Eggless Orange Cake recipe
Updated: September 2, 2022, By Swasthi
Eggless Orange Cake Recipe – Celebrate the citrus season with this super delicious, light and fluffy Orange cake. In this post I share 2 recipes to make eggless orange cake. Both the recipes are simple and easy to make. Similar to many of my eggless cake recipes shared earlier, this easy orange cake recipe requires no mixer or beater. Just prepare the wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately. Mix the wet and the dry, you batter is ready in minutes! Bake it either in an oven or on the stovetop in a cooker or in a heavy bottom kadai.
About Orange Cake
There are numerous orange cake recipes popular across the world. Some make it with fresh orange juice, some with the whole oranges blended and incorporated into the batter. A simplest orange cake recipe has some juice and orange zest added to the basic cake batter. Both my recipes here are made the same way with orange juice and zest added to the batter.
My recipes
The first recipe is adapted from this Eggless Vanilla Cake, by replacing water with orange juice. This bakery style cake has a mild orange flavor and if you prefer stronger flavor you can add more orange zest. This one is made with all-purpose flour, condensed milk, butter, little sugar, orange juice and zest.
This orange cake has a richer flavor and texture due to the condensed milk and butter. If you have never baked a cake with condensed milk then you are missing out something. The texture of this orange cake is soft but not delicately soft or dense but it is in between both making it great for decorations and frostings.
This is the one you should be baking if you want to make it for a special occasion. This cake goes so well with an orange glaze or cream cheese frosting. You can also drizzle some melted chocolate.
The second recipe is a vegan cake. It is much like a tea cake & can be served with a cup of tea or milk. This recipe is from a Jewish site & I have made it a lot of times with good success.
This is best served warm. You can also make a few variations to this cake by adding nuts, tutti-fruttis or even chocolate chips.
I have tried both these cakes with fine wheat flour. If you do not like the nutty aroma of wheat flour in cakes, then please use organic all-purpose flour or at least unbleached white flour.
If you do not have a oven, you may bake this cake in a cooker or a heavy bottom kadai referring to this detailed post on Cooker Cake.
Photo Guide
Recipe 1 – Bakery style cake with orange juice & condensed milk
How to make orange cake (stepwise photos)
1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C or 360 F. Grease and flour a 7 inch cake tin evenly. Shake off the excess and set aside.
2. Place a sieve over a larger mixing bowl. Add 1¼ flour, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Sieve at least twice for uniform mixing. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix together ¼ cup melted butter, 200 ml condensed milk, ½ cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar & 1½ tablespoon orange zest.
4. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is uniform & sugar dissolves.
5. Add flour little by little, few tbsps at one time. Mix well with a whisk or spatula to prevent lumps & incorporate the flour to the liquid ingredients. Do not over mix the batter.
6. Pour this to the greased 7 inch cake tin. Tap twice to remove the bubbles if any. Place the cake pan in the middle rack.
7. Bake it for 24 to 28 mins or till the cake is done. A tester inserted must come out clean. If the tester is not clean (moist or wet crumbs) then bake for a little longer. Adjust the baking timing as needed.
8. Place the cake pan over a wired rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then remove to a wired rack.
Cool completely and slice the eggless orange cake.
Photo Guide
Recipe 2
Vegan orange cake with stepwise photos
I have made this cake a lot of times with organic refined coconut oil and wheat flour. The cake turns out to be fine for snacking. But If you are making it for an occasion then I suggest to make it with all-purpose flour.
My cake had a deep orange color as I used wheat flour and fresh orange juice. If using all-purpose flour it will turn lighter in color.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tbsps Orange zest (check notes in recipe card)
- 1/3 cup oil (or melted butter, 80 ml) ( I used refined organic coconut oil)
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (I used apple cider)
Instructions
1. Grease or line a 8 inch cake pan. Preheat the oven to 180 C or 360 F for at least 15 mins. If you do not have a 8 inch pan, then use a 6 inch pan and some ramekins to make cupcakes. I did that here.
2. Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl and add 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Sieve all of them. If using wheat flour, sieve again.
3. Add ¾ cup sugar and 1 ½ tablespoon orange zest. Mix everything well.
4. Pour 1/3 cup oil, 1 cup orange juice & 1 tablespoon vinegar. I used organic coconut oil and homemade fresh orange juice from the slow juicer.
5. Gently mix together to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.
6. Pour it to the cake pan. Tap it to the counter twice to release any air bubbles. I poured it to a 6 inch pan and the rest to 3 ramekins. Place the cake pan in the middle rack.
7. Bake it for 24 to 27 mins. A tester inserted comes out clean if the cake is baked completely. If the tester isn’t clean then continue to bake for a little longer. Adjust the timing based on your oven.
8. Place the cake pan on a wired rack and cool for 10 minutes. Then invert it over the rack. This cake is very tender so cool it completely before slicing.
This is the texture of the cake after slicing.
Related recipes
Eggless Fruit Cake
Eggfree Chocolate cake
Eggless Black Forest cake
Eggless Carrot cake
Related Recipes
Recipe card
Eggless Orange Cake Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour or wheat flour (refer notes 1)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar for sweeter cake (refer notes 2)
- 200 ml condensed milk (¾ cup + 2 tbsps)
- ¼ cup melted butter (or oil)
- ½ cup orange juice (2 to 3 tbsps more if using wheat flour) (notes 3)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1½ tablespoon orange zest (refer notes 4)
Instructions
Recipe 1 – Preparation
- Grease and flour a 7 inch cake pan. Or Alternately grease and line with a butter paper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C or 360 F for at least 15 mins. If using a OTG. both the heating elements (top & bottom) should be On or follow the Manual for baking a cake.
- Sieve together flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. If using wheat flour repeat the sieve twice more.
- To another bowl, pour melted butter, sugar (optional), orange zest, orange juice, condensed milk & vinegar.
- Whisk until uniformly mixed.
How to make eggless orange cake
- Add the flour little by little in batches to the liquid ingredients & mix until just combined.
- Next add the flour in batches and mix. Avoid over mixing the batter.
- Transfer this to the greased pan. Tap the pan to the counter twice to remove any bubbles.
- Bake it for 24 to 28 mins or until a tester comes out clean.
- Adjust the timing as needed. This depends on the oven used. When done completely, a tester inserted comes out clean.
- Keep the cake pan for cooling on a rack for 10 mins and then remove it to the rack.
- Cool Completely before frosting or slicing.
Recipe 2 – Vegan orange cake
- Grease & dust with flour a 8 inch cake pan or simply grease and line. Preheat the oven to 180 C or 360 F for at least 15 mins. If you do not have a 8 inch pan, then use a 6 inch pan and 2 ramekins.
- Place a sieve over a large mixing bowl and add 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/8 tsp salt. Sieve the ingredients to the bowl.
- Add ¾ cup sugar and 1 ½ tbsps orange zest. Mix everything well.
- Pour 1/3 cup oil (80 ml), 1 cup orange juice & 1 tablespoon vinegar.
- Gently mix with a spatula or a whisk to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.
- Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Tap it to the counter twice to release any air bubbles.
- Bake the orange cake for 24 to 27 mins. When the cake is fully baked, a tester inserted comes out clean. Bake a little longer if it is moist in the center. Adjust the timings as every oven is different.
- Cool the eggless orange cake pan over a wired rack for 10 mins. Invert it over the rack and cool completely.
Notes
- Flour: I have made this cake with fine wheat flour and turned out good for us. If you do not like the taste of wheat flour in bakes, then use all-purpose flour. For a very light cake, use cake flour.
- Sugar: If you like your cake to be sweeter or you do not intend to frost your cake, then use 2 to 3 tbsps of sugar mentioned in the recipe.
