Italian Orange Cake

This Italian Orange Cake also known as La Torta All’Arancia is a traditional Italian sweet cake. It is usually served in the morning for breakfast or as an afternoon snack cake. It makes the perfect Christmas morning breakfast or brunch treat!

For years the Italian has been saying can you make a cake that is soft and perfectly moist with either an orange or lemon flavoring? So finally after all these years I did. And here it is. I had my daughter taste test it for a youtube video and she absolutely agreed. I am very proud of this cake and I hope you enjoy it too!

What makes a soft moist cake?

A soft, fluffy and moist cake is created by creaming the butter and sugar together, using cake or pastry flour, make sure your ingredients, eggs, milk, juice are all at room temperature, and the butter is softened.

Whisking or sifting the dry ingredients together is also a must. Be sure to beat the batter for a couple of minutes on high speed. Using the correct size pan and of course making sure your oven temperature is correct. A too high or too low temperature can ruin a cake.

Recipe Ingredients

• Flour – cake or pastry flour
• Baking Powder –
• Salt
• Butter – melted and cooled
• Zest – of 2 oranges
• Juice – fresh squeezed orange juice
• Sugar – I like to use fine sugar but granulated will do just fine
• Eggs – 2 whole eggs and 1 yolk, all should be at room temperature.
• Vanilla –
• Milk – I use either 2% or whole milk, room temperature

How to Make Cake Flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

How to make it

In a medium bowl whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

Beat the butter and zest until creamy, approximately 1 -2 minutes, add the sugar and beat 2 minutes.

Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating between each addition, add the vanilla beat to combine on speed #4 or high speed.

Add the flour in 2 additions, beat in the milk then the orange juice. Beat until combined, another 1-2 minutes.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and bake. Test for doneness with a toothpick. Let cool in the pan, move to wire rack or cake pan.

Dust the cake with powdered sugar and or drizzle with a simple orange glaze. 

What makes a cake fall?

• There are a lot a reasons a cake may fall, but the most common ones are, your oven temperature is off, you can always check it with an oven thermometer to make sure it is reading properly.
• You open the oven door too early, never open the door before 25-30 minutes has passed.
• Your baking powder or soda has expired and is no long active.
• The pan size might not be the correct size, sometimes using a bundt pan will help.
• Follow the recipe, adding the ingredients as listed.

FAQs

If you are looking for a simple, soft Orange cake to try I hope you give make this Italian Orange Cake and enjoy it as much as we do. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

More Italian Cake Recipes

• Italian Lemon Bundt Cake
• Fresh Cream Vanilla Cake
• Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
• Italian Apple Cake