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    Home » Other

    (Super Soft) Orange Walnut Cake

    June 16, 2017 by Maria Doss 94 Comments

    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.

    (orange)
    « Mango Lassi Crepes
    Baked Chicken Avocado Meatballs »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats

      June 16, 2017 at 5:03 am

      Mmmm this cake looks so moist! I love the fresh flavor of citrus in cake! Have a great weekend Maria! Xoxo 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm

        Thank you Kelly. Have a great weekend!

        Reply
      • Joanne

        May 30, 2018 at 11:42 am

        Might be a silly question, but if I do'nt have a food processor??????

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          May 30, 2018 at 2:18 pm

          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:)

          Reply
      • Dominique

        January 21, 2021 at 1:46 pm

        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..???!

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          January 22, 2021 at 7:19 am

          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

          Reply
          • Dominique

            December 03, 2022 at 1:00 pm

            Thank you very much. I will be very happy to see it!! 😃👌🏽

            Reply
        • Marija

          December 21, 2022 at 10:11 am

          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.

          Reply
    2. Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess

      June 16, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      Perfect summertime breakfast or snacking cake! YUM! Pinning! Have a wonderful weekend Maria!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 16, 2017 at 2:00 pm

        Thank you Kim, you too:)

        Reply
    3. Noelle

      June 16, 2017 at 2:02 pm

      This looks so amazing! What an easy recipe!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 16, 2017 at 6:46 pm

        Thanks Noelle:)

        Reply
    4. Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes

      June 16, 2017 at 3:29 pm

      The texture of that cake looks so soft and buttery! And yummy flavors ☺️😍

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 16, 2017 at 5:35 pm

        It is, thank you:)

        Reply
    5. Patrick@looneyforfood.com

      June 16, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      Love when I can't dump stuff process and bake! Great new pics

      Reply
    6. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      June 16, 2017 at 7:56 pm

      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!

      Reply
    7. Jenny | The Baking Skillet

      June 17, 2017 at 12:14 pm

      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)

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 18, 2017 at 1:42 am

        I agree, sometimes it gets dangerous because I've just eaten way too many slices. Thanks Jenny, have a great weekend

        Reply
    8. cakespy

      June 19, 2017 at 1:22 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 19, 2017 at 3:21 pm

        Thank you dear:)

        Reply
    9. Hager

      March 04, 2019 at 2:07 am

      Just made your cake, my kitchen smells amazing!! Thank you for sharing your recipe ❤️

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 04, 2019 at 1:53 pm

        You are so welcome! So glad you loved it:)

        Reply
    10. Jessica T

      July 28, 2019 at 12:01 pm

      I don't like orange in my desserts but I loved this cake! Easy to mak, delicious & enjoyed by all. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    11. Preethi

      August 01, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      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

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        August 02, 2020 at 1:02 am

        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:)

        Reply
    12. Manisha

      November 18, 2020 at 9:02 am

      Made this cake a few times already and it’s a huge favourite with the kids and the extended family. Amazing texture and taste.

      Reply
    13. Ania

      November 19, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      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!

      Reply
    14. barbarah lippiatt

      December 06, 2020 at 3:07 am

      This was amazing!!!!!

      Reply
    15. Ruth

      January 07, 2021 at 10:27 pm

      I have everything but orange juice. Can you recommend a substitute? I wondered about milk, or water with orange extract.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 08, 2021 at 12:40 am

        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

        Reply
        • Ruth

          January 08, 2021 at 1:59 pm

          Lo and behold I opened my fridge and found bottled oj. I have a couple of oranges so I’m good to go.

          Reply
    16. Stephanie

      January 08, 2021 at 7:05 am

      Hello! Will this work if I bake it in a loaf pan instead? Thanks a lot

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 08, 2021 at 7:16 am

        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

        Reply
      • Arlene Toves

        July 06, 2021 at 5:19 am

        I've used a loaf pan but you got to half of the batter if not it'll overflow lol it happened to me.

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          July 07, 2021 at 2:35 am

          Aaah, too bad!! Thank you for sharing this tip, Maria

          Reply
    17. Mini priya

      March 11, 2021 at 10:19 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 12, 2021 at 12:14 am

        That sounds wonderful Priya, cheers Maria

        Reply
    18. Mello

      May 17, 2021 at 11:58 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 19, 2021 at 1:23 pm

        Hi Mello, Absolutely! Cake is good frozen for couple of months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, Maria

        Reply
    19. Lanny

      June 11, 2021 at 12:17 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        June 11, 2021 at 6:08 pm

        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

        Reply
    20. Simone

      July 09, 2021 at 10:38 pm

      Are there any adjustments for high altitude? Cakes tend to sink in the middle here.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        July 14, 2021 at 4:43 am

        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

        Reply
      • Rita

        May 19, 2022 at 4:42 pm

        @Maria Doss, Could I use another substitute for the whit flour like Almond or Oat flour?

