• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

Rainbow Nourishments logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • About Me
  • Shop
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » All Desserts » Cakes

    Published: Jun 28, 2021 · Modified: Jan 20, 2023 by Anthea

    Vegan Whole Orange Cake

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    828 Shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    4.89 from 81 votes

    Vegan orange cake using a WHOLE orange including the rind. It's made with only 5 ingredients and is also gluten-free, oil-free, eggless and flourless!

    Simple vegan orange cake dusted with powdered sugar on plate with a few slices coming out showing beautiful orange hue.

    What's a whole orange cake?

    A whole orange cake has origins in Sicily, Morocco and the Middle East. It's traditionally made with boiled whole oranges (with their rind and all) and often uses almond flour/meal rather than wheat flour.

    Conventionally, a whole orange cake recipe uses up to 6 eggs and is not vegan (or easily veganizable). However, after vigorous testing, I found a way to make an eggless whole orange cake using common ingredients!

    Why you'll love this cake

    FLAVOR: Sweet, bursting with complex orange flavor, and slight bitter undertone. It tastes just like a non-vegan flourless orange almond cake.

    TEXTURE: Moist and dense with a fine crumb. It's not meant to be fluffy like a sponge cake. The texture is like a rich fruit cake, moist French financier or friand.

    CUSTOMIZABLE: For variations of this cake, check out my vegan whole lemon cake or flourless strawberry cake. Or if you prefer chocolate desserts, see my flourless vegan chocolate cake.

    5 ingredients you'll need

    Flatlay of 5 ingredients for vegan whole orange cake

    Notes about the ingredients

    A whole orange, ideally organic as we're using the rind! I recommend using a sweet orange that has a thin skin otherwise your cake will be too bitter. The orange adds a lot of moisture to the cake so we don't need oil or butter.

    I don't recommend replacing the orange with orange juice. A whole orange contains pulp, fiber and rind whereas orange juice is just liquid.

    Regular granulated sugar. Coconut sugar will also work but it will make the cake denser and brown in color.

    Potato starch (or corn starch). See the next section for why we need this!

    Baking powder. I added a little extra to this cake to help the cake bake through. It also helps replace some of the lifting power normally provided by eggs in conventional whole orange cakes.

    You'll also need water... but is that even an ingredient?!

    A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Orange cake on plate

    Why potato starch: the simple magical ingredient

    Potato starch allows us to omit the eggs in this whole orange cake. You can also use corn starch (corn flour). Potato starch is not the same as potato flour or potato protein.

    Potato starch has various functions in this recipe:

    • It is a great binder and thickener (it's a common vegan egg substitute).
    • It is a dry ingredient that adds structure. Unfortunately, chia eggs, flax eggs and aquafaba makes the cake TOO moist, dense and competes with the orange flavor.
    • It is tasteless and colorless which allows the orange to shine!

    Potato starch isn't a straightforward 1:1 egg replacer in a regular whole orange cake recipe. I had to reduce the liquid and increase the baking powder to make sure the final cake isn't too dense!

    You can get potato and corn starch in some major supermarkets, health food stores and Asian specialty stores. In Asian stores, they are very affordable!

    Preparing the whole orange

    First, we need to boil a whole orange in water. Keep on the rind (or skin) but remove the 'stem' (if there is one). My orange weighed just over 250g but it doesn't matter if yours is 10g lighter or heavier.

    The orange doesn't need to be completely submerged in water in your pot. There just needs to be enough water so the orange boils/steams! Your home will smell lovely when you cook your orange... I need to do it more often :).

    When the orange is cooked, drain and discard all the water. Roughly chop the orange as it'll be easier to blend/process. And remove any seeds, if any!

    Two image collage of whole orange in saucepan and chopped roughly on a chopping board.

    Making the vegan orange cake

    Use a food processor or stick blender to puree your orange (rind and all). The puree doesn't have to be extremely fine. Any small chunks will add texture to your vegan orange cake.

    Next, add ALL the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until combined. The cake batter should be very thick, almost like a paste. If your batter is runnier, I'd recommend adding a little more potato starch.

    Normally I wouldn't recommend using a food processor to mix cake batter as over-mixing can create a tough cake. However, gluten is the culprit of tough cakes and this cake is gluten-free so we don't have to worry about over-mixing!

    If you don't have a food processor, add your orange puree and all other ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir using a spatula or spoon. The batter will be too thick for a hand whisk.

    Four image collage of making the orange cake in a food processor.

    Scoop (or pour) the thick batter into your cake tin. The surface will be a little rough so just smooth it out using a spatula or spoon.

    Tip: If your batter is sticking too much to your spoon, dip your spoon in water and try again!

    Two image collage of thick cake batter in cake pan and cake freshly baked.

