• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Plant Based School
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • ITA
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Mains
  • Tofu
  • Pasta
  • Sweet
  • Collections
  • About Us
  • ENG
    • ITA
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Vegan Orange Cake + Orange Curd Filling

    Vegan Orange Cake + Orange Curd Filling

    Published: Dec 3, 2021 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This vegan orange cake is light, soft, and very easy to make. You can eat it as is or you can fill it with our delicious orange curd filling.

    It's a perfect breakfast cake, and it's also great as a mid-afternoon snack with tea or coffee. And the orange curd inside is tangy, zesty and so delicious that it will make you reach for another slice.

    a slice of vegan orange curd cake
    vegan orange cake with orange curd filling
    On this page:
    • What to expect
    • Ingredients & Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • How to scale this recipe?
    • Mistakes I made
    • Tips
    • Storage
    • Variations
    • Similar recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best vegan cake recipes collection!

    What to expect

    vegan orange cake without filling
    vegan orange cake without filling

    There are many types of orange cakes around, from bundt orange cakes to more elaborated layered orange cakes.

    Our vegan orange cake is a round cake that is filled with a layer of vegan orange curd that we show you how to make below. It's really easy to make and it tastes delicious.

    vegan orange curd cake
    vegan orange cake with orange curd filling

    For the cake itself, you can literally whip it up in 5 minutes. The ingredients are simple ones that you probably already have at home.

    It cooks in the oven in 30 minutes, and while you wait, you can make the orange curd.

    orange cake vegan

    We tested this cake with both all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Both versions are great, but in my personal opinion, all-purpose flour is best if you want a cake that is more dessert-like, or if you serve it to non-vegans that are not used to more wholesome flavors.

    On the other hand, whole wheat flour is best for a cake that you want to eat for breakfast or that you want to serve to your kids, and get them used to whole-some flavors.

    Also, this cake is delicious both with the orange curd filling and without.

    a slice of orange cake without filling
    a slice of orange cake without filling

    Ingredients & Substitutions

    For the vegan orange cake

    Organic Sicilian Oranges
    • Flour: you can use all-purose flour or whole-wheat flour. You can also use 50% all-purpose and 50% whole-wheat.
    • Plant-milk: we use soy milk, but any other plant-milk will do.
    • Vegetable oil: you can use most vegetable oils, you can use canola oil, sunflower oil, and even a light olive oil, altough this makes the cake slightly heavier.

      For best taste we recommend a neutral oil that doesn't taste too much of the vegetable is made of.
    • Sugar: plain sugar works great. Unrefined cane sugar works well too. If you use coconut sugar, then you need to multiply our sugar amount by 1.25 as coconut sugar is less sweet than regular sugar.
    • Baking powder: or cream of tartar.
    • Orange: we use the juice and the grated zest of organic oranges. It would be best for you if the orange is organic.
    • Vanilla extract: this is optional but it adds a nice vanilla flavour to the cake that goes well with the orange flavour.

    For the eggless orange curd

    The orange curd is optional, but recommended. The cake is delicious both with the curd, and without.

    orange curd drizzling on the orange cake
    orange curd being poured as cake filling
    • Orange juice: we like to use freshly squeezed orange juice, then we filter out the pulp and only use the liquid part of the juice. You can also use packaged orange juice.
    • Potato starch or corn starch: use either to thicken up the curd.
    • Sugar: any type will work. You can add more or less based on your preference. The orange curd is usually tangy and sour, so if you don't like that add more sugar.

    Instructions

    Equipment

    • Springform pan with 9 inch or 23 cm diameter. If you have a different size check our conversion table below.
    • Hand mixer or whisk
    • Orange squeezer if you use freshly squeezed orange juice
    • Zester

    Make the cake

    Preheat the oven to 340F or 170C. Then lightly grease your springform pan with some vegetable oil, then dust it with flour. Set aside.

    dusting the springform pan with flour

    In a bowl add soy milk, sugar, orange juice, vegetable oil, grated zest of 2 oranges, and vanilla extract. Give it a stir with a spatula.

    wet ingredients for the orange cake in a bowl

    Sift in flour and baking powder and mix with a hand mixer or with a whisk for a few seconds. In the pictures that follows we used whole-wheat flour.