        Rita

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          May 20, 2022 at 1:47 am

          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

          Reply
    21. Maninder

      July 23, 2021 at 5:10 am

      Can we use egg replacer or flax egg in place of eggs

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        July 23, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        Hi Maninder, We don't have any readers trying with flax eggs. Sorry that we are not able to be of any help, Maria

        Reply
    22. Mary Burns

      August 03, 2021 at 6:05 am

      Looks like a beautiful cake. Will definitely make it. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        August 03, 2021 at 1:39 pm

        Hope you love it:)

        Reply
    23. Rashika

      October 17, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      What can I replace for eggs.?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 19, 2021 at 12:39 am

        Hi Rashika,

        Unfortunately, this recipe has not been tested without eggs. Our sincere apologies, Maria

        Reply
    24. Murali

      October 30, 2021 at 3:19 am

      Can I use self raising flour instead of all purpose flour? Is it still one cup but no baking powder?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 31, 2021 at 3:29 pm

        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

        Reply
    25. Gemma

      November 18, 2021 at 7:54 am

      Thank you for sharing. Can I use lemons instead of oranges?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 18, 2021 at 2:22 pm

        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

        Reply
    26. Marilou Anastasiadou

      November 20, 2021 at 6:16 pm

      Just tried making this cake as an absolute beginner and the result is insanely good! I’m obsessed 😍 10/10!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 21, 2021 at 2:27 pm

        Sounds great - thanks hun, Maria

        Reply
    27. Suat

      December 06, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      Hi,

      This sounds really great, do you know if I can substitute the butter for oil?

      Greetings Suat

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 07, 2021 at 3:29 am

        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

        Reply
    28. Meethi

      December 24, 2021 at 10:42 pm

      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!!!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 25, 2021 at 3:22 pm

        Hi Meethi, Glad you loved the cake - Wishing you wonderful holidays, Maria

        Reply
    29. Maryb

      January 09, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      I just made this cake and it is delicious! It’s moist with a wonderful nutty, orange flavour!
      My tastebuds are in heaven!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 12, 2022 at 2:05 am

        Hi Mary, That sounds wonderful! Wishing you a very happy new year, Maria

        Reply
    30. Helen

      January 19, 2022 at 11:47 am

      Hi do you have this receipe in grams???
      Just looking at this it looks delicious!!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 19, 2022 at 5:52 pm

        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

        Reply
    31. Lizzie

      February 13, 2022 at 2:25 pm

      Has anyone tried GF flour with this? Thanks for a reply.

      Reply
    32. Dalila

      March 07, 2022 at 3:49 pm

      Delicious,I made it .I loved the flavor ,and texture .hummmmmm so good .I made with gluten-free flour .

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 08, 2022 at 1:59 am

        Hi Dalila, Glad you loved the cake, Maria

        Reply
    33. Cindy

      April 08, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      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.

      Reply
    34. Kim

      April 16, 2022 at 7:35 pm

      Question does this cake need to be refrigerated ? Thanks
      Baking this yummy looking cake as I submit this question.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        April 17, 2022 at 2:02 pm

        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.

        Reply
      • Maria Doss

        April 17, 2022 at 2:04 pm

        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

        Reply
    35. Sonia

      April 27, 2022 at 1:52 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        April 27, 2022 at 2:37 am

        Happy to hear hun, Maria

        Reply
    36. Veronica Rodrigues

      July 21, 2022 at 6:29 pm

      Loved this cake. Doubled the quantity excellent ! Thank you so much. Last month made the almond flour cake. It was a hit.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        July 21, 2022 at 11:38 pm

        Glad to hear that hun, Maria

        Reply
    37. Marlene Wilkins

      August 07, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      Finally found a walnut cake. Thankyou for the recipe. Marlene

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        August 07, 2022 at 3:27 pm

        Glad you liked it hun, Maria

        Reply
    38. Shiffali

      September 16, 2022 at 7:24 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 19, 2022 at 2:42 am

        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

        Reply
    39. Joanne

      September 20, 2022 at 12:35 pm

      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 😊.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 20, 2022 at 3:51 pm

        Sounds great to me, Maria

        Reply
    40. Christine

      October 06, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      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 !

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 07, 2022 at 5:09 am

        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

        Reply
    41. Tina

      October 25, 2022 at 12:23 am

      Can I use vegan butter

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 25, 2022 at 1:20 am

        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

        Reply
    42. Patricia

      October 27, 2022 at 11:14 am

      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?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 27, 2022 at 4:28 pm

        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

        Reply
    43. Gauri Gopalakrishnan

      November 01, 2022 at 7:40 pm

      Easy recipe with delicious results. Paired perfectly with a cup of coffee! Thanks Maria.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 02, 2022 at 4:41 am

        Sounds great hun - Maria

        Reply
    44. Elizabeth

      November 27, 2022 at 8:09 am

      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!!!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 28, 2022 at 6:22 am

        Glad to hear hun, have a great day - Maria

        Reply
    45. Connie Tucker

      January 19, 2023 at 2:13 am

      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!❣️

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 20, 2023 at 1:43 am

        Happy to hear hun, have a wonderful day - Maria

        Reply

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