Description

Zero‑waste citrus magic: a whole boiled navel orange (peel, pith, and all) is blended into a lush puree, then folded with warm spices for a wildly moist, aromatic cake. Finished with tangy cream cheese frosting—sunshine in every slice.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 large navel orange (washed; whole—do not peel)
1/3 cup avocado oil (or neutral vegetable oil)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 tsp vanilla extract (pure)
3 large eggs (room temperature)

Dry Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (pinch)

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
4 oz cream cheese (brick style) (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Boil Orange (45 min): Place whole washed orange in a large pot of water (keep submerged). Boil 45 minutes to soften rind and tame pith bitterness.
Cool & Puree: Remove orange with tongs; cool ~5 minutes. Blend the entire orange until completely smooth; transfer puree to a large bowl.
Prep & Mix Wet: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9-inch round pan. To the orange puree add oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs; whisk until uniform and glossy.
Add Dry: Whisk in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg just until no dry streaks remain; scrape bowl. Do not overmix.
Bake: Pour batter into pan; smooth top. Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then fully on a rack (~35 minutes).
Frost: Beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over cooled cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

Boiling ensures a mellow, fragrant puree. If your blender struggles, add water 1 tbsp at a time. For extra citrus pop, add a pinch of orange zest to the frosting. Store frosted cake covered in the fridge up to 3 days; bring to room temp before serving.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired

Nutrition

Calories: 320
Sugar: 32
Fat: 14
Carbohydrates: 48
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4