Sicilian Whole Orange Cake (Using an Entire Orange: Peel, Juice and Pulp)
Sicilian whole orange cake is a moist and delicious crowd-pleasing dessert. It is called a whole orange cake, because the entire orange is used, peel and all. Perfect for any occasion, but such a treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
My mother found the original Sicilian orange cake recipe for this divine baked treat on an Italian website, and I can’t even begin to describe how moist and fruity it is.
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The orange scent that fills your kitchen as it bakes is also heavenly! It contains a whole orange, peel and all (no seeds), and you’ll need another orange if you make the glaze.
The original recipe calls for an ingredient that’s mostly only available in Italy, so my mother adapted it for the rest of us and even added some yogurt, and the result is fabulous!
Many of you have asked…
What is Paneangeli or Pane Degli Angeli?
Paneangeli is the brand (translating to angel bread). Pane degli angeli means “angels’ bread” alluding to how light the product makes cakes and bakes. However, in plain English, the packets contain a vanilla-flavored baking powder.
I also use Paneangeli in this orange olive oil cake with ricotta.
To me, when I smell it, it makes me feel like I’m in Italy because it’s used in so many cakes and pastries. Sorry for the pun, but the aroma is heavenly! Getting ready for Christmas? Try these authentic Italian Christmas recipes which are great all year long!
Another Italian treat: maritozzi con panna (cream buns.)
Just know that the texture of this cake is different than a typical American cake: it’s more dense and heavy, but it’s meant to be that way. The whole orange cake also has a lovely glaze made with orange juice that soaks into the top of the cake, and works perfectly with blood oranges, too. I made a whole blood orange bundt cake to test them out (more than once)!
Tip: I once accidentally boiled the glaze into a syrup (forgot it was on the stove) and when I glazed the cake, it hardened and gave the cake a candy-like topping. I loved it! If you’d like to try this, just simmer the glaze an extra 6 or 7 minutes or so.
Everyone who’s tried it, loves it. Honestly, it’s just such a unique and crowd pleasing cake! Here’s a recent review (edited May 2023) which is only one of almost 2,800 reviews averaging 4.8 stars!
“Amazing, moist, delightful!
My whole family went back for THIRDS, didn’t last very long in our kitchen! Thanks for sharing” -Tianna
Gluten free diet? Try my gluten free recipe of this Sicilian Orange Cake!
It even gives perfect results when I make a gluten free whole orange cake. Of course, you can probably guess what I’m going to say next: you really need to use the best oranges you can get your hands on for this Sicilian whole orange cake recipe to turn out as deliciously as possible. If you can find organic, sweet, juicy oranges without a super thick rind, you’ll have it made. And if you ever have kumquats, try the same recipe to make these kumquat cupcakes.
Another of my most highly used recipes: authentic Italian tomato sauce (ready in minutes)
Just be sure to make this orange cake before citrus season is over! I’m sure there are other recipes for orange cake using fresh oranges, but I’d bet that this just may be the best orange cake in the world! It’s also perfect without the glaze as many have added in the comments and reviews.
Speaking of reviews, take a look at all the rave reviews and comments, many bakers declaring it is the best cake they’ve ever made!
Edited Dec. 2020: I’ve just made a cranberry twist to this recipe!
Edited February 2019: I’ve made this orange cake recipe in a loaf tin, and it’s perfect. I’ve also made it in a bundt tin and the amount of batter for one recipe makes a short bundt cake. If you want a larger cake, make 1.5x the recipe.
Speaking or oranges, did you know arancini means little oranges? Try my popular Sicilian rice ball recipe!
Can I Freeze this Sicilian Whole Orange Cake?
Yes, this orange cake freezes beautifully! I often have pieces in the freezer because it freezes so well!
Now adding my Sicilian Whole Lemon Cake, too! I’ve adapted this recipe for a Meyer lemon cake, too! It’s fantastic!
Do I Have to use a Food Processor to Make this Orange Cake?
I’ve been asked if a food processor or blender is necessary to make this cake and the answer is, “yes.” Unfortunately, it would be too difficult to chop the orange as finely as needed by hand. You can see how fine the orange is processed in a photo below, however, an inexpensive food processor works great.
Want to make this cake in cupcake form? Check out my orange cupcakes recipe.
EDITED 7/2022: Daniel Coffey (a reader) left a tip for those of you without food processors in the comments below. Since it might be difficult to find, I’m adding it here:
“I…cut the peel into coarse strips and then finely diced them. I put the chopped bits of orange into the spice grinder in two batches and pulsed the stick blender a few times. I tapped it on the counter top to shake down any remaining coarse bits and gave it about 30 seconds. Scrape out and repeat for the other orange half. You can then put the juice and finely chopped peels in the recipe as normal.”
