Pan d'arancio, or Sicilian orange cake, is a traditional dessert made with a whole orange. This soft and moist cake will fill your kitchen with wonderful citrus aroma. The perfect pick me up on a cold winter day!
Sicilian orange cake, called pan d'arancio, is made with an entire orange, puréed and added to the cake batter. Aside from requiring a food processor or blender to process the orange, this easy Sicilian dessert comes together in one bowl.
I chose to combine both all-purpose flour and almond flour for great texture and flavor. The result is a moist, soft cake infused with delicious orange flavor.
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A few tips for choosing the best orange for this whole orange cake
- Since you'll be using the whole orange for this cake, I strongly recommend the use of an organic orange.
- Choose a thin skinned orange to minimize the amount of pith added resulting in a cake that is less bitter. Select an orange that feels heavy for it's size and has a smooth, firm skin as opposed to a "pebbly" skinned orange.
- Trim off the stem end of the orange, cut into pieces and remove any seeds, if any, before processing.
Sicilian Orange Cake Ingredient List
- Oranges: one thin skinned whole orange, preferably organic since you'll be using the whole orange, as well as the juice of half an orange for the glaze.
- Almond flour: blanched ground almonds as opposed to almond meal made with whole almonds (with the skins).
- Avocado oil: may be replaced with oil of your choice including olive oil; vegetable or canola oil.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
How to make Pan D'Arancio - Sicilian Orange Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper with this easy method. Tear a sheet of parchment paper, crumple it up and run it under water. Squeeze out excess water and line your cake pan with it.
- Wash the orange well and dry. Trim off the ends, cut into small pieces (remove seeds, if any) and purée in your food processor or blender. Stop the mixer a few times and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue processing. It will remain slightly chunky, this is normal.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs; sugar and oil until pale and frothy.
- Stir in the puréed orange.
- Add the flour; almond flour; baking powder and salt. Stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. In the last 10 minutes of baking if the top begins to darken, cover with a sheet of foil or parchment paper. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the cake to a cooling rack.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the glaze with a spoon or pour over the still warm cake and spread it with an offset spatula.
- Let cool before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Swap out the all-purpose flour and replace with almond flour for a gluten free cake. The result will be a lightly more dense cake.
If you have a nut allergy, simply replace the almond flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour.
This is only a serving suggestion. You may omit the glaze and replace with a light dusting of powdered sugar or serve as is without a topping.
Store, covered, at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Wrap well in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
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More Italian recipes with citrus!
Pan D'arancio - Sicilian Orange Cake
Equipment
- 1 9-inch round cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 medium orange about 200 grams
- 3 large eggs
- 1⅛ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup avocado oil Vegetable, canola or even olive oil also work well.
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper with this easy method. Tear a sheet of parchment paper, crumple it up and run it under water. Squeeze out excess water and line your cake pan with it.
- Wash the orange well and dry. Trim off the ends, cut into small pieces, remove seeds (if any), and purée in your food processor or blender.
- Stop the mixer a few times and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue processing. It will remain slightly chunky, this is normal.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs; sugar and oil until pale and frothy.
- Stir in the puréed orange.
- Add the flour; almond flour; baking powder and salt. Stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter in the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. In the last 10 minutes of baking if the top begins to darken, cover with a sheet of foil or parchment paper. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the cake to a cooling rack.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl.
- Drizzle the glaze with a spoon or pour over the still warm cake and spread it with an offset spatula.
- Let cool before serving.
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