Orange Swirl Cake

Orange swirl cake is a simple and delicious dessert that’s perfect for any occasion! This moist and flavorful cake is made with fresh oranges, and it’s topped with a delicate orange-flavored glaze.

This orange cake is truly irresistible – the orange flavor is so bright and fresh yet not overwhelming. It’s sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it!

I found this recipe after my grandma (Gigi) passed away. There was an old shoebox that was stuffed with family recipes or recipes that my Gigi had gathered over the years.

This orange swirl pound cake has a big note on it in my Gigi’s handwriting that said, “THE BEST!!” She actually named this recipe Orange Juice Ripple Cake, but since there wasn’t any orange juice in the pound cake recipe, I omitted that.

Orange Cake Ingredients

• Softened butter
• Sugar
• Large eggs
• Sour cream
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Orange peel
• Sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Ground cinnamon

After the cake was done baking, my dad and I decided it would be delicious to add a light orange glaze. A frosting would work too, but I was worried it would overpower the orange pound cake, and it is the star of the show.

Orange Glaze Ingredients

• Softened cream cheese
• Powdered sugar
• Orange juice
• Milk
• Orange zest

How to Make Orange Swirl Cake?

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bundt pan set aside.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Cream together 1 cup softened butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3 eggs in an electric mixer. Blend in sour cream.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add to mixer. Stir in grated orange peel.
• Pour about 1/3 of the batter into the pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter. Cover with another 1/3 batter, sprinkle with remaining sugar, then top with the rest of the batter. Use a knife to cut through batter to marble/swirl together gently.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes, then let cool before turning out of the pan onto a wire cooling rack. Make the glaze while it cools completely.
• With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, then add orange juice, then milk as needed until the desired consistency is reached. It should be smooth and pourable, but not too thin so it will set.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and top with orange zest as a garnish. Slice and serve!

Recipe Tips for Baking a Bundt Cake

Bundt cakes are a type of cake that is made in a special pan that has a hole in the center. They are usually very moist and have a lot of flavors. There are many different ways to make a bundt cake, but here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Choose the right recipe. Bundt cakes can be made with many different types of recipes, so it is important to choose one that will work well with your ingredients and baking skills. If you are new to baking, try starting with a simple recipe that does not require too many steps or ingredients.

2. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Before you begin baking, make sure that the oven is preheated to the correct temperature and that the bundt cake pan is greased and floured. This will help the cake to release easily from the pan when it is done baking.

3. Be careful not to overmix the batter. When you are mixing the ingredients for the cake batter, be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can cause the cake to be tough and dense.

4. Bake the cake until it is golden brown. Bake the cake for the amount of time specified in the recipe, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be a nice, golden brown color when it is done baking.

5. Let the cake cool before serving. Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool before you add the glaze.

What’s the difference between frosting and glaze?

A frosting is usually thicker and denser than a glaze and is used to coat the outside or top of a cake. A glaze is thinner and often has a glossy sheen to it, and is used to drizzle over the top of baked goods. For this cake, I used the glaze from my Best Ever Lemon Poppyseed Cake.

Both are made with sugar, butter, and milk (or cream), but frostings typically have more sugar and butter than glazes. Frostings may also include flavorings such as vanilla extract, while glazes are usually flavored with citrus juice or zest.

What is a swirl cake?

A swirl cake is a cake that has been mixed with a spoon in order to create a spiral pattern. This type of cake is usually made with two colors of batter, such as chocolate and vanilla.

Swirl cakes can also be made with other flavor combinations, such as strawberry and chocolate. To make a swirl cake, the baker will start by spooning one color of batter into the cake pan.

Then, they will spoon the second color of batter on top of the first, and use a knife to swirl the two colors together. The result is a cake with a beautiful spiral design.

This orange swirl cake was my grandma’s favorite and now it might be mine, too! Tender, soft cake that’s bursting with orange citrus – every bite is a dream. Enjoy! XOXO San

Other Spring Cake Recipes

• Angel Food Cake
• Lemon Lime Layer Cake
• Fudge Brownie No-Bake Cheesecake

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