An (almost) easy food processor recipe for super soft cake that is bursting with orange flavor. Delicious plain or coffee.
Say hello to my old obsession.
(An old recipe revisited for better pictures)
Do you love cakes slathered with frosting or just the plain kind?
I'm the not-to-sweet kinda gal.
And this is totally my kinda jam.
Just the right amount of sweetness, double the orange punch and the earthiness of walnuts. This cake is sure to become your favorite too.
(Click here for step-by-step pictures)
The cake comes together just in a food processor-
-Grind all dry ingredients into the food processor, transfer into a bowl.
-Into the now empty food processor, process butter, sugar and orange zest.
-Add eggs and process
-Add ½ flour mixture - process - orange juice - process - remaining flour mixture-process.
-Pour into pan and bake.
Skill level - Intermediate
(Super Soft) Orange Walnut Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup walnuts
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup), room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (only the outer orange skin and not the white part), about 1 large orange
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 - 1 ½ large), I used Navel oranges
Preparations:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Into a food processor, combine flour, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Process for one minute and 30 seconds, until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl and keep aside.
3. Into the same (now empty) processor, add butter, sugar and orange zest. Process for 45 seconds. Add both eggs and process for few seconds until smooth (scrape the sides of the processor to mix in any butter sticking to the sides).
4. Add half the ground flour mixture, process for 10 seconds, then orange juice, process for 10 seconds and then finish off with remaining flour mixture and process for additional 10 seconds, until combined.
5. Transfer batter into the prepared pan, spread evenly and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 33 minutes (if using 8-inch pan) and 30 minutes (if using 9-inch pan) or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes clean.
6. Place pan on a wire rack to cool (awesome when warm),
Makes one 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
Mmmm this cake looks so moist! I love the fresh flavor of citrus in cake! Have a great weekend Maria! Xoxo 🙂
Maria Doss
Thank you Kelly. Have a great weekend!
Joanne
Might be a silly question, but if I do'nt have a food processor??????
Maria Doss
Food processor is the key appliance for this recipe, since it does not involve the traditional creaming method which results in the softness.
However, you can still make the cake without the food processor with some compromise on the softness.
Grind the flour, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda and salt in any dry grinder, until walnuts are ground to a flour consistency.
Add butter and sugar into a bowl and beat with a hand held electric beater until creamy. Beat in eggs and orange zest. Beat in half the flour-walnut mixture, then orange juice and then finish with remaining flour mixture. Bake as directed.
Hope it helps:)
Dominique
Hello, why not give us everything in grams? We do not use cups.. I know nobody in BELGIUM who uses it..
Changing in Celsius and cm is do-able, but cups..???!
Maria Doss
Hi Dominique, We sincerely appreciate your feedback. Going forward, we are looking at giving more detailed measurements catering to other countries as well. Have a great day, Maria
Dominique
Thank you very much. I will be very happy to see it!! 😃👌🏽
Marija
Totally! All the time I find great looking recipes from the Americans, they measure cheese, flour, spinach in cups. Like, a cup can be a tiny Spanish coffee cup or a huge one liter cup because somebody wants so.
Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess
Perfect summertime breakfast or snacking cake! YUM! Pinning! Have a wonderful weekend Maria!
Maria Doss
Thank you Kim, you too:)
Noelle
This looks so amazing! What an easy recipe!
Maria Doss
Thanks Noelle:)
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes
The texture of that cake looks so soft and buttery! And yummy flavors ☺️😍
Maria Doss
It is, thank you:)
Patrick@looneyforfood.com
Love when I can't dump stuff process and bake! Great new pics
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Yum! I totally get what you mean about the not-too-sweet kind of cake. Sometimes I don't need all the sweet!! This looks delicious!
Jenny | The Baking Skillet
Walnut and orange is such a terrific combination of earthy and zingy!! I love simple coffee cakes with little to no frosting to nibble on (not a great habit.. lol.. but irresistible)
Maria Doss
I agree, sometimes it gets dangerous because I've just eaten way too many slices. Thanks Jenny, have a great weekend
cakespy
This looks like a great cake to enjoy as a mid morning snack. The texture is so perfect, and I love how you've used the food processor to get everything to the right consistency.