    Tips for baking the cake

    The whole orange cake has a high amount of almond flour so we need to bake it at a lower temperature. Nuts tend to burn quickly so a lower temperature prevents this from happening!

    The cake is ready when it is slightly golden brown on top. If you can insert a toothpick into the middle and it comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are fine). The cake won't rise much at all.

    If you have an overly hot oven, your flourless orange almond cake might turn golden brown before it's baked inside. If so, turn down the heat of your oven AND place an oven-safe plate on top of your cake tin (as long as it doesn't touch the cake).

    When you remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the cake pan as it'll be very delicate. The cake will firm up a lot when it cools.

    Side angle of the simple cake.

    Serving the cake

    This eggless orange cake is perfect for morning tea or with your daily coffee! It is delicious with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or can be served with:

    • thick dairy-free yogurt
    • dairy-free cream or ice cream
    • slices of fresh oranges or candied orange peel

    If you want to bring this cake to a celebration, you can top the cake with beautiful rose petals and pistachios!

    I think the cake is already sweet enough but if you would like to decorate it, I recommend topping it with yogurt. Or make a simple sugar icing such as the one in my lemon pistachio cake (use orange juice instead of lemon to make an orange glaze). I'd say that buttercream is too sweet for this cake.

    Close up of dense and moist texture of orange cake.

    Ingredient substitutions and customizations

    Can I substitute the almond flour with regular flour?

    Almond flour is about 15% fat so we need to compensate for this if we replace it with flour. I recommend using a combination of all-purpose flour and neutral oil or light-tasting olive oil (quantities are listed in the notes of the recipe card below). The cake will be fluffier and have a more subtle orange flavor compared to the original.

    Can I just use the orange without the rind?

    I haven't tried this but it should work if you cut off the rind. Without boiling the orange, remove some of the orange zest then remove all of the flesh inside. Blend the orange zest with the flesh then use it in the recipe.

    Instead of water, can I use dairy-free milk or orange juice?

    Yes either will work!

    Can I add anything else to this cake?

    The cake itself is already full of complex flavor. However, you may add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder or a pinch of salt.

    More easy vegan cake recipes

    • Vegan Whole Lemon Cake
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake (gluten-free + 6 ingredients)
    • Flourless Vegan Chocolate Cake (oil free)
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake

    Follow Rainbow Nourishments on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of our latest recipes!

    Simple vegan orange cake dusted with icing sugar on plate with a few slices coming out showing beautiful orange hue
    Print Recipe
    4.89 from 81 votes

    Vegan Whole Orange Cake

    Vegan orange cake using a WHOLE orange including the rind just like the classic Sicilian orange cake. Made with only 5 ingredients and is also gluten-free, oil-free, eggless and flourless! The cake has a complex orange flavor, sweet, dense and only very slightly bitter.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 10 mins
    Cuisine: Italian-inspired, Middle-Eastern, Moroccan-inspired, Vegan
    Servings: 12
    Author: Anthea

    Ingredients

    • 1 x (~250 g) medium-sized organic orange, with the rind still on
    • 250 g (2 ½ cups) almond flour / blanched almond meal, (note 1)
    • 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, (note 2)
    • 85 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) potato starch, or corn starch / corn flour (plus more if needed)
    • 80 g (⅓ cup) water
    • 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder

    Instructions

    • I recommend weighing the ingredients for this recipe rather than using the cups measurement. Like all of my recipes, this whole orange cake was tested using grams except the baking powder.

    Preparing the orange:

    • Thoroughly wash the skin of the orange and remove the stem, if it's still on. Add around 4 cups of water to a small saucepan and place the whole orange in it. Over medium heat, simmer the orange for 30 minutes until you can pierce the skin with no resistance. Drain the water and allow the orange to cool.
    • Roughly chop the orange and remove any seeds. Place it in a food processor and process until it forms a paste. It's fine if there are little bits of rind in the paste.

    Making the cake batter:

    • Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease or line an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan with parchment paper (Note 3).
    • Add the rest of the cake ingredients to the food processor. Process until the mixture is combined and thick. If your batter is runnier, add 1 tablespoon (7g) of potato starch at a time and mix until it forms a thick batter. If in doubt, err towards a thicker batter rather than thinner batter. For this recipe, a thinner batter will make a denser cake.
    • Scoop the cake batter into a your cake tin. Smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.