- Orange juice: If using wheat flour then add 2 to 3 tbsps more of orange juice.
- Orange Zest: Grate the orange peel on a fine grater. Avoid using the pith or the white part of the orange peel as it tastes bitter.
- Flour: You can use wheat flour or all-purpose flour. I felt the cake has more nutty flavor. (a dominant flavor of atta). I won’t suggest making this with atta if you want to make this for an occasion. However half and half (1:1) ratio of wheat and all-purpose flour works well.
- The step by step pictures and video were shot at different times. I used wheat flour in the pictures and all-purpose flour in the video.
- Pan size: Use a 8 inch cake pan. In the video I used a 6 inch pan so the cake top had cracks and took a little longer. If you do not have a 8 inch pan, simply use a 6 inch pan and 2 ramekins to fill the excess batter.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Can we substitute pulp mango juice or any other juice for orange juice?
Hi,
It may work but I haven’t tried it.
Hi Swasthi
Thanks for this eggless cake recipe. Can we substitute oil for butter in recipe 1?
Hi Soumia,
Yes you can use neutral oil.
Hi Swasthi , thank you so much for your recipe. I made this vegan orange cake for my kitty party and it was such a hit. It turned out so soft and moist and brilliant orange flavor. I used wheat flour and maida in the ratio 2:1. The biggest plus of the recipe is it is so so easy to make and all ingredients are off your kitchen rack only. A big thank you.
Hi Varsha,
So glad it came out good. Thank you for sharing back how it went for you
Hello Swasthi, do we use sweetened condensed milk in this?
Hello Anu,
yes, it is sweetened condensed milk
I double the orange zest for the vegan orange cake. Turned out awesome. Very delicious and soft.
Glad you like it Neha. Thank you.
Made the vegan orange cake. It was awesome. Everyone loved it. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Glad to know Jaya
Thank you!
Hello, looking forward to trying this today…I LIKE TO USE ALMOND FLOUR (SLIGHTY COARSER FOR NICE TEXTURE, NOT FINELY MILLED) do you think k I need to adjust anything? cooking time perhaps?. Many thanks
Hello Robyn,
I haven’t tried this any time with almond flour. Sorry I’m not sure
Hi Swasthi,
I tried the tea cake version and it came out very well. It was soft and delicate like you mentioned and tastes yummy. I added choco chips this time and though the combination is very good I felt the chocolate overtook the orange flavour. Next time is going to be pure orange only. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Nitya
Glad it came out well. Yes some people don’t like chocolate with orange. As you said next time try it plain. Thank you!
Made this cake n it came out very well…juz love it
Thanks Priya
Hi Swasthi, love your recipes and keen to try this one! can you suggest an alternative to condensed milk ? Trying to keep it dairy free.
Hi Deepthi,
I have shared 2 recipes in this post. One of these is vegan.
Hi Swasti,
Tried many of your recipes and turns out awesome every time. Planning to make orange cake, Can you also update if not in oven how to bake on gas top Is it possible?
Hi Sudha
Thank you! I haven’t tried this cake in the cooker so can’t tell the exact time. I have a separate post on baking in a cooker or kadai. Please check it here – cooker cake. If you are trying the second recipe (without condensed milk) it should be done in 50 to 60 mins in a 7 inch pan. Hope this helps
yeah definitely, will check and i am going to try with condensed milk 🙂
Thank u,
I want the recipe of banana bread, because one day I made it became taste less the smell is also not good.Can you tell what’s wrong in that bread.
Hi Kavitha
I will be sharing a different recipe for banana bread soon. Meanwhile you can check this old recipe banana bread. The flavor won’t be good if you don’t use the right kind of oil. Try with melted butter.
Hi, I want to make orange cake but the flavour will come tasty or we should add orange essence & colour to it. I am morphy Richard 28lts OTG.Please send me some tips to bake.
