Beat and Bake Orange Cake

Name: Beat and Bake Orange Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1.5 cups superfine sugar; 0.5 cup milk; 0.5 cup orange juice; 0.5 cup vegetable oil; 3 eggs, beaten; 1.5 teaspoons grated orange zest; 6 tablespoons butter, softened; 2 cups confectioners' sugar; 2 tablespoons orange juice; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Beat and Bake Orange Cake is a straightforward citrus cake that delivers bright orange flavor without requiring frosting. It bakes in two formats—as tender 8-inch layers or a single 9x5-inch loaf—making it equally suited to casual weeknight baking or simple entertaining.

🌍American

Total

2h 25m

Servings

12

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$26–$43

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Allrecipes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
0.5 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder

1.5 cups superfine sugar

0.5 cup milk

0.5 cup orange juice

0.5 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

1.5 teaspoons grated orange zest

6 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

14 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
2
In a measuring cup, combine milk, 1/2 cup orange juice, oil, beaten eggs, and 1 1/2 teaspoon orange zest. Set aside.
3
Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4
Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
5
To make Orange Butter Frosting: Cream butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons orange juice to bring to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla and 1 teaspoon orange zest.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use room-temperature eggs and milk so they blend smoothly into the batter without curdling.
Don't overbake the cake layers—test doneness at 25 minutes with a toothpick; the loaf at 55 minutes. Overbaking dries out the crumb.
Grate the orange zest before juicing to avoid soggy fruit; measure zest by gently pressing it into the measuring spoon without compacting.
Soften butter to room temperature (about 65°F) so it creams evenly with sugar and incorporates air for a tender crumb.

Substitutions

Vegetable oil → melted coconut oil or canola oil (neutral flavor, 1:1 ratio)
Superfine sugar → regular granulated sugar (blend briefly in food processor; may slightly affect crumb texture)
All-purpose flour → cake flour (reduce to 1.75 cups; results in more tender crumb)

Storage & make-ahead

Store wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before dusting with icing sugar.

Common Questions

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes. The baked cake keeps well wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Slice and dust with icing sugar just before serving if desired.

What's the difference between the two baking formats?

Two 8-inch layers bake in approximately 25–30 minutes each; a single 9x5-inch loaf bakes for 60 minutes. Both use the same batter and yield the same flavor.