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–+ servings
a whole cake, topped with orange slices, on a white plate.
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4.67 from 27 votes

Orange Syrup Cake

This is the best orange syrup cake you’ll ever try! Made with real orange zest and juice, it is packed full of citrus flavour with a buttery, tender crumb. It’s also ultra-moist and wonderfully zesty, thanks to a drizzle of simple orange syrup. Served warm with a dollop of cream, it will be love at first bite!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 10
Calories: 483kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

Orange sugar syrup

  • ¾ cups caster sugar 170 grams
  • ⅓ cup orange juice (juice from 1-2 oranges)
  • 2-3 medium oranges thinly sliced into circles (leave the peel on)

Orange cake

  • 1 cup butter (250 grams), softened at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups caster sugar 325g
  • zest of two oranges
  • 4 whole eggs large, room temperature
  • 1 cup hazelnut meal 125g (hazelnut flour).
  • 1 cup plain flour 140g (all purpose flour)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ cup orange juice approximately 3 oranges
  • ½ cup sour cream
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 160 °C/320F (fan forced). Grease a 20cm (8") round cake tin with butter and line the bottom of the tin with baking/parchment paper, with the paper also folded at least 1-2cm up the sides.

For the orange sugar syrup

  • Place the caster sugar and orange juice into a large saucepan and cook over low-medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved (1-2 minutes).
  • Carefully place the orange slices into the hot syrup and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, until the orange slices have softened slightly.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and carefully remove the orange slices using a fork, one at a time. Gently tap the slices on the edge of the pan to remove any excess syrup. Arrange the orange slices evenly along the bottom of the lined cake tin, on top of the baking paper. Reserve the orange syrup for later.

For the orange cake

  • Place the softened butter, caster sugar and orange zest into a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until pale and creamy (2-3 minutes). (Electric handheld beaters can also be used).
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until completely combined and fluffy.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the hazelnut meal, flour and baking powder until combined.
  • Fold in half of the hazelnut mixture to the butter mixture, until just combined.
  • Add the orange juice and sour cream and stir until combined.
  • Fold in the remaining hazelnut mixture, until just combined.
  • Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin, over the top of the sliced oranges.
  • Cover the cake tin tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the cake is completely cooked through and springs back when gently pressed in the middle. You can test by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, with a few crumbs, the cake is ready.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and carefully run a knife along the edge of the tin to gently loosen the cake. Carefully turn the cake upside down onto a wire rack (orange slices facing up).
  • Place a tray underneath the wire rack, to catch any excess orange syrup.
  • Using a wooden skewer, poke holes into the top of the cake, about halfway deep. Slowly pour the orange syrup over the top of the warm cake and allow it to soak in to the holes.

To serve

  • Cut the cake into slices and serve warm with some sweet whipped cream or mascarpone. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Oranges – any type of fresh oranges can be used in this recipe, so choose your favourite or whatever is in season. Blood oranges, Navel oranges or Valencia are great options. Choose freshly picked oranges with firm, bright peel. Both the zest and juice of the oranges are used, as well as thin slices of orange for the topping. A seedless variety is recommended (but not essential), as nobody wants to bite into a seed!
  2. Hazelnut meal – also called hazelnut flour, hazelnut meal is made by grounding whole, raw hazelnuts. In this recipe, it gives the cake an incredibly tender, soft crumb. The sweet and earthy flavour of the hazelnut meal pairs beautifully with the oranges. Hazelnut meal can be found in most supermarkets and specialty stores or you can make your own. It can be swapped for almond meal, if preferred.
  3. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. This will help them incorporate into the batter more easily and ensure the batter is smooth, with no lumps.
  4. For accuracy, weigh your ingredients using a baking or kitchen scale. The measurements need to be precise to ensure you end up with a perfectly tender and moist cake. Too much flour will result in a dry, dense cake.
  5. Don’t overmix the cake batter. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just Overmixing can result in a dry or rubbery cake.
  6. Line the cake tin with baking paper. Don’t skip this step. Baking paper must be used to line the tin, or the sliced oranges will stick to the bottom of the tin and become burnt and bitter. Use a single layer of baking paper, cut to fit the bottom of the tin and run slightly up the sides.
  7. I recommend leaving the peel on the orange slices used to decorate the cake. Leaving the peel on provides extra orange flavour and adds to the overall presentation, but you can remove the peel if you prefer.
  8. Gently tap the excess syrup from the orange slices, before adding them to the cake tin. Excess syrup can burn at the bottom of the tin as the cake bakes.
  9. This cake is best eaten when warm. It can be sliced and eaten after being soaked in the orange syrup. If the cake has cooled by the time you want to eat it, warm individual pieces in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
  10. Serve it with a big dollop of double cream, mascarpone, crème fraiche or unsweetened natural yoghurt.
  11. Freezing; This cake will freeze well for up to 3 months. Once the cake has cooled completely, wrap it in a double layer of clingfilm, or cut it and wrap the slices individually. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature when ready to eat. To serve, microwave individual slices until warm.
  12. Storage; This cake is best eaten fresh, in the first day or two of being made. However, it will keep well in an airtight container in a cool place for 4-5 days. If your house is hot or humid, keep the cake in the fridge but re-warm the slices or allow them to return to room temperature before serving.
  13. The nutrition information is based on the cake being sliced into 10 pieces, with one piece being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the cake.
  14. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary. 

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 687IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 2mg