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 oz orange juice freshly squeezed juice of one large, organic orange
- 2 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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This cake is a fairly regularly made in my kitchen. It’s just so good and very easy to make. Don’t be put off by not having to boil the orange first – I promise you there is nothing bitter about it. Serve it as a cake or even warm by a very quick blast in the microwave served with clotted cream or really good proper dairy ice cream. It’s a real crowd pleaser
Oooh, clotted cream would be wonderful with this cake! Thank you, Kay! Lovely review!
I have made this cake twice..its perfection! I made it most recently on new years eve & added a handful of coarsely chopped cranberries as I had half of a bag leftover. it was SO good!
Oh yes! I LOVE cranberries and orange together! Thanks so much, Luanne!
This was very easy to make ! Everyone ate it up in a day ! My 8 yr old grandson had me make another one just for him .
That’s saying something, Mary! Kids don’t normally like bitter, so clearly, the cake isn’t bitter. How about that!? :) Thank you!
I have made the Sicilian whole orange cake at least twice and each time it was fantastic. It was delicious, moist, and sweet but not too sweet. Highly recommend!
Thanks, Monika! I appreciate your review!!
You can’t use whole oranges unless they’re boiled in water for at least one hour! The bitter peel loses its bitterness, and the whole oranges get soft and much easier to have them pureed.
Hey Lisa, even though you’ve given this recipe 3 out of 5 stars without making it, I’m not deleting your review. No, I’ll let other readers who have made and raved about this cake comment on your “review.”
I would never leave a review of a restaurant I’ve never been to, or a store I’ve never shopped at, so why do people feel entitled to do so on recipes? I’ll never understand. Have a better day! CC
(Btw this recipe has a 4.8 star average rating from 2559 votes of those who have actually made this cake.)
Lisa, I have actually taken the time to make this cake as the recipe describes, and it was beautiful. I really don’t think it’s fair that you write a review, when you haven’t even tried the recipe! Please try it, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised!
Thank you, Tara!!
I have made this cake countless times and it is always the star of the dessert table. If softened in water or boiled it would change the texture to mush once processed in the food processor. You want to have those flavorful bits of rind and pith:).
This cake is a 5-star cake with the recipe as is- this is one you don’t want to change!
Thank you so much, Lisa! I appreciate your review! :)
Have you even made the cake as directed? If you had you would know that the orange peel does not leave a bitter taste. The cake is so good when made as indicated in the recipe. I have made it at least twice and each time it was perfect.
Thanks, Monika!
You may want to actually try the recipe before you review it. I’ve made this cake many times. It absolutely is not bitter. It is, in fact, a family favorite. If you decide to make this cake, do use high quality ingredients. Perhaps you have not done so in the past and that has caused your product to be bitter?
Thank you, Judy. No, she hasn’t actually made the cake, but has left a review. Rather unfair, if you ask me.
Hey Lisa, I can’t believe you put a review about this cake you haven’t even tried making. This has to be the easiest cake to make, ever. It’s fool proof and every time I make it, I’m always complimented by friends or family. It’s moist and delicious. Give it a go and decide for yourself
Dear Lusa, I have made both the Orange Sicilian and The Lemon many many times as per Christina’s directions. it comes out moist and extremely delicious. Both cakes are a hit each time I make them. You may not be familiar with this process. If you haven’t tried it, you should . You’ll be very surprised. Christina would not post a recipe if it would come out bitter and tasteless.
Thanks so much, Michele. The problem is that she doesn’t know that I’m a stickler for good recipes because I’m sure she just came across the recipe, wrote a review, and left. :(
cake was not bitter at all and I followed the recipe exactly! I thought it tasted amazing! have made it a few times and the lemon one as well! Make it first then decide
That may be the experience you have had Lisa, but I have made this wonderful cake many times over the years. I follow the directions as written by Christina on her site and have never had it fail to be absolutely delicious every time. Have you tried making the recipe yet or are you going on past experience? I hope you try it. It really is quite wonderful. Good luck
Rather bold to rate and review a recipe you haven’t made, especially one that’s already so highly rated. 🤷
I’ve made this cake numerous times and it’s delicious. I love that none of the orange is thrown away, just a blast in the blender and it’s ready to go.
Christina stresses the importance of using high quality ingredients and I think that’s key to getting the absolute best from her recipes. That being said, when the best isn’t available I still get great results from using what I have.
Whole orange cake is a real people pleaser, I hope you give it a try..
Agreed! Thank you so much, Vicky!! :)
I’ve made this cake as written. It works perfectly and is delicious. Please make the cake and update your review to the deserved 5⭐️
Thanks, Jennifer! xx
I don’t currently have a food processor or blender so I boiled 2 med oranges whole for 40 mins. and then sliced, chopped fine and the muddled them. The cake turned out delicious, moist and so orangey. I also cut the sugar to 3/4 c. becuase I never use as much sugar as called for. My guest loved it!
Lovely, Susan! I’m telling you this recipe is INDESTRUCTABLE, haha! So many readers have made their own versions and it always seems to turn out great! I would encourage you to try the recipe as written as it’s truly a unique cake. Thanks for letting me know!
This is my family’s favorite cake. I make it often…and also for gifts to surprised and delighted friends.
Thank you for this treat.
Thank YOU, Arlene! I really appreciate this review!
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!! 😑 it comes out flavorful but dense. Like 1 inch thick instead of 3. Help! This is the 2nd time I made it and both times, it came out the same. Once with sour cream, once with yogurt and both times with paneangeli.
Hi Christina, while the cake should be dense (not a light sponge) it should not be an inch high. Are you using the right size pan? I don’t know why it’s not rising if you’re using paneangeli. There’s not much that can go wrong with this cake, so I’m guessing the pan is too big. Let me know.