This Orange Walnut Cake is incredibly soft, light, and mildly sweet boasting a fine crumb. Made easily in the food processor, this recipe has been a beloved favorite among readers for years! Follow the instructions closely, and you’ll make an amazing snack cake that you’ll cherish making time and again.
A fan favorite orange walnut cake since 2017!
"Already 2nd time making this in one week. Excellent." - Monika
"One of the most scrumptious cake I have ever made. The measurements are perfect- the ratio of orange is not too overwhelming and the walnuts give a smooth texture. I added a bit of cinnamon the second time I baked it and it made it go from a 9.8 to a 10/10. Recommend!!!" - Elizabeth
If you're in search of the best-ever snack cake that's perfect for a light dessert or to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee, this recipe is just what you need. Like all our cake and cupcake recipes, It boasts a wonderfully soft and fluffy texture, with a delicate crumb that is absolutely divine. Enjoy every bite!
Similar to the almond flour cake, ground walnuts enhance a cake's texture with their high-fat content, resulting in an incredible moistness and a tender crumb that elevates the baked treat.
This recipe is effortlessly made in the food processor, which serves a dual purpose: finely grinding the walnuts and mixing the cake batter. By eliminating the need to cream the butter separately, it becomes an almost no-bowl cake, simplifying the process and minimizing cleanup!
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Why you'll love this recipe?
- Easily made in the food processor
- Mildly sweet
- Ultra soft texture with a fine crumb
- Made using fresh oranges
- No frosting needed
Ingredients for orange walnut cake
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Orange - For this cake, you'll need about 1 ½ fresh oranges. Zest one whole orange and use enough juice to measure ½ cup.
- Walnut - Use ½ cup of raw walnuts, grinding them into a fine powder along with the flour. As for the walnut cookies, avoid using toasted walnuts for the best results.
- Eggs - For an ultra-soft texture, it's best to use eggs at room temperature. Simply transfer them from the fridge and let them sit for at least an hour before you start making the cake.
- Butter - You'll need one stick of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. Using butter at this temperature is essential for achieving the best texture in your cake.
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How to serve?
This cake has a warm, earthy hue rather than a bright orange color due to the ground walnuts. It is incredibly moist and packed with flavor, making frosting unnecessary.
However, if you want to give it some pretty finishing touch, then a slight dusting of confectioners sugar, and then top the cake with some sliced oranges and fresh mint. A dollop of fresh whipped cream will be excellent!
How to store?
- Room temperature : Store leftovers in an air tight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in a freezer safe zip lock bag for up to 2 months.
Recipe tips
- Don't over-bake this cake.
- Lining the pan with parchment paper guarantees seamless removal from the pan.
- For consistent results every time, be sure to follow the recipe instructions closely. I find it helpful to use my phone to keep track of timing.
Use different size cake pans
- 9-Inch round pan: The cake will be thinner and the bake time will be a few minutes shorter than a 8-inch round pan.
- 8x8 inch square pan: The cake will have a thinner, sheet cake-like consistency, and should be baked for 25 to 27 minutes.
- 9×13 Inch: Double the recipe for a 9×13 inch quarter sheet snack cake.
More simple cake recipes
Orange Walnut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 medium oranges
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Orange zest - Using a microplane or grater, zest one orange, taking care to avoid the bitter white pith underneath.Orange juice - Juice both oranges and measure out ½ cup for the recipe. Enjoy any leftover fresh-squeezed juice as a refreshing drink!
- Add the flour, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a food processor. Process for 90 seconds or finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
- Into the now empty food processor, add the butter, sugar and orange zest. Process for 45 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides to incorporate any butter clinging to the bowl, then add both eggs and process for 25 seconds.
- Add half the flour mixture and process for 10 seconds.
- Add the orange juice and process for 10 seconds. Finish with the remaining flour mixture and process for 10 seconds.
- Transfer batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly and bake for 30 to 32 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes clean. Pro tip: If you’re using a 9-inch pan, the cake will take about 25 to 30 minutes to bake.
- Place the pan on a wire rack to cool and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Tina
Can I use vegan butter
Maria Doss
Hi Tina, We don't have any readers try with vegan butter and we are not sure if it will work out or not. So sorry that we are not able to offer any help at this time - Maria
Monika
Already 2nd time making this in one week. Excellent.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Maria Doss
Hi Patricia, We wouldn't suggest almond flour for this recipe, however we totally agree in the use of almond flour in baked goods. You can try this simple Almond Flour Cake if you prefer. (Shh... an orange almond flour cake is in the works). Hope it helps, have a wonderful day - Maria
Gauri Gopalakrishnan
Easy recipe with delicious results. Paired perfectly with a cup of coffee! Thanks Maria.
