This Orange Coffee Cake turns out incredibly soft and tender, packed with the most vibrant, refreshing taste. The bright citrus notes from fresh orange deliver a delightful burst of flavor while remaining gentle enough to complement rather than dominate the bake. It works wonderfully as a warm-weather morning meal or an anytime sweet treat!
ABOUT THIS ORANGE COFFEE CAKE
I just got back from a wonderful girls' getaway with my daughter. The trip was to see my grandmother, and I absolutely loved watching my oldest experiencing all the same activities I used to enjoy with my grandma when I was little. She stitched together pajama pants, crafted a lovely piece of decor for her bedroom, put together some quiet-time projects, and stirred up a batch of homemade strawberry jam. Whipping up meals alongside my grandmother stands out as one of my most treasured memories from childhood. Honestly, that experience is part of what inspired me to launch this blog in the first place. A deep-rooted love for cooking and creating runs throughout my family.
Coffee cake remains one of those go-to bakes I associate with my grandma's kitchen during every visit. Eventually, it became a fixture in my mom's home too. As years went on, we loved putting creative twists on our beloved traditional version. Today's variation might just be the best one I've ever baked. This particular recipe delivers exceptional moisture and carries a truly outstanding, lively citrus profile.
WHERE THE NAME COMES FROM
As the name suggests, coffee cakes have historically been served alongside coffee — and still are today. Whether you enjoy one for breakfast, as a speedy bite, or simply as a sweet companion to your cup of joe, they fit any moment. They're closer to a sweet quick bread than an actual cake in texture and feel.
WHAT DEFINES A COFFEE CAKE
By tradition, coffee cakes boast a tender crumb and feature either a streusel or crumb topping on top. A sweet glaze drizzle is also a common finishing touch.
I couldn't resist going back for a second (and third) slice of this Orange Coffee Cake. It brought back memories of orange rolls — only elevated! The base bakes up wonderfully soft and tender, and the crumb layer offers the ideal contrasting crunch in every forkful. A straightforward but absolutely delicious glaze gets drizzled across the top. This is definitely a recipe I'll return to again and again, and I'm confident you will as well!
If this recipe appeals to you, be sure to check out these others as well:
Orange Coffee Cake
Author: Nikki
Recipe type: Breakfast
Baking Instructions for Orange Coffee Cake by Chef in Training
What You'll Need
- 1¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup orange juice
- ½ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 Tablespoon orange zest
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 Tablespoon Orange zest
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- Set your oven to 350 degrees F to preheat.
- Coat a springform pan with non-stick vegetable spray.
- Using a large mixing bowl, whip the sugar and eggs together until the mixture turns pale and creamy.
- Pour in the buttermilk, orange juice, oil, and orange zest, then blend until combined.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gently fold into the wet batter. AVOID OVERMIXING!
- In a separate small bowl, mash together the butter, sugar, flour, and orange zest using a fork until the mixture looks crumbly.
- Scatter the crumb mixture evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fully set. Test for doneness by inserting a long toothpick into the center — when it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- Gently release the cake from the springform pan and transfer it onto a serving stand.
- Whisk together all the glaze components, then drizzle the mixture over the cooled cake. Serve either slightly warm or at room temperature.
Time to dig in!
CHECK OUT OUR Fluffy Buttermilk Overnight Pancakes Recipe
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