Perfect Christmas Orange Cake — The Bright Citrus Christmas Dessert

Orange cake is the bright citrus Christmas dessert. With cream cheese frosting and candied orange peel, it brightens the dessert table.

The classic recipe (1 cake)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream cheese frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F; grease 9x13 pan
2. Whisk dry ingredients
3. Mix oil + eggs + zest + juice + vanilla
4. Combine wet and dry
5. Pour into pan
6. Bake 35-40 minutes
7. Cool completely
8. Make frosting: beat all ingredients
9. Frost the cake
10. Garnish with candied orange peel

Variations

• Bundt cake version
• Layer cake (two 9-inch pans)
• With cranberries (Christmas-coded)
• With chocolate drizzle

Cross-references

For perfect Christmas spice cake — adjacent.

For Christmas desserts — broader.

For perfect Christmas cranberry bread — citrus adjacent.

Perfect Christmas orange cake is the bright citrus dessert. Citrus-forward; cream cheese frosting; candied peel garnish.