    TIP: do NOT over-mix the cake batter. Mix only for about 30 seconds. Over-mixing will activate the gluten and your cake will turn out heavier.

    sifting flour and baking powder

    Transfer the cake batter into the springform and bake for 25 minutes at 340F or 170C then set aside to cool completely.

    transferring the cake batter into a springform pan
    letting the orange cake cool down completely

    Make the orange curd

    To a pot add filtered orange juice (without orange bits), sugar and potato starch. Stir with a whisk to dissolve the sugar and the starch.

    ingredients for orange curd into a small pot

    On medium-low heat cook the liquid for one to two minutes, while stirring. As soon as the liquid thickens take it out of the heat and keep stirring for another minute.

    whisking the orange curd on medium heat

    Fill the cake

    With a serrated knife, cut the orange cake open in half. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before you do that.

    orange cake cut in half with a serrated knife

    Add the orange curd and spread it evenly on the base layer of the cake.

    pouring orange curd onto the cake

    Cover with the top layer, sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.

    a slice of freshly baked vegan orange cake

    How to scale this recipe?

    How to scale ingredients?

    Easy! We calculated the scaling number for you. Pick the springform pan that you want to use for your cake, then multiply all the ingredients in our recipe box by the scaling number in this table.

    Springform pan sizeScaling Number
    4 inch (10 cm)0.22
    5 inch (13 cm)0.31
    6 inch (15 cm)0.44
    7 inch (18 cm)0.60
    8 inch (20 cm)0.79
    9 inch (23 cm)1
    10 inch (25 cm)1.23
    11 inch (28 cm)1.5
    springform pan sizes and how to scale recipe

    How do I know if my cake is fully baked?

    Checking if the cake is baked
    toothpick test

    Depending on the type of oven, type of milk, and type of flour, your cake will take more or less time to cook than our cake.

    For this reason, when baking ANY cake, you should always check the core of the cake with a clean toothpick or skewer before you take your cake out of the oven.

    To do that, just insert the toothpick or the skewer in the centre of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean and dry it means that your cake is ready.

    If the toothpick comes out wet, then bake for a few minutes longer, then check again.

    a slice of vegan orange cake

    Mistakes I made

    • I over-mixed the cake batter: the first time I made this vegan orange curd cake I mixed the cake batter with a whisk for a long time trying to remove all the lumps. This is wrong. Over-mixing will activate the gluten which will make the cake heavy and more compact.
    • I overcooked the eggless orange curd: citrus tends to get bitter if you cook it too much. So use gentle heat and don't over-cook.
    • I didn't add enough sugar to the curd: I tried orange curd without sugar but it's just too sour.
    vegan orange cake without filling

    Tips

    • Don't grate the white flesh of the orange: only grate the orange-colored zest of the orange. The white flesh under the peel is bitter.
    • Do not over-mix the batter: I repeat this again. Only stir the cake batter with a spatula for a few seconds and don't worry too much about the lumps.
    • Wait for the cake to cool down: this is a very light and soft cake that should NOT be cut while warm. Wait until it cools completely before cutting it open.
    • Bake the cake immediately: to have your cake soft and fluffy you should bake it as soon as you mixed all the ingredients together. To do that always preheat the oven in advance and also prepare your springform pan in advance so you are ready to bake.
    vegan orange curd cake
    vegan orange curd cake

    Storage

    Store this vegan orange cake on a plate, covered, in a dry corner of your kitchen. It'll stay nice and soft for up to 4 days.

    If you want to extend its shelf-life, then store it in a reusable plastic bag - like one for freezing food.

    You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months, but we do not recommend it. It stays softer and fluffier when it's fresh.

    Variations

    You can fill this orange cake with any filling you like. For a quicker version, you can use orange jam or any other jams.