Sicilian Whole Orange Cake
adapted by Lidia Conte from Pan d’Arancio from Allaciate il Grembuile
I highly recommend using a scale for this recipe and if you are deciding cups or weight, ALWAYS weigh!
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Ingredients
- eggs
- sugar
- flour
- Pane Degli Angeli (baking powder)
- butter
- Greek yogurt
- orange
- (vanilla)
- GLAZE: orange juice and sugar
Directions
Make the whole orange cake batter
Prepare an 8″ springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then spray the paper, too.
Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and creamy.
Sift the flour with the baking powder or Paneangeli, then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt.
In a food processor, or blender, process the whole orange until it is almost pureed. It should look like this~
Add the processed whole orange to the cake mixture (along with the vanilla if you used baking powder) and stir until evenly combined Put the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake the cake
Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the orange cake is done before removing from the oven. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the perimeter and remove the side of the springform pan.
Make the orange glaze
Prepare the glaze by melting the sugar in the orange juice and allow to simmer for a few minutes, just until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Spoon and brush the hot glaze over the top of the warm cake and allow to cool completely before cutting. Yes, it’s hard to wait, but the moist orange cake will cut more easily if it’s cool first.
Enjoy the Sicilian whole orange cake!
Love citrus? Try making this lemon posset, but using oranges (or an orange/lemon combo) instead! It’s honestly one of my favorite desserts! It’s similar to orange boodle, but even easier, which is saying a lot.
Oh, and I just keep making this recipe using all sorts of fruits. In addition to the whole lemon cake I shared above, I’ve also made whole apple cake, pear cake, peach cake, blood orange cake, kumquat cake (and kumquat cupcakes) and tried lime, but the rind was too bitter. I will post here when I tweak the recipe to make it work.
Aaand I’m updating to add apricot cake, mandarin orange cake, and whole Meyer lemon cake, which is divine!
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Sicilian Whole Orange Cake
Special Equipment
- 1 packet Pane Degli Angeli vanilla baking powder (Italian)
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 ⅛ cups sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder OR 1 packet Italian Pane Degli Angeli vanilla baking powder
- ⅓ cup butter salted, softened
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt plain (yes, sour cream works, too)
- 1 orange approximately 1 large fresh, sweet, organic: washed and cut into pieces (keep the rind, but remove the seeds)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (ONLY USE IF USING PLAIN BAKING POWDER)
Glaze
- 2 ½ oz orange juice freshly squeezed juice of one large, organic orange
- 3 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Make the whole orange cake
- Prepare an 8" springform pan by greasing and lining the bottom in parchment paper (sides optional, if you want really clean sides), then grease the paper, too.
- Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Sift the flour with the baking powder or Paneangeli then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter. Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt.
- In a food processor, process the whole orange until it is almost pureed.
- Add this orange to the cake mixture (along with the vanilla if you used plain baking powder) and stir until evenly combined, then put the batter into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on your oven), but test with a cake tester or skewer to make sure the orange cake is done before removing from the oven. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan.
Make the orange glaze
- Prepare the glaze by melting the sugar in the orange juice and allow to simmer for a few minutes, just until the liquid has a syrupy consistency.
- Spoon and brush over the top of the cake and allow to cool completely before cutting.
Notes
- I've received lots of emails and messages about the discrepancy in the measurements between metric and cups: THIS RECIPE WILL TURN OUT BEAUTIFULLY WHETHER YOU USE EITHER MEASUREMENT, which isn't normally the case (I normally recommend metric as it's more precise.)
- Measurements are NOT critical in this cake recipe. For some reason, it's extremely forgiving.
- I do not line the sides of the pan, but for perfect results, you may.
- Thousands of reviews can't be wrong.
- I've made this orange cake recipe in a loaf tin, and it's perfect.
- I've also made it in a bundt tin and the amount of batter for one recipe makes a short bundt cake. If you want a full size bundt cake, make 1.5x the recipe.
- Yes, it's hard to wait, but the moist orange cake will cut more easily if it's cool first.
- When I published this recipe almost a decade ago, it was the ONLY WHOLE ORANGE CAKE RECIPE in ENGLISH online. My mother found it on an Italian website (which I credit.) This is the original in English.
Nutrition
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Thank you so much for sharing this delicious and amazing cake! I have made it 3 times! Not all for us of course, one for my husband and I, one for my brother and his family and also for work. I can’t get over how absolutely DIVINE it is. It is a bit more dense but it is OH SO YUMMY and definitely need this texture with the orange glaze otherwise the orange glaze will make it soggy if it’s a sponge cake that’s airy and light. The cake is the right texture with this oozing lovely orange glaze! I could eat a whole cake to myself if I could! Thank you again
Oh this is such a lovely review, Imelda, thank you! So happy you enjoyed it so much, and making it three times already! Nice! So happy you love the recipe :)
And thank you for spelling ‘divine’ correctly! I swear, if I see it spelled DEVINE one more time…ugh.