Maria Doss
Sounds great hun - Maria
Sue
Can I use toasted Walnuts?
Maria Doss
Hi Sue, You can use toasted walnuts, but we've found that they tend to overpower the flavor of orange, unlike raw walnuts - Maria
Elizabeth
One of the most scrumptious cake I have ever made. The measurements are perfect- the ratio of orange is not too overwhelming and the walnuts give a smooth texture. I added a bit of cinnamon the second time I baked it and it made it go from a 9.8 to a 10/10.
Recommend!!!
Maria Doss
Glad to hear hun, have a great day - Maria
Connie Tucker
This recipe just sounded too yummy not to try & it absolutely did not disappoint!! Delish & fun to make👍 I used the juice of the left over half -orange added to about 3/4 c powdered sugar & 1 tsp vanilla to make a drizzle. Perfect cake w/or w/o!❣️
Maria Doss
Happy to hear hun, have a wonderful day - Maria
Andrea
I just baked this with a few substitutions--I didn't have enough walnuts, so I used almonds instead; used clementines to sub for the oranges (zest and juice); I used Smart Balance instead of butter to make it dairy-free; and put a chocolate glaze on top. It smells and looks delicious--I will report back once I have tried a slice! Depending on the orange flavor, next time I might consider adding a drop of orange oil. Orange chocolate is one of my favorite dessert combinations--can't wait to eat this cake!
Andrea
I made this cake with a few modifications and it was delicious! First, I substituted almonds for the walnuts; second, I used clementines instead of regular oranges; and third, I used Smart Balance instead of butter to make it dairy free; and finally, I put a chocolate glaze on top. The cake was soft, had great texture from the ground nuts, and was a great combination of flavors--orange and chocolate is one of my favorites! Next time I might add a drop or two of orange oil to intensify the orange flavor, but it was delicious just how it was! Would definitely make again.
Maria Doss
Hi Andrea, All the modifications sounds delish. Have a fantastic week - Maria
Erica
Absolutely a keeper this recipe is amazing so delicious. I used cara Cara oranges which I highly recommend or use blood oranges if u can find them. Cara cara are so sweet and juicy I’m so glad I used them. I did make some minor changes. I creamed my butter about 5 min in my mixer along with the sugar. I put the walnuts in my food processor until they were finely chopped then added the rest of the ingredients and the walnuts to the mixer. I mixed only until mixed. Then I baked the cake in a 8” Wilton pan. I absolutely loved this cake. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Maria Doss
Glad to hear hun, have a wonderful day - Maria
Donna
Can you use almond flour instead of flour?
Lisa
Because of excessively displayed ads and Pop-ups I hardly can Reader the texts! Awful!!
Maria Doss
Hi Lisa, We are sorry that you didn't have a good experience! We have a "jump to recipe" in the beginning of the post so, you can skip straight to the recipe - Hope it helps, Maria
Vini Narsinghani
Hi Maria
This cake is fantastic 😊 thank you for sharing the recipe. In case I want to make this with a frosting then which frosting would you suggest.
Regards
Maria Doss
Hi Vini, That’s so great to hear! I'd recommend a simple whipped cream frosting. Given that the cake contains butter, it's ideal to serve it at room temperature to ensure the best texture and flavor, I suggest allowing the cake to sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving. Hope it helps - Maria
Kathy
I recently tried a similar cake in a Cafe costed $10 for a piece..
Only difference it had bits of chocolate through it..
My granddaughter loved it so will try this but posebly with oil as she is dairy free...
Maria Doss
Sounds good. However, exclusively relying on oil could result in a slightly greasy texture for the cake, as the walnuts already contribute a significant amount of fat to the mixture - Maria
Rosemary
Lovely recipe, thank you. I always process the citrus zest with the sugar alone so that all the oils and perfume are uniformly dispersed throughout the sugar also making the sugar a beautiful colour orange or yellow depending of the variety of citrus used. The citrus flavour is more intense when processed with sugar first before adding other ingredients.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Angela Hartman
I love this cake! So flavorful even
though it’s relatively low sugar. I used one of those jet bullet blenders instead of the food processor and blended the wet and dry by hand. Worked fine. It’s fast and easy and gets better overnight.
Thank you.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Robarni
You answered my question. How can I bake this cake without a food processor? Thanks for your method using a mixer.
Maria Doss
👍
Ann
This cake is fantastic! I have made this twice in two weeks because everyone in my family gobbles it up. An amazing texture, flavor, and just the right amount of sweetness!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad the family loved it - Maria ♡