Hi Kavitha
Yes it comes out good even without essence or any flavor and color. Orange zest is good enough for flavor. I use the oranges that are deeper in color (like santra in India) which gives the natural color to the cake. For using your oven, pls follow the manual.
Hi, I want to make orange cake, but the flavour will come tasty or we should some orange essence & colour to it.please give some tips.I am using morphy richard 28lts otg.
hi, I want to make orange cake,the flavour will come with orange juice & zest or we should add essence and colour of same flavour. Please send me some tips to bake.I am using morphy richard 28 lts OTG.
Thank you for the recipe. I tried the vegan type. First time tried with 1 cup wheat flour and 1/4 cup sorghum flour. Its bit sticky but tastes awesome. Is the stickiness because of the flour? Otherwise its simply perfect.
Welcome Sasirekha,
Overmixing cake batter can make the cake sticky, chewy or even gluey. It is not due to flour. Just mix it until well combined. Avoid using cold ingredients. Thanks for rating the recipe. Hope this helps.
Hey Swasthi, Hope you are fine. It’s been few years that I am trying your recipes and all turns out not only good but awesome.
Can I use the bottled orange juice which is 100% juice without sugar and tastes slight bitter at the end of the sip ?
Thanks
Monika
Hi Monika
I am good. Thank you! I remember you.
🙂
Yes You can use. I have made the first recipe with bottled juice. It works well. Thanks for rating the recipe.
Thanks for the reply Swasthi. I am glad that you still remember me ?
I have missed to rate the recipe till now but believe me each of it are deserves five stars. I have tried Idli and Dosa better, varieties of cake, burger tikki and so many vegetable curries. And all turned out awesome.
Previously I was using cooked rice in dosa better but from your recipe note I knew that the rice gets stale till the time better comes to an end. The recipes are best balance of taste and nutrients both.
Indeed you are a kitchen queen. Your family must be feeling proud of you ?
Warm regards,
Monika
Welcome Monika
So happy to know you have tried a lot of recipes. Thank you so much!
🙂
Can we use lemon juice instead of vinegar? Trying the vegan version.
Yes you can use lemon juice
Hi Swasthi,
Thanks a lot for your prompt responses. I tried my hands first time in baking and it turned out good. Though little wet but as my cake tin is 6-7 inches. So as u replied on other post, i could have increased the baking time little more.
Another thing, it was vegan so double bonus.
Hi Namrata
You are welcome! Yes if you use a smaller pan, bake little longer. If you use a bigger pan, cut down the baking time.
Hi Swasthi,
I have been following your blog & recipes for many years & have had good results always!
I’m planning to try this orange cake soon but I cant find the step where you added orange juice, only zest is mentioned. Kindly advise
Thank you?
Hi Juhi,
Thank you! Orange juice goes with the condensed milk. I fixed it.
Thanks again
Hi Swasthi,
I tried Orange cake with wheat flour in a bread loaf pan. It took @ 45 mins in an oven but just came out good for me. Though it is little dense. I felt the better consistancy little hard but thank God that I went through the notes which was saying to add 2-3 tbsp orange juice if taking wheat flour. So I did and it tastes awesome. I want to ask that does all the wheat flour cakes come out dense? Or I am mistaken somewhere ?
Further, can we use curd in cake recipes ?
Hi Monika
Glad to know it turned out good. Yes wheat flour in any cakes comes out dense & even the flavor is a bit different. But if making chocolate cakes, wheat flour or millet flours work well.Though they are dense, flavor is good. Regarding curd, it depends on the recipe. I use it only to make sponge cake. I prefer milk and vinegar instead.
Hope this helps
Hey Swasthi, Hope you are fine. It’s been few years that I am trying your recipes and all turns out not only good but awesome.
Can I use the bottled orange juice which is 100% juice without sugar and tastes slight bitter at the end of the sip ?
Thanks
Monika
Is this recipe for 1kg cake?
What kind of frosting will go with Recipe 1
Orange flavored cream cheese frosting goes well.