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orange bundt cake
4.77 from 52 votes

Moroccan Orange Cake Recipe

This easy orange cake recipe is a variation of Moroccan meskouta cake. It's easy to make from scratch and is sweet enough to be served without icing.
Fresh oranges are key to this cake's great flavor. You'll need one or two oranges to yield the 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice called for in the recipe.
For fun, I've included traditional Moroccan measures with tea glasses and bowls in the Notes below.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Moroccan
Yield: 12 servings
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Christine Benlafquih | Taste of Maroc

Equipment

Ingredients

Conventional Measures (see notes for baking with the Traditional Measures)

  • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 or 2 oranges)
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder (see Notes)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C)
  • Grease and flour a bundt or tube cake pan. Wash and zest the oranges, then juice them.
  • Using an electric mixer or whisker, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick. Add the oil gradually and beat until well combined.
  • Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Add it to the eggs and sugar mixture and stir lightly to combine.
  • Pour in the orange juice and beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and orange zest.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and the cake tests done. You can test by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out dry, your cake is done.
  • Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool for 7 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on a rack to finish cooling.

Notes

This recipe has been updated to use 3 teaspoons of baking powder. My original recipe called for 4 teaspoons.
Tips and Variations
  • You can top with orange jam and coconut sprinkles
  • Strawberry jam can also be used.
  • Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar for special occasions
  • Chopped almonds make a nutritious topping
  • You can also sprinkle the top with a little orange zest
 
Using Traditional Measures
Tea glasses and bowls are the traditional baking measures in Morocco. You might want to try using them just for fun, especially if baking with kids.
The average Moroccan tea glass holds about 6 to 8 ounces of liquid (or 1/3 to 1/2 cup) while a soup bowl holds about 1 1/2 cups in volume.
  • 1 tea glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Zest of 1 or 2 oranges
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 level soup bowl of sugar
  • 1 tea glass of vegetable oil
  • 1 heaping soup bowl of flour
  • 2 sachets of baking powder (equivalent to 4 tsp; can use 3 tsp instead)
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 sachet vanilla sugar (equivalent to 1 tsp liquid flavoring or extract)
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate obtained from online calculators. Optional ingredients may not be included in the nutritional information.

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