I like to have my cake and eat it too. Especially this Orange Buttermilk Cake.
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Orange Buttermilk Cake!

The Cake:

This cake smells like orange blossoms and tastes like heaven. It has a fabulous texture, and is dense and moist.

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

The Texture:

The key ingredient to the perfect texture of this cake is sweet orange butternut squash. But don’t worry, the cake doesn’t like butternut squash, butternut squash simply makes the cake moist and creates the pretty orange flecks you see throughout the cake.

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

The intense orange flavor comes from orange zest!

I use a microplane to grate off the fragrant skin, just exposing the white and then moving on to a new area.

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

This cake is so pretty. Notice the orange flecks?

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

The Icing:

The icing is a thick glaze made with powdered sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest and vanilla paste! Orange and vanilla is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I use vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract. You are welcome to use extract, but i recommend Neilsen Massey Vanilla Paste. You can get 4oz here, or 36 oz here.

Need TO MAKE THIS CAKE GLUTEN FREE?:

Gluten free followers, I have a wonderful suggestion to make this cake gluten free but just as good: Jovial Gluten Free Pastry Flour is fantastic and the grains in this flour are soaked for easy digestion! Many stores carry Jovial Baking Flours now, but you can also order online. 

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

Voila!

A gorgeous citrus cake, perfect for any occasion!

Orange Buttermilk Cake!

NEED MORE CAKE RECIPES?

Try my Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Strawberry Buttercream, my Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes, or my Lemon Blackberry Cake!

The Recipe: Orange Buttermilk Cake

Tips and what you will need: I will be overemphasizing this below, but be sure not to make the icing too thin. It should be super thick so it doesn’t run off the cake and pool on the platter. You will need a bundt cake pan, a microplane, a ‘y’ peeler to peel butternut squash, a box grater or food processor to grate butternut squash, and vanilla paste (I use Neilsen Massey! Get 4oz here, or 36 oz here) You can use extract but I always recommend paste!

Print
Orange Buttermilk Cake!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

The secret to this moist, dense cake is grated butternut squash. Don’t worry, the cake does not taste like butternut squash, it tastes like heaven… and the squash gives it the most beautiful flecks of orange. If you don’t have a food processor, use the large holes on a box grater to grate the squash. You can make the cake a day ahead but don’t glaze till right before serving.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy dessert recipe, fall recipes, party recipe
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Linda Spiker
Ingredients
For the cake:
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup soft butter
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 tsp extract
  • Zest of two large oranges
  • Juice of 1/2 an orange
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 3/4 cups grated butternut squash
Icing:
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • zest of 1 small orange
  • juice of 1- 1 1/2 oranges You may or may not need all the juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
Instructions
  1. Position rack in center of the oven and preheat oven to 325. Use a paper towel to wipe butter onto bottom and sides of Bundt pan. Dust with a little flour.
  2. Place flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar for one minute. Add coconut oil and beat for another minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beat. Add vinegar and vanilla. Add half the flour/baking soda/salt mixture. Use a microplane to zest orange, add zest to batter, then add juice, mixing low until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix well. Add remaining flour, mix, add the rest of the buttermilk. Gently stir in butternut squash by hand. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Smooth top with a spatula and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before icing.
Icing:
  1. This is where I overemphasize not adding too much juice to the icing! Icing should be really thick. like molasses. It should be hard to whisk and barely pourable. Be sure to add orange juice to sugar a little at a time, whisking between additions If you make it too thin, the icing will run off the cake and onto the platter. When icing is the correct consistency add zest and vanilla. Mix. Drizzle over cooled cake, serve.

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Post tags: Gluten free, grain free