    Baking the cake:

    • Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes (Note 4). The cake is ready when a skewer can be inserted into the middle and there is no wet batter on it (some crumbs are fine). The cake isn't meant to rise much or flatten out but it will 'set'. Allow the cake to completely cool in the cake tin.
    • To serve, dust the cake with powdered sugar (Note 5). Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    Notes

    1. The total amount of almond flour can be substituted with 1 cup (125g) all purpose flour and ½ cup (125g) light-tasting oil. We have to add oil to compensate for the natural fats normally found in almond flour.
    2. This amount of sugar creates a mildly sweet cake. You can decrease the sugar to ½ cup (100g) but it will create a more dense cake that may be a little bitter.
    3. The cake bakes very well in muffin tins and can be divided into smaller cake tins, of course with different baking times. However, baking the whole quantity of the cake in a smaller tin (for example 15 cm or 7 inches) may cause 'dense streaks' throughout the cake.
    4. If your oven is too hot, your cake may be cooked on the outside but still unbaked inside. If so, turn down the oven temperature and cover the cake pan with an oven-safe plate, as long as it doesn't touch the cake.
    5. Alternatively, you can also:
      • Drizzle a simple syrup on the cake. Combine ¼ cup (80g) orange juice and 2 tbsp of sugar in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Drizzle on the cake while it's warm.
      • Top the cake with a simple icing, such as the one in this recipe (but substitute the lemon juice with orange juice). Wait until the cake is completely cool before you ice the cake.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serve | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!

    This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and updated a few times since then. Vegan baking science has grown a lot over the years!

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    828 Shares

    Reader Interactions

      Leave a Comment and Rating! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Rebecca says

      January 14, 2023 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was outstanding! My new favorite cake.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 26, 2023 at 3:50 pm

        That's the best news! Thanks Rebecca!

        Reply
    2. Imelda says

      January 05, 2023 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for a wonderful and refreshing recipe that our whole family can enjoy. 😃

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        January 26, 2023 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Imedla, I'm so happy that you and your family loved this cake! Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    3. Stella says

      November 26, 2022 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      i love orange cake and this is the first recipe i've tried that actually works without egg! the starch is genius!!
      its my staple celebration cake now, thanks so much for the recipe

      I'm making it today for a party, i'm going to try a double layer with fresh strawberry icing!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        December 09, 2022 at 2:48 pm

        Aw that's amaaazing Stella! I'm so happy that it's become a staple for you now. Pairing it with strawberry icing sounds so lovely. Thanks for your wonderful feedback x

        Reply
    4. Andrea says

      November 16, 2022 at 2:51 am

      Hello, could I use semolina instead of almond Fluor?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 16, 2022 at 11:29 am

        Hi Andrea, Sorry I'm not sure as I haven't tested it myself!

        Reply
    5. Kirsty says

      November 15, 2022 at 2:07 am

      I made this using oat flour following the suggested alterations for regular flour. I used coconut oil as the substitute. It came out very dense in spite of adding extra corn starch and baking powder. Flavor was also a bit bitter. Potato flour is not an option where I live so I need to figure out how to adjust using oat flour. Any tried and true suggestions?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 15, 2022 at 6:16 am

        Hi Kirsty! Whenever I've used oat flour as a 1:1 substitution for regular flour, it would often end up dense and too moist. I find that it needs to be combined with other flours/starches in addition to what's in the recipe. Coconut oil can also make a cake more dense. I haven't tested this recipe with ingredients other than what's mentioned in the post. Unfortunately, the only way to know what ingredients will work is to test it!

        Reply
    6. Jade says

      November 06, 2022 at 3:12 pm

      Hi there, do you think this could be made in advance and frozen? If so, would you recommend to be defrosted in fridge?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 06, 2022 at 7:15 pm

        Hi Jade, yes this cake can definitely be frozen and yes it's best to defrost it in the fridge. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    7. Netia says

      November 02, 2022 at 9:25 am

      I tried this recipe with oranges and it was SOOOO BITTER but I think that might have something to do with oranges being out of season atm. So I tried it with mandarins instead and used orange juice instead of water, it turned out delicious 🤤

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 04, 2022 at 9:38 am

        Hi Netia, I'm glad you enjoyed this cake with mandarins! Also yes, the oranges have a huge impact on the flavor. Interestingly, some people thought it was more bitter with mandarins than oranges so it's interesting to hear about your experience! Thanks for your comment!