I just got done reading the reviews and noticed some questions users were struggling with. First off this is a pretty basic whole orange cake for the European world. A lot of German in my family and we love our citrus. I’ve made a few variations of this (including this one) and it is hard to go wrong when you follow the recipe. For those asking about the boiling method…It is common practice for the lesser orange or the more delicate of taste buds to boil a whole uncut orange for 25 minutes. This removes some of the bitterness from the pith, allowing the oil of the fruit to truly shine. Just pop your slightly cooled boiled orange whole in the food processor and go forward with the recipe from there.
If your cake has turned out too dense it is either because you or not used to European version of cakes or most likely you over mixed. Too much air in the cake will actually cause the structure on a molecular level to collapse during the rise and fall in on itself creating the denser version. Also if your oven temp hasn’t ever been calibrated now is the time to do so. Super easy tutorials on the web to help lose those hot spots in the oven that can frustrate even the most advanced baker. In this particular recipe, a rubbery texture usually is from the quality of ingredients used (and over mixing is a culprit many times too especially the butter) The simpler a recipe the more important it is to buy a higher quality ingredient since the flavors are meant to be singularly showcased. Hope this helps!
Hi Katie, thanks so much for your suggestions! That’s so kind of you. I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment about readers not expecting this type of texture in the cake. I don’t know of any American cake with this texture, so although many are pleasantly surprised, a few are wondering if they did something wrong.
A few things I also really agree with: it’s SO important to have a calibrated oven and a thermometer is essential for this. Also, the quality of ingredients are critical in this recipe because if a sour orange is used, the cake just won’t taste good. Your last note about the simpler the recipe, the more important the quality of ingredients is something I highlight often! Thank you so much!
I made this orange cake today as I have an abundance of home grown navel oranges. I don’t have a food processor so I whisked the eggs and sugar by hand. I course grated the orange peel then chopped the orange with a knife. Transferred all the orange, juice and rind into a large bowl and used an electric hand blender to puree. The cake was light and moist not dense like some reviews. Beautiful flavour and texture. I added an extra dessert spoonful of sugar to glaze as I had a lot of juice from the 2nd orange. Huge hit with my husband. I have shared the recipe and photos to friends already. Will make again, maybe try muffins too. Love it. Thank you so much
Glad to hear you made it work Leona, however, I want to advise others who are making this with a food processor/blender, that this cake IS dense, and by nature of the recipe, not light. You didn’t use the whole rind which will completely change the texture of the cake. I’m sure it’s still delicious, but it’s end result will be different than making it with the whole orange. I just don’t want readers thinking it’s a light and fluffy cake.
I do hope you also give the muffins a go as those ARE truly light and fluffy! Thanks, Leona and happy baking!
Hi Christina
I did use the whole orange in my cake, I grated the peel with the course side of the grater. The whole orange, peel, pith, flesh and juice were included. Maybe as I mixed by hand I didn’t over beat the mixture, which could happen with a food processor? This was a large organic navel Orange so maybe the amount of fruit and juice it contained made it lighter? In any event I will make it again. We also have 2 lemon trees so that’s next on my list! Thank you for sharing.
Oh, my mistake, Leona! I thought when you said you grated the orange, I thought that’s all you used of the skin. Well that’s great, then! The cake isn’t made in the food processor, only the orange is put into it. Also, everyone’s thought on what a “light” cake is subjective, so we’ll never really know. Thanks for the additional info and so glad you’ll be making the lemon cake, too! Enjoy!
HIgh Altitude Baking.
I have made this cake now several times and love it. Very moist cake lasts well. I poke some little holes in the top with a toothpick so glaze soaks in. The recipe is also very forgiving. Have used milk instead of yoghurt cut down to just 50 cc as I was worried might be too liquid this worked with no problems . I tried cooking at 6000 ft for the first time. Cake was still yummy but had risen a little quickly and sunk in the middle. I had decreased the baking powder to 2 tablespoon and cooked at a lower temperature. Will try with even less baking powder next time.
That’s great Louise, but if you put 2 Tbsp of baking powder, that could be the reason for the rising problem. It’s supposed to be 2 1/2 TEASPOONS, not tablespoons. Enjoy the next time, it will be perfect!
My typo only used teaspoons Yes tablespoons would cause a vesuvius type cake!
Haha! Oh good! :)
I made this for the first time yesterday and it won’t be the last, I can tell you! It’s delicious! I added a teaspoon of ground coriander and some poppy seeds because I often improvise and it turned out great, so moist and full of flavour. Thanks for the recipe :-)
Thank you so much, Karen!! I’m so glad! Would you mind leaving a star rating (in the printable recipe card?) Thank you!