Easy Orange Cake Recipe With Glaze
This Easy Orange Cake is a moist, citrus-packed Bundt cake that brings a bright pop of sunshine to any dessert table. Combining an orange cake mix with apricot nectar helps this heirloom recipe achieve a velvety texture and an irresistible orange flavor so that every bite is moist, flavorful, and fruity!
A Slice of Summer Sunshine
This orange cake recipe is one of my Grandmother Lucy’s favorite cakes, so she often has it sitting under a dome on her counter whenever folks come to visit. It is very moist with an irresistible orange flavor, just the right thing for a hot summer’s day or a picnic.
I love that this orange bundt cake is incredibly easy to make. All you need is an orange cake mix, as well as fruit nectar, oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix the ingredients together, pour them into a bundt pan, and then it’s time to bake. That’s it! I love pairing my orange cake with an easy glaze. However, you could also simply sprinkle on some icing sugar before serving or serve with some fresh .
If you’ve never had orange cake before, you’re in for a treat. If you have had it before, you’re probably making out your grocery list now. While you’re at it, you might want to snag the ingredients for my Bakery-Style Strawberry Bread with Glaze!
Recipe Ingredients
- Orange supreme cake mix
- Apricot nectar
- Oil (I like )
- Sugar
- Eggs
Tips for the Perfect Orange Bundt Cake
- The Cake Mix Secret: Many modern cake mixes have shrunk in size. To keep this old-fashioned recipe from sinking in the middle, I recommend adding an extra 1/2 cup of dry mix from a second box.
- Prevent the Stick: Bundt pans can be finicky. Use a good cooking spray, or better yet, grease and flour every nook and cranny of that fluted mold so your cake slides out like a dream.
- Nectar Substitutions: Can’t find apricot nectar? Mango nectar is a fantastic backup. If you’re feeling adventurous, try strawberry banana nectar with a strawberry cake mix for a fun twist!
- Glaze Consistency: Add your milk to the powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time. You want it thick enough to slowly drizzle down the sides without running right off the cake.
How to Make Grandmother Lucy’s Orange Cake
1. Mix the Batter
Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, apricot nectar, oil, sugar, and eggs. Use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients until the batter is smooth and well combined.
2. Prep the Pan
Grease your Bundt pan (or “fluted mold” if you’re being fancy) thoroughly. Pour the vibrant orange batter into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
3. Bake Until Golden
Bake for exactly one hour. Your kitchen is going to smell heavenly! Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes (this is crucial for helping it release) before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Whip Up the Glaze
While the cake cools, whisk together your confectioner’s sugar, softened butter, and milk. If you want an extra citrus kick, swap the milk for a tablespoon of fresh orange juice.
Cut all of that together with a fork and add a wee bit more milk. Add the milk just a tablespoon or so at a time because we want this to be the consistency of glue, and it can get too thin really fast. You should also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or butter flavoring, too.
5. Drizzle and Serve
Once the cake is cool to the touch, drizzle that thick glaze over the top. For a beautiful finish, garnish with a bit of fresh orange zest or decorative orange slices.
And serve to those you love, who love cakes bursting with . Enjoy!
Storage
You can store leftover cake in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the cake (without glaze) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and bring to room temperature before serving and glazing.
Mix It Up With Recipe Variations
If you want to swap the Bundt pan for something else or add a little personal touch, try these simple twists!
- Change the Pan: You can bake this as two loaf pans (40–50 mins), 24 muffins (20–25 mins), or two round cake layers (25–30 mins).
- Fruit & Crunch: Fold in a cup of sugared cranberries or finely chopped walnuts for extra texture.
- Warm Spice: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter for a cozy, spiced citrus flavor.
- Chocolate Twist: Stir in mini chocolate chips or a swirl of cocoa powder to create a delicious chocolate-orange marble cake.
You may also enjoy these other cake recipes:
- Grandmama’s Coconut Cake With No-Fail Seven Minute Frosting
- Phenomenal Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- S’mores Poke Cake
- Pumpkin Praline Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 box orange supreme cake mix see note
- 1 cup apricot nectar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Place all cake ingredients in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan.
- Bake at 325°F for 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping onto a rack.
- Whisk glaze ingredients together until they reach a thick, glue-like consistency.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake and serve.
I was wondering if the strawberry cake mix would work? I want to say I’ve seen the nectar in the Mexican foods section at Kroger….any thoughts? My husband loves strawberry cake.
My Mom has made this cake for years calling it Apricot Nectar cake. It is delicious. Thanks for reminding me of it. Haven’t had it in a long time
Christy…Love orange flavor in baked goodies!!! Currently making Dish Pan Cookies for friends this evening. It’s my first try…..they are awesome.
Hi Christy. My Mom and I made a similar cake a few years ago. We made an orange sugar glaze. Yum! Thanks for posting so I could take a walk down memory lane. And, on another note, I can’t find any colorful canning jars for my tomatoes.
Janet
Mmm looks good! I’ve never had an orange cake before. I’d try it tonight but I made black bottom cupcakes last night 😀 Also that cake pan is adorable, do the little flower designs show up on the finished cake? Hard to tell with the glaze on top. Also, silly question, but does the cake need to be refrigerated because the glaze has milk in it? I’ve always wondered that!
Yes they do! they are really pretty! I should have put up a photo of the cake without the glaze! ~facepalm~
I just leave my cake out on the counter but it is usually eaten within two days or so. You can certainly refrigerate it to be on the safe side if you like 🙂
Can you use a cake mix to make this
Oops that should have read to fill the pan with the batter – not the tin can with the beans – brain works faster than the fingers sometimes and don’t type what I am thinking!
Linda, I’m just impressed that you can spell Saskatchewan!!! But the tip is great too, thank you!
I used to say I was from Regina but no one knows where that is
Now Saskatchewan doesn’t cause as many questions – I think lots of folks know that is Canada – especially if they fish or hunt – great opportunities up here – snowed last weekend and some more in the forecast before the weekend
Easy bundt pan / tube pan – use a springform pan if you have one and
empty – well washed and sprayed or greased – tin can (weighted with some white beans) – put it in the middle of the springform and fill with the batter Works great. For a difference – make 2 layers and “frost” together – cook both in the spring forms with tin cans. It is the shape you want for that extra fancy look when the drizzle is put on it. Makes for lots of tasty frosting
If you don’t want to use the cake mix I’m sure you can locate a rec ipe for an orange cake – just make sure it is of a consistency that will cook in a bundt pan – angel food pan – circular pan of sorts
No matter how it gets baked, it sounds very delicious and looks great too !
As a kid with a June birthday this was the cake I requested every year. I grew up north of Atlanta and the Orange Supreme mix was only in stores for a limited time in the summer. I love this cake and had lost the recipe (I was on the side of the box when I was growing up but it isn’t any longer). Thanks for posting this. I have a graduation party coming up for my older son and this will be on the table!