        Reply
    8. Maraika says

      October 31, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious. Soft, moist and delicate cake. Flavour excellent. I might try to cut back a 1/4 cup of sugar as in comments but serving the cake with Yoghurt should balance it very well. Thank you for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 04, 2022 at 9:36 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake Maraika! Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    9. Susie says

      October 15, 2022 at 9:59 am

      Forgot to mention in previous post that I used arrowroot powder instead of potato starch because that's all I had on hand. Will that affect the raising of cake? Thanks

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 16, 2022 at 9:34 am

        Hi Susie, glad you enjoyed the taste of this cake! The cake is normally quite dense but should rise a little. I haven't tested arrowroot powder for this recipe however, I have read that it needs to be used in a different quantity to potato or corn starch. Other websites suggest substituting two-thirds of the amount of potato starch with arrowroot. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Susie says

          October 20, 2022 at 3:04 pm

          Thanks Anthea, will definitely try it with potato starch. 😊

    10. Susie says

      October 15, 2022 at 9:18 am

      Beautiful taste but didn't rise for me. Any suggestions for why this may have happened?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 04, 2022 at 9:35 am

        Hi Susie, I'm glad that you enjoyed the flavor of this cake! If the cake didn't rise for you, it may be due to old baking powder, if the batter was too runny or if your oven wasn't hot enough. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    11. Mel says

      October 09, 2022 at 6:48 am

      5 stars
      Probably the nicest cake I’ve make in 5 years of eating a plant based diet. Everyone fought over the last slice.

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        November 04, 2022 at 9:35 am

        That's amazing Mel! I'm so glad you and everyone enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂

        Reply
    12. Lynn says

      October 01, 2022 at 10:18 am

      Hi this looks amazing, just wondering if we can use honey instead of sugar?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        October 02, 2022 at 10:48 am

        Hi Lynn, unfortunately, a liquid sweetener won't work as it will make the cake too dense :(.

        Reply
    13. Beverly Ferry says

      September 06, 2022 at 1:46 am

      5 stars
      I do not do much baking since being diagnosed as gf, df, egg free, and more. This recipe is easy to make and delicious. It is “company worthy.” I used orange juice for all the liquids.
      Everyone loved it!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        September 11, 2022 at 10:40 am

        Aw, how amazing! So glad that you found this recipe approachable and that everyone loved it too :). Thanks so much Beverly! x

        Reply
    14. Hannah says

      September 05, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Super easy straightforward recipe, soooo moist and orangey. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        September 11, 2022 at 10:39 am

        That's wonderful to hear, thanks Hannah!

        Reply
    15. Pat says

      August 30, 2022 at 6:15 am

      Can I use the water I cook the orange for the "water" needed in the recipe? or perhaps just orange juice?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 30, 2022 at 10:19 am

        Sometimes the water that you use for cooking the orange turns bitter as it extracts some of the bitterness from the orange. If it isn't bitter, you can go ahead and use it. Or orange juice or dairy-free milk works!

        Reply
    16. Meg says

      August 26, 2022 at 3:08 pm

      Can I replace the granulated sugar with maple syrup or dates?

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 26, 2022 at 4:58 pm

        I've tested this cake with maple syrup and it makes the cake *much* denser and a very moist pudding-like texture. Dates will not work, unfortunately.

        Reply
      • Julia says

        October 21, 2022 at 10:40 am

        5 stars
        I used date paste instead of the sugar, worked really well. Obviously altered the texture and colour a bit but still absolutely delicious

        Reply
        • Gabriela says

          December 28, 2022 at 12:40 am

          How mich datepaste did you used?

    17. Alison Taylor says

      July 21, 2022 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
      Made this cake 4 days ago. It is DELICIOUS!! Super easy to make and just a winner all round. Followed your directions closely (but used soy milk not water), and used potato starch. My husband and I are good at rationing, and are just having one slice each per day, warmed up a little and it is still great! The right amount of citrus and sweetness. Thank you so much for this recipe - have just printed it to go in my favourite-recipes-folder!

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        August 11, 2022 at 10:41 am

        Aw thanks for your positive review Alison! I'm so happy that you and your husband enjoyed this cake and now I want to make it again! xx

        Reply
    18. Virginia says

      June 14, 2022 at 4:17 am

      Hello - this looks lovely! Can I use coconut flour instead of almond? Thanks

      Reply
      • Anthea says

        June 15, 2022 at 7:05 am

        Hi Virginia, coconut flour will not work, unfortunately! It's 3 times more absorbent than regular flour and has a lot less oil than almond flour so the ratios will be completely different.

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Primary Sidebar

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    About Anthea

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Cinnamon Babka
    • Vegan Banana Bread
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
    • Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes
    • Buttery Vegan Brioche
    • Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

    Seasonal Recipes

    • Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
    • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
    • Vegan Carrot Muffins
    • Vegan Gnocchi Bake with Bolognese Sauce
    • One-Pot Easy Vegan Ramen (with miso sesame soup)
    • Easy Thai Red Curry Potato Lentil Soup

    Get my cookbook

    Cover of Incredible Plant Based Desserts

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured in

    Banner with 10 logos where Rainbow Nourishments has been featured.

    More

    About
    Work with Me
    Contact

    Shop

    Get my cookbook

    Follow Me

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · RAINBOW NOURISHMENTS · PRIVACY POLICY ·  ACCESSIBILITY POLICY