This orange blossom cake is impossibly moist with just the right amount of tang and sweetness. Snag the easy, drool-worthy recipe below.
Growing up, my Grammy Eula was a legend among family members for her witty, and at times painfully true, sayings.
"Family, like fish, tend to smell after three days," she used to say. In other words, don't overstay your welcome.
"I never met a dessert that could spoil my appetite," was probably my favorite growing up, and was definitely used (although not with any measure of success) to justify my clear need for dessert at all hours of the day. That may not have worked with my parents, but I'm an adult now and I do what I want.
"The best meal is the one someone else cooks." Yet, despite her less than enthusiastic take on making meals, she could be a wizard in the kitchen.
Case in point: Grammy Eula's famous orange cake. AKA the top secret family recipe I'm sharing with you today.
This was her go-to cake recipe, and for good reason.
- It's impossibly moist thanks to the glaze poured right into the pan while the cake is still hot.
- You don't need to be a Michelin star chef to decorate this easy cake.
- This cake weathers the freezer like no other... Not that you'll have any leftovers.
Jump to:
A quick word about orange blossom water
Adding orange blossom water to this cake is my own twist and, not that this cake needs the help, gives the glaze a little something extra. If you've never baked with orange blossom water before, here are a few things you should know:
Orange blossom water (also sometimes known as orange flower water) is an essence created from the flowers of orange trees. It has a slightly bitter orange flavor and a little goes a long way.
This ingredient is often found in Middle Eastern recipes and can be commonly found at Middle Eastern markets or shops, on Amazon and at local culinary store.
While orange blossom water has a unique flavor that can be difficult to recreate, if you can't get your hands on any, finely grated orange rind can be used as a close substitute.
No. Where orange extract is made from orange fruit, orange blossom water is made from the petals of the orange tree. Substituting orange extract for orange blossom water will not produce the same flavor.
How to make an orange blossom cake
Start by making your bundt cake.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with an electric handheld mixer), whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
In separate bowls, whisk together the wet ingredients (bowl #1) and dry ingredients (bowl #2).
Alternating between the wet and dry ingredients, add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix on low until just incorporated.
Add the wet ingredients, mixing on low until just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients.
Pour the batter into a well greased bundt pan and bake at 350F for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out mostly clean.
Second, glaze the cake.
In a small saucepan, cook the ingredients for the glaze (except for the powdered sugar) over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the cake from the oven and pour about half of the glaze (about a ½ cup) over the hot cake. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
Finally, turn the cake out and decorate.
Once the cake has cooled, turn it out onto a cooling wrack. Drizzle with the remaining glaze and top with orange blossoms or other edible flowers and greenery.
Expert tips
- Over-mixing your batter can result in a cake that collapses after baking. To avoid this, mix your batter on low only and until the ingredients are just combined.
- To keep your cake from sticking to the bundt pan, grease the pan generously. I personally prefer to use a homemade pan release that's equal parts vegetable shortening, vegetable oil and flour.
- Decorating cakes with flowers: When decorating cakes with flowers, you want to make sure they're edible, clean, organic and pesticide-free. For more information, check out my post on how to safely use fresh flowers on cakes..
- Storing cut cake: Once your cake is cut, you’ll want to protect the exposed cake area. The easiest way to do this is with a piece of plastic wrap or two.
Storage
This cake can be sliced, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More citrus desserts
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I regularly update these posts and feedback from wonderful readers like you help me make them better.
Recipe
Orange Blossom Cake
This small bundt cake is sweet, tangy and perfectly moist. Topped with orange blossom water glaze.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 small bundt cake (6 cups batter) - 10 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the bundt cake:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp orange rind
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
For the glaze:
- ¼ cup butter
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ½ tsp orange blossom water
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- In a bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (oil, milk, vanilla, orange rind).
- In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture and mix on low until just incorporated.
- Add the wet ingredients, again mixing on low until just incorporated.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan.
- Bake at 350F for about 40-45 minutes.
- Combine all the ingredients for the glaze (except the powdered sugar) in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves.
- With the cake still in the pan, pour half of the glaze (about ½ cup) over it.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing it.
- Add the powdered sugar to the remaining glaze and drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Top with edible foliage like mint, parsley and jasmine or orange flowers.
Notes
- Over mixing your batter can result in a cake that collapses after baking. To avoid this, mix your batter on low only and until the ingredients are just combined.
- To keep your cake from sticking to the bundt pan, grease the pan generously. I personally prefer to use a homemade pan release that's equal parts vegetable shortening, vegetable oil and flour.
- Decorating cakes with flowers: When decorating cakes with flowers, you want to make sure they're edible, clean, organic and pesticide-free. For more information on safe practices for decorating a cake with flowers, check out this post.