Maria Doss
Thank you dear:)
Hager
Just made your cake, my kitchen smells amazing!! Thank you for sharing your recipe ❤️
Maria Doss
You are so welcome! So glad you loved it:)
Jessica T
I don't like orange in my desserts but I loved this cake! Easy to mak, delicious & enjoyed by all. Thanks for the recipe.
Preethi
Hi.. i always get stuck with cup measurements.. is it 240ml cup? can u pls tell how much 1 cup of flour in your recipes weighs
Maria Doss
Hi Preethi,
One cup is the standard measuring cup which is equivalent to 236 ml and one cup of flour is 132 grams by weight.
Hope it helps:)
Manisha
Made this cake a few times already and it’s a huge favourite with the kids and the extended family. Amazing texture and taste.
Ania
This is amazing. I'm a big baker and this simple cake is one of the best things I have made and tasted. So easy and delicious!
barbarah lippiatt
This was amazing!!!!!
Ruth
I have everything but orange juice. Can you recommend a substitute? I wondered about milk, or water with orange extract.
Maria Doss
Sorry Ruth, this cake is not gonna work without the orange juice and zest. I would rather wait to buy fresh oranges and then make this cake. Sorry for not being any help, Maria
Ruth
Lo and behold I opened my fridge and found bottled oj. I have a couple of oranges so I’m good to go.
Stephanie
Hello! Will this work if I bake it in a loaf pan instead? Thanks a lot
Maria Doss
Hi Stephanie, I haven't had any readers try in a loaf pan, however I don't foresee any reason for it not working. Let me know how it goes, thanks Maria
Arlene Toves
I've used a loaf pan but you got to half of the batter if not it'll overflow lol it happened to me.
Maria Doss
Aaah, too bad!! Thank you for sharing this tip, Maria
Mini priya
It was absolutely amazing!!! Everyone in my family loved it. My son loves chocolate cake more then orange cake but when i gave this to him he changed his mind. Thank you for this great and simple recipe.
Maria Doss
That sounds wonderful Priya, cheers Maria
Mello
I love this recipe! Do you know if I can freeze this cake. I would like to make a few to have on hand for the summer.
Maria Doss
Hi Mello, Absolutely! Cake is good frozen for couple of months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, Maria
Lanny
Hi Maria,
Can this be made into muffin cups? If yes, how long would be the baking time? N oven temp?
Thks for this recipe.
Maria Doss
Hi Lanny, I've never had any readers try this into muffins. The only problem I foresee is that this cake is extremely soft, so not sure how it might hold up after baking. However, if you are baking them into muffins, I would highly suggest using paper liners and letting them cool completely before serving. Hope it helps, Maria
Simone
Are there any adjustments for high altitude? Cakes tend to sink in the middle here.
Maria Doss
Hi Simone, We do not have any readers try this recipe on a higher altitude. Here are couple of useful articles that might be of help :
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
https://iambaker.net/high-altitude-baking-tips/
Hope it helps, Maria
Rita
@Maria Doss, Could I use another substitute for the whit flour like Almond or Oat flour?
Rita
Maria Doss
Hi Rita, We don't have any readers try with gluten free flours. Since this recipe has less gluten and more oils from walnuts, almond flour might make it more greasy whereas oat flour will need more moisture. Here is a hugely popular almond flour cake that might be of interesting to you. Hope it helps, Maria
Maninder
Can we use egg replacer or flax egg in place of eggs
Maria Doss
Hi Maninder, We don't have any readers trying with flax eggs. Sorry that we are not able to be of any help, Maria
Mary Burns
Looks like a beautiful cake. Will definitely make it. Thank you.
Maria Doss
Hope you love it:)
Rashika
What can I replace for eggs.?
Maria Doss
Hi Rashika,
Unfortunately, this recipe has not been tested without eggs. Our sincere apologies, Maria
Murali
Can I use self raising flour instead of all purpose flour? Is it still one cup but no baking powder?
Maria Doss
Hi Murali, We do not have any readers try this cake with self raising flour. However, I'm guessing that your substitution should work without any problem, Maria
Gemma
Thank you for sharing. Can I use lemons instead of oranges?
Maria Doss
Hi Gemma, Lemons can be used, however you will need much lesser quantity of juice and zest! We would suggest using 1 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (plus remaining water to get a total of 1/2 cup) and about zest of one lemon. You might also need to increase the sugar, since lemon adds sourness when compared to oranges). hope it helps, Maria
Marilou Anastasiadou
Just tried making this cake as an absolute beginner and the result is insanely good! I’m obsessed 😍 10/10!
