts with the orange’s acidity to boost rise.

1/4 teaspoon salt: Just a bit to bring everything into balance. Don’t skip it!

4) How to Make Whole Orange Butter Cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan. This is your stage—set it right and the rest will follow smoothly.

Step 2. Quarter your orange, toss it in a blender, and blend until you’ve got a bright orange puree. You’ll want it smooth with a little texture—kind of like thick applesauce.

Step 3. In a big mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Go for fluffy here, not just combined.

Step 4. Crack in your eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Your batter should be silky and a bit glossy now.

Step 5. Pour in your blended orange. This is the fun part. The batter will start to smell incredible already.

Step 6. In a second bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir it into the wet mixture until it just comes together—don’t overmix.

Step 7. Pour the batter into your loaf pan, spread it out gently, and bake for 40–45 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown edges and a toothpick that comes out clean.

Step 8. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let it cool fully before slicing—if you can wait that long!

5) Tips for Making Whole Orange Butter Cake

Before you go all-in on this cake, let me share a few little tricks that have made a big difference in my kitchen.

First up, use a seedless orange if you can. If you can’t, no worries—just take a minute to remove the seeds. You really don’t want bitter bites interrupting your sweet easy recipe.

Second, soften your butter ahead of time. Don’t microwave it. Let it sit on the counter while you prep your ingredients. You’ll get a better texture that way, and your batter will come together more smoothly.

And here’s a bonus: zest another orange and add it in if you want a stronger citrus punch. Or sprinkle a bit of sugar on top before baking for a light crunch. These little extras can take baked goods recipes from good to ‘where has this been all my life?’

6) Making Whole Orange Butter Cake Ahead of Time

Planning ahead? You’re in luck. This cake actually tastes better a day later. The citrus mellows a bit and the texture becomes even softer, kind of like it took a nap and woke up fluffier.

If I know I’ll need dessert for a dinner the next day, I bake this cake the night before. Once it cools completely, I wrap it snug in plastic wrap and leave it at room temp. No fridge needed unless it’s super hot where you live.

This is one of those simple homemade sweets – easy recipes that give you wiggle room. And we all love a dessert that gives us breathing room, right?

7) Storing Leftover Whole Orange Butter Cake

Let’s say (miraculously) you have leftovers. Here’s how to keep them tasting fresh. Once the cake is cool, wrap slices individually or keep the loaf whole, wrapped tight in plastic wrap or foil.

Stored at room temp, it’ll last about 3 days. If you refrigerate it, you can stretch that to 5. Either way, bring it to room temperature before eating. The flavors pop more that way, and the texture goes back to its buttery best.

If you want to freeze it, wrap it first in plastic, then in foil. It freezes like a champ. When the craving strikes, let it thaw overnight on the counter and enjoy.

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