    Alternatively, you can fill it with one of our vegan custards. Our favorite is to fill it with our delicious vegan pistachio custard, but a classic custard, or a coffee custard work too.

    Pistachio custard
    vegan pistachio custard

    Similar recipes

    If you're a big fan of plant-based desserts (like we are), check out our other easy vegan cakes:

    • Vegan carrot cake
    • Easy vegan coffee cake
    • Light vegan lemon cake
    • Carrot and orange cake
    • Blueberry lemon pound cake
    • Vegan chocolate cake
    • Easy chocolate brownie cake

    For many more sweet ideas, check out our desserts category page.

    Recipe

    vegan orange curd cake

    Vegan Orange Cake + Orange Curd

    Author: Nico
    This vegan orange cake is light, soft, and very easy to make. You can eat it as is or you can fill it with our delicious orange curd filling.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 11 votes
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Cooling time 30 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 206 kcal

    Equipment

    • Springform pan 9 inches (23 - 24 cm)
    • Hand mixer or whisk
    • Zester
    • Orange juicer (if you use freshly squeezed orange juice)

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the orange cake

    • 2 cups flour all-purpose or whole-wheat
    • ¾ cups soy milk or other plant-milk
    • ½ cups sugar
    • 2 oranges the grated zest
    • ½ cups orange juice
    • ¼ cups vegetable oil canola, sunflower or other
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder or cream of tartar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
    • ½ tablespoon powdered sugar (optional to sprinkle on top)

    For the orange curd

    • 1 cup orange juice filtered, no bits
    • ¼ cups sugar
    • 3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch

    Instructions
     

    Make the orange cake

    • Preheat the oven to 340F or 170C. Then lightly grease your springform pan with some vegetable oil, then dust it with flour. Set aside.
      Springform pan greased with oil and flour
    • In a bowl add soy milk, sugar, orange juice, vegetable oil, grated zest of 2 oranges, and vanilla extract. Give it a stir with a spatula.
      mixing the wet ingredients together
    • Sift in flour and baking powder and mix with a hand mixer or with a whisk for a few seconds.
      TIP: do NOT over-mix the cake batter. Mix only for about 30 seconds. Over-mixing will activate the gluten and your cake will turn out heavier.
      Adding the dry ingredients for the orange cake
    • Transfer the cake batter into the springform and bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 340F or 170C then set aside to cool completely.
      Transferring the cake batter into the spring form

    Make the orange curd

    • To a pot add filtered orange juice (without orange bits), sugar and potato starch. Stir with a whisk to dissolve the sugar and the starch.
      Whisking the ingredient for the eggless orange curd
    • On medium-low heat cook the liquid for one to two minutes, while stirring. As soon as the liquid thickens take it out of the heat and keep stirring for another minute.
      This is the vegan orange curd

    Fill the cake

    • With a serrated knife, cut the orange cake open in half. Make sure the cake has cooled completely before you do that.
      Cutting the vegan orange cake with a serrated knife
    • Add the orange curd and spread it evenly on the base layer of the cake.
      Spreading the eggless orange curd in the cake
    • Cover with the top layer, sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.
      Sprinkling the cake with powdered sugar

    Video Recipe

    3 breakfast cakes you can easily turn into desserts | Coffee cake | Chocolate cake | Orange cake

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Orange Cake + Orange Curd
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 206 Calories from Fat 45
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5g8%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Potassium 246mg7%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Dietary Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 18g20%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 169IU3%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 28mg34%
    Vitamin E 1mg7%
    Vitamin K 8µg8%
    Calcium 79mg8%
    Folate 59µg15%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 11mg3%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this recipe, you might also like:

    • Best Plant-Based Desserts | 43 recipes for any occasion
    • 65 Amazing Vegan Italian Recipes
    • Best Vegan Brunch Recipes

    « Easy vegan chocolate cake
    Vegan Pancakes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. ruth

      February 21, 2022 at 10:13 pm

      5 stars
      WOW! This was honestly one of the best cakes I have ever made, including non-vegan. The texture was perfectly light and fluffy, and the tangy citrus and sugar were well balanced. The curd is to die for. I had to comment and thank you. Grazie mille from Canada.

