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.
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