Gluten Free Orange Cake
This gluten free orange cake is moist, tender and so easy to make. It’s topped with a fresh orange buttercream frosting and is a total crowd pleasing recipe. Plus, you can easily make it dairy free!
My gluten free lemon cake is one of my most popular and favorite recipes from the blog, so this Summer I wanted to create a fresh variation!
This gluten free orange cake is packed with fresh and bright flavor. The cake is moist and tender with a delicious orange buttercream. We’ll be using orange juice, orange zest and orange extract to ensure a really well rounded flavor.
This cake is not like a Mary Berry orange spice cake, but if you want to add some additional spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. If you love this recipe, try my carrot cake, orange olive oil cake or one of my 10+ best gluten free cake recipes next!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- One bowl
- Dairy free friendly
- Moist & tender
- Perfectly sweet
Key ingredients
Flour. For this recipe, we’ll use a mix of gluten free all purpose flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour) and almond flour. If you need to make it nut free, you can sub the almond flour with an additional 1/2 cup of GF all purpose flour, so use 3 1/4 cups total.
Sugar. I highly recommend just regular old white sugar for this cake. You can try subbing for a refined sugar free option like coconut sugar, but that will make the color very dark and can change the texture.
Eggs. You need 4 large room temperature eggs for this recipe. Be sure they are at room temperature or the cake can get clumpy when you mix the butter and eggs. You cannot sub the eggs for an egg replacer to make this vegan. But yes, butter, eggs and vanilla are all gluten free.
Butter and oil. I love using a mix of butter and oil for cakes because it creates a light and fluffy texture but also a rich flavor.
Orange. You’ll need fresh orange juice, orange zest and orange extract here. If you do not have orange extract, you can sub for more orange zest. Same with my gluten free orange cranberry bread!
How to make orange cake
Prepare cake pans. Grease and line two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans or three 6 inch cake pans and set aside. Please be sure to grease and line as you do not want the cake to stick!
Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients.
Add dry ingredients. Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flours, don’t scoop right from the bag. Whisk until smooth.
Taste. Give a quick taste and add more orange zest or extract as desired. Do not add more orange juice as this will throw off the liquid/dry ratio.
Add to pans. Transfer to your prepared cake pans, trying to fill each as evenly as possible.
Bake. For 8 or 9 inch pans, bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, for 6 inch pans, bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
How to make orange buttercream
Beat butter. To make the buttercream, add your softened butter to a bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes.
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Add sugar. Add in the powdered sugar in 2-3 batches. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add flavor. Add in the orange juice, zest and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.
Adjust. If it is too thin, add more sugar, if it’s too thick add in more orange juice or a splash of milk. For a stronger orange flavor, add in more zest or some orange extract. Try my orange olive oil cookies next!
How to store and freeze
How to store after baking and decorating. Once the cake is frosted and decorated, be sure to keep it covered either on a cake stand with a cover or in a container if it’s sliced.
You can store at room temperature or in the fridge, but if you store in the fridge, the texture will firm up a bit.
How to freeze. You can freeze this gluten free orange cake after it bakes and before you frost it. Simply bake the cake as usual, let it cool completely, then wrap each layer in plastic wrap.
Place each layer in a freezer safe bag and freeze until you’re ready to frost.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
The main reason this may happen with this recipe is if you underbake it. Be sure to keep the oven closed while baking and check with a toothpick.
The toothpick should come out clean with a few moist crumbs, but it should not be wet.
Frequently asked questions
Are gluten free cakes healthy?
They can be! But they can also be loaded with just as much refined sugar and oil as a regular gluten filled cake, so don’t be fooled.
This recipe is totally gluten free and safe for Celiacs, but I would not classify it as healthy because of the high sugar content.
Do gluten free cakes taste different?
If done correctly, no, and I’m not just saying that! A gluten free cake can be just as moist, flavorful, tender and delicious as a regular cake. Like my gluten free lemon drizzle cake!
The key is to follow the recipe as written because each ingredient was chosen with care!
Why is it dry?
Gluten free baked goods have a (not so accurate) reputation of being dry, but when made correctly, this cake should be anything but dry!
One reason it may turn out dry is if you measure the flour incorrectly. You want to be sure to spoon and level the flour into your dry measuring cups. Don’t scoop from the bag or you may end up with more flour than you actually need.
More cake and cupcake recipes you’ll love!
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
- Best Vanilla Cake
- Birthday Cake
- Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Strawberry Cake
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Gluten Free Orange Cake
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups fine white sugar
- ⅓ cup oil any plain oil will work
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- ⅔ cup milk room temperature
- 1 cup fresh orange juice room temperature
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1-2 teaspoons orange extract
Dry
- 2 ¾ cup gluten free all purpose baking flour
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Buttercream
- 2 sticks butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Grease and line two 8 inch round cake pans or three 6 inch cake pans and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients.
- Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flours, don’t scoop right from the bag.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Give a quick taste and add more orange zest or extract as desired. Do not add more orange juice.
- Transfer to your prepared cake pans, trying to fill each as evenly as possible.
- For 8 inch pans, bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, for 6 inch pans, bake for about 55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- To make the buttercream, add your softened butter to a bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the powdered sugar in 2-3 batches, beating until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the orange juice, zest and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.
- If it is too thin, add more sugar, if it’s too thick add in more orange juice or a splash of milk. For a stronger orange flavor, add in more zest or some orange extract.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, frost and enjoy!
Notes
Comments
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This cake was delicious! This is a keeper and one of the top gf cakes I’ve made, and I’ve made a lot. My family sometimes gives my gf recipes the thumbs down, however loved this one! I did the buttercream in the middle (which was delicious too- another keeper), and I frosted the rest with a whipped mascarpone (just because too much butter is hard for me too eat otherwise I would use it all). It turned out great! Thanks for sharing.
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Just made by day! Thank you, Veronica!
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I accidentally bought gluten free self rising flour and I’m in charge of making a last minute cake for my best friend! Is there any way to alter the recipe to accommodate or maybe another one of your recipes uses GF self rising??
Any help would be appreciatedThank you!
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Hmm I don’t have a lot of experience with self rising flour, but I’d maybe just leave out the baking powder. let me know if you try!
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I love all of your recipes. You quickly become my go-to when my hubby was diagnosed with celiac. I made this orange cake for my daughter’s first birthday. So thankful to have a blog I trust fully
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Aww thank you so much Sara! Means a lot!
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If I make this the day before a party, will it still keep well overnight until the party?
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Yes!
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For overnight keeping, do you reccomend in the fridge or counter covered? Also would you ice it later before the party or the same day as baking?
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I’d let it cool, then wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge, then frost the same day.
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I want to make this cake but there is only the two of us. Can I half this recipe and just make one layer? Thanks for your help! Love your site and recipes!
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Yes, definitely!
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I love all your recipes, but this one sounds especially good. Father’s Day is coming soon and plan on making it then-only as cupcakes so they can be frozen-if any leftover. How long will the leftover frosting keep-refrigerated or not?
My husband, being newly diagnosed celiac is also prediabetic (as am I). Can this cake be made with less sugar? I cannot use any artificial sweeteners with erythritol-some really bad reactions to even a teeny tiny amount.-
The frosting will keep in the fridge for about a week! It will harden up in the fridge because of the butter. You can cut back on the sugar by maybe 1/3 cup, but this will alter the taste a bit.
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Can this recipe be used for cupcakes? How long do I bake them?
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Yes! I’d start with about 18-20 minutes and adjust from here.
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If I want to make it a 3 layer 8inch cake do I times the recipe by 2?
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No it would be 1.5!
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Thankyou!!! Looking forward to making it this weekend for my Mums 70th
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Could you use regular flour here?
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I’m unable to test my recipes with all purpose flour, but it should be ok. Let me know if you try it!
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Any tips for attaching the dried oranges to the side of the cake? thx.
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Do it when the buttercream is still wet! I’d add a dollop of frosting to the back of the orange and then press it onto the cake and let it dry.
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This cake is unreal! I made it for my son’s first birthday party this weekend and everyone loved it! I love baking cakes and I was told that it is the best cake that I’ve ever made. Soo delish. I can’t wait to use this recipe again and again!
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Just made my day, thanks Erica!
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How many grams is a stick of butter?
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About 113 grams!
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Can you use a non dairy milk here?
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Yes, any milk will do!
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I made a two layer version of this DELICIOUS cake. My main tip with this cake is to choose a quality gluten free flour – I used Pillsbury and do not recommend for this cake. I loved the potent scent of orange that filled my kitchen with joyness ☺️ I added a few drops of orange essential oil ( only recommend Young Living Vitality oils for consumption) –
For me what makes this cake SOOO good is the orange buttercream icing- wow!!!! Since I made a 2- layer instead of 3 there was plenty left over icing which I used to ice fresh made croissants 🥐 the next day- crazy delish! I took cake to a church social and everyone who got a piece( it went fast) loved it. 🧡-
Amazing! Makes me so happy to hear, thanks Elizabeth!
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Looks so delicious! Is there a substitute for the almond flour as I cannot have almonds?
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Yes, I explain all subs in the recipe card!
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Does it matter if the flour has xanthum gum or not
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Yes! It should have xanthan gum. I suggest Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking flour.
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