      Reply
      • Chef Nico

        February 24, 2022 at 8:48 am

        Wow, Ruth, I am delighted to hear! It is also one of my favorites (especially for breakfast).
        Thanks for taking the time to comment, I appreciate it!
        Cheers,
        Nico

        Reply
    2. Sylvie

      February 04, 2022 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      I made it with gluten free flour (a mix for cakes and cookies) and it turned out incredible! It´s so hard to find recipes that still taste good if you use gluten free flour, and this one just made it to the top of my list. It took my mom and me just two days to eat it completely, so don´t mind the storage - if you like orange, it will be gone long before it has a chance to turn bad. I just ordered a new box of oranges to have more of it...

      Reply
      • Chef Nico

        February 12, 2022 at 8:18 am

        Wow, I'm delighted you liked it, Sylvie! We have an abundance of oranges in Italy right now, so I like to put them to use in this cake too before they go bad. Cheers! Nico

        Reply
      • Heidi

        April 22, 2022 at 12:34 am

        5 stars
        I made this cake for my husbands birthday and it was delicious! Very moist and flavourful. The curd in the middle was a wonderful addition. I chose to do an orange butter cream frosting instead of icing sugar and it worked very well. Highly recommend!

        Reply
        • Nico

          April 22, 2022 at 7:08 am

          Wow, Heidi, buttercream frosting sounds absolutely delicious!! I am delighted you liked the orange cake - I hope you had fun on your husband's birthday. Thanks so much for your kind message! Cheers, Nico

          Reply
    3. Sandy

      August 25, 2021 at 10:12 am

      I am yet to try this out but I have never seen a more detailed blog post. Yours is the first blog in which I don't skip to the recipe card and I always read the full post because of the wealth of information you have for us. I thought your videos were brilliant but your blog posts take the whole thing up a notch. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Nico

        August 26, 2021 at 4:59 pm

        Thank you for your nice comment Sandy. I'm happy you find the info in the text useful 🙂

        Reply
        • Bridget

          December 18, 2021 at 7:55 am

          This cake is delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! Do you think this could be made gluten free as well? I loved it so much I’d like to share it with a family member who is gluten free. Thanks!

          Reply
          • Nico

            January 09, 2022 at 7:41 am

            Hi Bridget, thanks so much, we are so happy you liked the Orange Cake. Yes, it can be made gluten free with a store-bought gluten free flour mix, one that is suitable for cakes. The only challenge would be that it might crumble more that the regular cake, but the taste will still be delicious 🙂

            Reply

    Leave a comment and star rating :-) Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise and we love cooking! Welcome to the Plant-Based School. Here we share everyday plant-based recipes, from our family to yours!

    More about us →

    Trending

    • Vegan Ricotta Cheese
    • Vegan Cheese (5-Min Nut-Free Recipe)
    • Vegan Donuts - Homemade Recipe
    • Vegan custard (pastry cream)

    Seasonal

    • Tofu Curry
    • Tofu Soup
    • Garlic and Oil Pasta (Spaghetti Aglio e Olio)
    • Vegan frittata - no eggs, no tofu

    We make sure our recipes are delicious and nutritious!

    plant-based nutrition certificate from ecornell

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Top Recipes
    Vegan Custard
    Melty Vegan Cheese
    Easy Focaccia
    Apple Cake
    Vegan Ricotta

    Top Compilations
    Best Tofu Recipes
    Vegan Pasta Recipes
    Easy Dinners
    Best Plant-Based Desserts
    Vegan Appetizers

    Most Shared
    Tomato Confit
    Vegan Mayo
    Vegan Donuts
    Lentil Curry
    Fried Tofu

    HOME ABOUT RECIPES SUBSCRIBE PRIVACY POLICY NUTRITION DISCLAIMER IMPRINT

    Copyright © 2022 The Plant Based School