Whole Orange Bundt Cake

So much of our kitchen experience involves throwing parts of food into the trashcan, right?  I hate that part.  Because I hate it, I have an entire bag full of onion tops and skins in my freezer for a future vegetable or chicken stock that will happen as soon as I need that freezer space for something more important.  

I’ve also started to compost with great abandon.  Notice that I said with great ‘abandon’ not with great success.  Learning… I’m learning. 

Because I hate to waste, I absolutely LOVE a recipe that uses the whole of something.  You know… a recipe that uses both beets and their greens, carrots and their tops, ORANGES AND THEIR PEEL!  

You can see the orange peel bits in the crumb of this cake.  The juice and flesh of the orange will moisten and flavor the cake.  The peel adds a really lovely textural element and a surprising lightly bitter bite.  It’s so satisfying – making for a long-life, under-a-cake-dome, visitor’s coffee cake.  

Oh what’s this casual pile of cake on the counter?  Mine all mine – with plenty to share, probably.

Here’s what we’ll need for this WHOLE ORANGE CAKE!  

•  Whole oranges. Since we’re using the orange, pith + peel and all, it’s important to use thin-skinned oranges.  Navel oranges can be thin-skinned (give them a squeeze). And try Cara Cara oranges, too!
• Butter and sour cream for the cake batter.
• 4 large eggs for the cake batter. 
• AND! Brown sugar, flour, and lots of spices for the coffee cake style crumble  

First we’ll slice all of the oranges into large chunks.  

See if there are any seeds sneaking around in the oranges.  Get those outta there.  

All of the oranges go into a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.  

We’ll pulse to start, then process all of the orange bits to a thick and chunky paste.  It won’t be completely smooth and that’s ok.  The mixture will moisten the batter and give it texture, too!

This is a trust-the-process moment.

We’ll measure 1 1/2 cups of the orange mixture into a measuring cup.

Depending on the size of the oranges, you may only need 2 oranges instead of 3.  See how it goes! 

The cake batter comes together first by creaming together butter and sugar.  

The butter is softened to room temperature and the sugar is granulated.  

Beat on low speed, with the paddle attachment, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.  It actually will look fluffy!  Just give it some time.  I’d say a good five minutes.  

Eggs.  One at a time.  Incorporated for one full minute before another egg is added.  

This may feel like a step you can skip, but don’t! Incorporating the eggs thoughtfully helps them do the good work of stabilizing and the cake rise to great heights.  

After the eggs, vanilla extract! 

Let’s get these dry ingredients going:  

Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – lightly whisked together in a bowl so they can get to know each other before they formally meet the cake batter.   

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture.

Give it a mix on low speed just until the flour is lightly incorporated. 

Add all of the orange matter, along with the sour cream to the thickening cake batter.

Again, give it a low speed mix to incorporate it juuuust so. 

We’ll finish by adding the remainder of the dry ingredients, beating on low speed to incorporate.  

Are you seeing a theme here?  

I like to stop the mixer and scape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  There’s always a pocket of dry ingredients hiding in there.  Finish with a fast burst on the mixer to fully incorporate and finish the batter. 

The batter will be thick.  We’re doing dang great!

I love a crumble in a cake:  flour and brown sugar and spices.  That layer of flavor is just a nice surprise. 

We’ll add butter to our spiced crumble and work it together with our fingers. 

Some big chunks of butter and the mixture will the sandy.  

Half of the batter makes its way into a greased and floured pan.  Spread evenly.  

Top with more than half of the crumble mixture and use a butterknife to swirl cake batter over the crumble.  Mixed but not too mixed, ya know? 

Top with the remaining batter.  

And say yes to more crumble on top (which will end up being the bottom of the cake).  Swirl the crumble into the batter for the last time. 

Bake the cake for a good 45 to 55 minutes.  To test the cake, insert a toothpick.  If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the cake is likely done.  If the toothpick comes out with wet batter, give it some more time in the oven.  

One of life’s great mysteries:  when to invert the bundt cake from the pan to a wire rack.  

Right?

I’ve had the most success with allowing the cake to cook to juuuust warm.  Certainly not hot and not completely cooled.  Run a knife along the end of the pan in the space between the cake and the pan. Loosen the cake.  Say a small prayer.  Invert.  

I like this cake served with lightly whipped cream.  You can absolutely add a light glaze to the cake using powdered sugar + orange juice + vanilla extract.  

This is a lovely visitors cake to have on a cake stand for weekend guests.  

Slices also freeze well, individually wrapped and placed in a freezer-safe bag.  

It’s morning cake, afternoon-with-tea cake, and midnight snack cake.  Won’t you try it!?

These photos shot with my friend: Jon Melendez. 

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