Whole Orange & Cardamom Bundt Cake
A gorgeous, fragrant bundt made with a whole boiled orange, warm cardamom and a luscious olive oil crumb. Completely vegan, can be made without nuts and easily gluten-free!
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Vegan
Over 60 mins
This whole orange and cardamom bundt cake is one of those recipes that feels a little bit magical to me. You throw a whole orange, skin and all, into a blender and somehow it turns into the most fragrant, moist cake. If you love citrus desserts, you really need to try this one.
What makes this cake so special?
We use the whole orange here, peel included, which means you get all that bright citrus oil from the skin plus the natural fibre from the fruit. Nothing goes to waste. Oranges are lovely and high in vitamin C, and blending the whole fruit gives the cake a gorgeous depth you just can’t get from juice alone. It’s wholesome and a little bit indulgent at the same time, my favourite kind of bake.
Why boil the orange first?
Boiling the whole orange until it’s soft does two things. It mellows out any bitterness from the pith, and it makes the fruit blend down into a smooth, luscious purée. I know 45-60 minutes feels like a while, but it’s mostly hands-off time, so pop it on while you get everything else ready. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Let’s talk about that olive oil crumb
I use extra virgin olive oil in this cake instead of butter and it makes the texture so tender. Olive oil is rich in healthy fats and keeps the cake moist for days (if it lasts that long in your house, mine never does 😉). Paired with a little almond flour, you get a soft, slightly nutty crumb that feels decadent without being heavy.
The cardamom & rose water moment
Cardamom and orange are such a beautiful pairing, warm and floral against all that citrus. Cardamom is known to aid digestion, which I always think is a nice little bonus in a dessert. If you have some rose water or orange blossom spare, use it here. It lifts the whole cake into something really special. A splash of vanilla works perfectly too if that’s what you have on hand.
Making this cake gluten-free
Good news for my multi-diet households! This cake is really easy to make gluten-free. Just swap the all-purpose flour for a blend of rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch, and use two flax eggs instead of one to help everything bind. I’ve popped the exact ratios in the Chef’s Tip below.
Serving suggestions
I love serving this dusted with an orange juice and powdered sugar mix, with a scatter of freshly crushed pistachios on top. The pistachios add healthy fats and a bit of protein, plus that gorgeous pop of green against the orange. It’s the kind of cake that looks stunning on the table with barely any effort. Perfect with a cup of chai.
Whole Orange & Cardamom Bundt Cake
A gorgeous, fragrant vegan bundt made with a whole boiled orange, warm cardamom and a luscious olive oil crumb. Completely vegan, can be made without nuts and easily gluten-free!
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 6-inch bundt mould
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 2-3 Toothpicks
Ingredients
Blender Ingredients (Wet)
- 1 300-350g whole medium orange boiled until tender, then cut to remove seeds
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 flax egg
- 1 tbsp rosewater or orange blossom (vanilla extract will do)
Blender Ingredients (Dry)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
Final Mix
- 1.5 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
To Serve
- Orange juice & powdered sugar mix for dusting
- Fresh crushed/chopped pistachios to garnish
Instructions
Boil the Orange
- Bring the whole medium orange to a boil, then simmer until tender. This takes about 45-60 minutes. Cut it up to remove any seeds and set aside to cool.
Blend the Batter
- In a blender, alternate adding one of the wet ingredients with one of the dry ingredients, so it's easier to blend. If this is tough with your appliance, blend all the wet ingredients first and then fold in the dry ingredients. If it's too thick, add 2-3 tbsps of your favourite plant-based milk.
- Add the final mix and blend gently until just combined.
Bake
- Bake in a 6-inch mould for 30 minutes at 175°C. Depending on your appliance, you may need to bake a little longer, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let it cool completely before cutting or serving. Very important!
Serve
- Dust with an orange juice and powdered sugar mix, and garnish with fresh crushed or chopped pistachios.
Notes
Chef’s Tip: To make this gluten-free, instead of 2 cups all-purpose flour use 1 cup rice flour + ½ cup tapioca starch + ¼ cup potato starch, and use 2 flax eggs instead of 1.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 6gFat: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 21gVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 69mg