- Storage: This cake can be sliced, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Storing cut cake: Once your cake is cut, you’ll want to protect the exposed cake area. The easiest way to do this is with a piece of plastic wrap or two.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 37.5g
- Sodium: 188mg
- Fat: 17.2g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Carbohydrates: 52.2g
- Fiber: .5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
Keywords: orange cake recipe, bundt cake recipe, orange blossom cake
Oh hey! You made it all the way to the bottom of this post.
Since you're still here, I wanted to share a little more with you about the woman behind the cake.
Grammy Eula was born into a coal mining family in the heart of the Midwest, the youngest of 11 children. During the second World War she worked for the Army as a civilian, which is where she met my grandfather, a wounded vet returning home from the front-lines.
What I remember most about her was her warm, caring heart, open to anyone who needed a kind ear or a shoulder to cry on. And second only to her kindness was her vibrant nature: Grammy was a keen and colorful dresser, sharp-witted and was about as good-spiritedly mischievous as they come (one year, for the retirement home Halloween party, she wore a shirt that said "manipulated" along with some skin-tight leggings and a purple wig and proceeded to walk my grandfather around on a leash with a sign that said "MY old man." Needless to say they did NOT win the retirement home costume contest... but they should have).
Jacqui DeBono says
These photos are so gorgeous! I make lemon loaf cake all the time, but never think to make an orange cake. I must make this for the next ladies' tea and cake get together!
★★★★★
Sharon says
This orange blossom cake is a dessert the whole family will love. Moist and full of citrus.
★★★★★
Pam Greer says
Your grammy sounds like a wonderful person - I love her sayings and yes, she should have one the retirement costume contest! What a gorgeous cake and what a wonderful way to remember her!
★★★★★
Tatiana says
I'm craving this cake so much!! Good to know I can substitute the orange blossom water, but I will try to find it on Amazon! Do you have a brand recommendation for this water?
★★★★★
The Simple, Sweet Life says
Hi Tatiana! Great question! I found a great Lebanese brand, Sadaf, at my local culinary store that I really liked. It looks like it's also available on Amazon if you can't find it locally: https://www.amazon.com/Sadaf-Orange-Blossom-Water-fl/dp/B00886GMWS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1SKDUV26DNJCO&keywords=sadaf+orange+blossom+water&qid=1582259841&sprefix=sadaf+or%2Caps%2C272&sr=8-2
Jenni LeBaron says
What a beautiful cake! I have a bottle of orange blossom water in my pantry just begging to be put into this delicious cake!
★★★★★
Sue says
This cake looks and sounds amazing! I look forward to trying the orange blossom water. (I've not tried it before.) What a wonderful tribute to your Grammy. It's great to see family recipes shared and adapted from one generation to the next 🙂
★★★★★
Anna says
What a stunning bundt! Love the orange flavour, and your photos are so beautiful! A slice of it wouldn't go a miss right now with my cuppa!
★★★★★
Marisa F. Stewart says
Your cake is beautiful and i bet the aroma is heavenly. This is one cake I have to make and SOON. BTW, my mom and dad had an Italian saying that was similar to your aunts. I think every culture believe in visitors only staying briefly. Lovely photos!
★★★★★
Leslie says
There is nothing better than a good, family recipe. This is seriously stunning! I absolutely love orange and I'm dying to try this! PERFECTION!
Elaine says
Such a piece of art - nothing less. I really like the composition and how you presented this cake. Definitely the recipe to hold on to.
★★★★★
kita says
Ok, lets pause for that photo of Grandma Eula at the end. Precious. And this cake! OMG so incredibly good. I love how simple it is.
★★★★★
Allison Shertzer says
I made this without the glaze (limiting sugar for kids). Used buttermilk in place of milk and put orange flower water directly in cake batter. One of the best bundt cakes I've ever had. Not too sweet and unique flavor.
★★★★★
Rama says
Hello!
I recently bought some orange blossom online. It belongs to a Lebanese company called Yamama. Here's the thing - I was hoping for a nice, citric fragrance. Instead it has a strong, floral scent. Almost like jasmine. If it weren't for the name, I'd never guess it is an orange blossom!
I would love to try your recipe - just would like to re-confirm if I have the right product on me?
Thank you!
dd says
I haven’t made this, yet! Quick question - you talked about Orange Blossom Water, but the recipe states Orange Blossom Extract - are they the same thing?
Forrest Aldrich says
Is orange blossom extract similar to orange blossom infused water -- can the water be used here and in what amount -- I understand a little goes a long way.
Sarah says
I am attempting to make this for my mom for her birthday, but I don’t have a small bundt pan- just a regular sized one. If I were to double the recipe, do you have any tips? If I were to strictly double everything, 6 eggs and 4 tsp of baking powder sounds like a lot.
bess sierra says
Can the cake be baked a day early and just leave it in the pan before i remove it, glaze it and decorate it?
Claire says
Hi Bess! When I make this cake in advance, I like to wrap it in plastic wrap once it's cooled to lock in as much moisture as possible. If you leave it in the pan, you run the risk of ending up with a dryer cake.
Bess Sierra says
Thank you Claire. I will be making this for a get together and hope to impress my family.