Maria Doss
Sounds great - thanks hun, Maria
Suat
Hi,
This sounds really great, do you know if I can substitute the butter for oil?
Greetings Suat
Maria Doss
Hi Suat,
Any flavorless oil like vegetable oil or sunflower oil can be used instead. However, we think the cake will turn out incredibly soft (since they are already made with walnuts). We would recommend half butter and half oil instead, Maria
Meethi
I just made this cake. Absolutely delicious!!! I don’t have the food processor so used hand mixer. So so soft and perfect sweetness and such delicious flavor. I also chopped some walnuts and added to the mixture. Great recipes!!!
Maria Doss
Hi Meethi, Glad you loved the cake - Wishing you wonderful holidays, Maria
Maryb
I just made this cake and it is delicious! It’s moist with a wonderful nutty, orange flavour!
My tastebuds are in heaven!
Maria Doss
Hi Mary, That sounds wonderful! Wishing you a very happy new year, Maria
Helen
Hi do you have this receipe in grams???
Just looking at this it looks delicious!!
Maria Doss
Hi Helen,
1 cup all purpose flour = 126 grams
1 stick or 1/2 cup butter = 115 grams
1/2 cup sugar = 100 grams
1/2 cup walnuts = 46 grams
Hope it helps, Maria
Lizzie
Has anyone tried GF flour with this? Thanks for a reply.
Dalila
Delicious,I made it .I loved the flavor ,and texture .hummmmmm so good .I made with gluten-free flour .
Maria Doss
Hi Dalila, Glad you loved the cake, Maria
Cindy
I had to make some adjustments, thankfully it turned out great. I just baked this cake and it is so good! I didn’t have oranges, but I had mandarins, so that’s what I used for the zest and juice. Also, I do not have a food processor at this time, so I used my vitamix to grind the walnuts then I just mixed the dry ingredients in a bowl. I used an electric hand mixer to blend the wet ingredients and dry. Results were tasty, thank you for the recipe.
Kim
Question does this cake need to be refrigerated ? Thanks
Baking this yummy looking cake as I submit this question.
Maria Doss
Hi Kim, It stays fresh 3 to 4 days at room temperature, in an air tight container. If you wish to store longer, then it can be frozen or refrigerated.
Maria Doss
Hi Kim, This cake is good stored at room temperature for 3 to 5 days in a sealed air tight container. If you wish to store longer then we recommend freezing or refrigerating. Bring to room temperature before serving. Thanks, Maria
Sonia
This orange walnut cake is everything delicious and then some! I’m so happy I tried it. It will definitely be in my go to recipes! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Maria Doss
Happy to hear hun, Maria
Veronica Rodrigues
Loved this cake. Doubled the quantity excellent ! Thank you so much. Last month made the almond flour cake. It was a hit.
Maria Doss
Glad to hear that hun, Maria
Marlene Wilkins
Finally found a walnut cake. Thankyou for the recipe. Marlene
Maria Doss
Glad you liked it hun, Maria
Shiffali
Super soft cake.
But mine tasted bland. No flavour of orange. I made exactly the way u said. What change can I make next time. Please suggest.
Maria Doss
Hi Shiffali, Hmmm... not sure why. Our guess could be that the orange wasn't a flavorful one, which is common when not in season. We would suggest looking for a fruit that is heavy for it's size when picked up and has a bright, deep orange color. Hope it helps, Maria
Joanne
I love this recipe. I have made it twice so far. I’m a bit cheeky though and add a 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon as well 😊.
Maria Doss
Sounds great to me, Maria
Christine
Walnuts in abundance ! Can't wait to dry, and brush off my walnuts to I can get stuck in and make this treat'... and SHARE it .
'
with all the good neighbors who passed me bags of nuts. All this is happening in north east France, country style. Converting to metric measurements is as easy as using the Internet to find the recipe in the first place! Grow a pair !
Maria Doss
Hi Christine, Happy to hear hun. BTW, we are working on metric conversions and it will be available very soon. Have a great weekend - Maria
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
Patricia
This look delish! I want to try it soon, sooner then later! I was wondering if I can used almond flour cause gluten isn’t LOVE by my body?
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
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