This orange bundt cake has a fluffy moist texture and is topped with a semi-sweet chocolate glaze. It is naturally flavored with fresh orange zest and fresh orange juice! So flavorful, fragrant, and very simple to make!

Fresh orange flavor is packed into every bite of this cake! The recipe uses fresh orange zest and fresh orange juice. The zest is rubbed into sugar and combined throughout the cake batter, making it extra fragrant!

This cake is simple enough to bake all year long, but also fancy enough to serve at special events or during the holidays! So, if you love a simple orange cake as much as I do, this orange bundt cake with chocolate glaze is for you! I’m sure you’ll love the flavor and also the texture.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

Serving & Storage >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

It may look fancy, but this orange bundt cake is surprisingly simple to make with no complicated steps.
Tastes amazing and fresh! Naturally flavored with fresh orange.
Perfect for any occasion! Family gatherings, Mother’s Day, the holiday season, Christmas and so many more.
This orange bundt cake can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert, or alongside a cup of afternoon tea.
You can simply dust the cake with powdered sugar on top or glaze the cake with chocolate ganache.
It’s a bundt cake, but you can make this in a regular tube pan if you like!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

Orange – I recommend using fresh orange. You’ll need the zest and also the fresh juice.

Sugar – You’ll just need granulated sugar to make this recipe!

Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.

Salt – This will do the job of balancing out the flavor.

Flour – No need for fancy flour, you’ll just need all-purpose flour!

Leavening agent – You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to make this cake. They help the cake batter rise, which gives volume, texture, and crumb to your finished cake.

Egg – You’ll need large eggs. Egg size matters, so make sure you’re using the right eggs. Also, eggs are best at room temperature. If you forget to take them out of the fridge ahead of time, then pop the eggs in warm water for ten minutes.

Oil – This recipe uses canola oil, but you can use any neutral oil. It contributes moistness far longer than cakes made with butter.

Sour Cream – This adds moisture without thinning the batter, resulting in a more tender crumb. If you run out of sour cream, greek yogurt or creme fraiche work well too. They have the high fat content and acidity that we need.

Heavy Cream – Use full-fat cream with 35% – 40% milk fat for the chocolate glaze. It helps the chocolate glaze to set on your cake. A low-fat cream will create a chocolate sauce that will remain liquid on the cake.

Chocolate – I recommend semi-sweet chocolate or 60% dark chocolate to make the glaze.

BAKING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

(Check my favorite baking tools and equipment here!)

Bundt pan, 10 – 12 cups
Mixing bowls
Saucepan
Plastic wrap
Electric mixer or a whisk

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)

STEP 1 – Prepare the Bundt Pan and The Oven

Grease a bundt pan with soft butter, making sure to get into the details of the pan, then evenly sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour into the bottom of the pan. Cover the top with plastic wrap and shake to coat the pan. Invert the Bundt pan to remove the plastic wrap and the excess flour.

Adjust the oven rack, and set it in the bottom third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F.

STEP 2 – Make the Cake Batter and Bake the Cake

In a medium bowl, combine and whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

In a different bowl, combine granulated sugar and fresh orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar using your fingertips until well incorporated and fragrant. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, orange juice, sour cream, and vanilla extract until combined and airy for about 2 minutes. Add in the orange sugar and whisk for another minute.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Whisk everything until just combined, do not overwork the cake batter. Then, switch to a silicone spatula and mix well until incorporated.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer or tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake stand in the pan for about 10 minutes and then invert the cake into a cooling rack. Let it cool to room temperature.

STEP 3 – Make the Chocolate Glaze

Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer until small bubbles appear around the edges. Do not boil the cream. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to stand for 1 minute. Then, whisk until smooth and shiny. Wait until the ganache is thickened slightly before you pour it over the cake.

If the chocolate has not melted completely, set the bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Keep stirring until the chocolate and cream are fully combined, smooth, and silky.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Room-temperature ingredients blend easily and incorporate together to create a smooth batter without flecks of eggs.
Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.
Keep your eyes on the cake while baking. Think of baking times just as suggestions, because every oven is different! The temperature can vary greatly, even when you set it to the same temperature as in the recipe.
When you zest the oranges, only grate the outer, colorful part of the rind. Don’t zest into the white pith because the pith is bitter and will spoil the flavor of your cake.

HERE’S HOW TO STORE THIS ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

You’ll need to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. If you want to freeze this cake for later, I recommend cutting it into individual slices. Wrap each slice with layers of plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, and place it in a freezer-safe container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.