Orange Sheet Cake

Name: Orange Sheet Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Ingredients: 100 gm Castor sugar; 1 tbsp Orange zest; 120 ml Olive oil; 90 ml Orange juice (1 large orange); 50 gm Yogurt; 1 Egg; 150 gm Flour; 1/2 tsp Baking powder; Pinch of salt; 80 gm Butter; 240 gm Icing sugar; 1 Orange zest; 2 tbsp Orange juice; Food gel coloring

A light and fluffy orange cake filled with zest and juice to give you a natural citrus flavor. Decorated with fresh orange buttercream frosting.

Have you even had an orange cream biscuit growing up? This cake reminds me of that orange flavor but only thing it is 10 times better. This orange cake is packed with orange zest and orange juice. I make sure to add the oranges in the cake and the frosting to ensure maximum orange flavor. It is an oil based cake that makes it incredibly tender, light and fluffy once baked.

The beauty about this recipe apart from its nostalgic deliciousness is the fact that you don’t need fancy equipment to make it. Also, most of the ingredients you will use are most liking sitting in your pantry cupboard. I have taken a patient step to pipe tiny oranges on the cake which I think look even more retro and cute however you do to need to do this step. Let us look at the ingredients you will need to make this cake.

What ingredients do you need to make this Orange Sheet Cake?

Oranges –

No shocker here we need oranges to make this cake but I am using the orange zest and juice. We need the fresh juice without any sugar to achieve maximum orange flavor. You can use bottle orange juice but make sure it is freshly squeezed without any additives etc. The orange zest is a must though.

Sugar –

I have used castor sugar to make this recipe as I waned to maintain a pale yellow color in the batter but you could use any sugar you have. I have made this recipe with light brown sugar as well and it is yummy.

Egg –

The cake uses one egg. If you want to make it eggless I would recommend using 1 flaxseed egg, 1 tbsp flaxseed powder and 2 tbsp water.

Oil –

I love using olive oil in the batter but you can use any oil you like, regular vegetable oil, coconut oil or even melted butter.

Yogurt –

The yogurt adds a tenderness to the cake batter which cannot be replaced, I have used sour cream in place of the yogurt and it turned out good but yogurt is my preference.

Flour –

All purpose flour is the way to go here. If you have cake flour you can use it or self raising flour works as well. If you are looking for a gluten free option you can use gluten free flour mix (cup for cup measure, I like using Bobs red mill)

Lets talk Buttercream –

I used unsalted butter, icing sugar, orange zest, orange juice and pinch of salt to make the buttercream. You cannot skip the icing sugar, you need a powdered sugar to make it. Also you can use any butter you choose, it could be vegan as well. To make the tiny oranges I have used orange food gel, green food gel for the leaves and brown food gel for the stalks. You can use liquid food coloring however this will change the consistency of the frosting. Add a little at a time until you have achieved the right color.

What equipment do you need to make this Orange Sheet Cake?

A mixing bowl and whisk is all we need to make this cake batter. I have baked this cake in an 8×8 inch square tin lined with baking paper. I made the buttercream in a bowl with a spatula but you can use electric hand beater. A couple of piping bags for piping the oranges on the cake. I have used a spatula to frost the cake but you can use a butter knife.

How to make this Orange Sheet Cake?

Preheat the oven to 180℃ and line an. 8×8 inch square tin with oil and baking paper. In a mixing bowl add the sugar and orange zest, using your fingers rub them togehter until the sugar has become a pale yellow color. Add the egg, orange juice, oil, yogurt and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and whisk until combined. Pour into the tin and bake for 16-18 mins. Once it is done a tooth pick inserted into the center should come out clean and the top will be dry to touch, golden and risen. Let it cool completely before decorating.

To make the frosting –

In a small bowl add the butter and orange zest. Beat together using a rubber spatula. Once pale and creamy, add the icing sugar in 3 parts, beating well between each part. Add the orange juice and stir well. Divide the batter in 4 parts, keeping the first majority of it without any color. Color the second part with orange food gel, color the third part with green food gel and the fourth part with brown food gel.

Assembly –

Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting without any color on the cake and spread it evenly. Using a piping bag pipe orange dots, green leaves and brown stalks to create an orange. Continue until you have finished decorating the Cake. Slice and serve. You can frost the cake as it is without the tiny oranges and keep it simple.

How long can you store this Orange Sheet Cake?

The leftover cake can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for a day. However I would recommend storing it in the fridge as there is fresh fruit juice in the recipe. When serving it, let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

Now that we have covered how to cook this Orange Sheet Cake, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.