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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Vegan Orange Cake

    Published: Jul 16, 2019 Updated: Jul 4, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Vegan Orange Cake

    The best vegan orange cake with heaps of orange flavor and a gorgeous color. Light and fluffy and topped with a gorgeous orange buttercream frosting.

    Sliced vegan orange cake with a cake lifter.

    This vegan orange cake really surprised me. I didn’t expect the color to be orange at all. I was thinking it would be vanilla cake in color but orange cake in flavor.

    Well….shockingly the orange extract colored the batter a gorgeous orange and when baked it hadn’t completely dissipated as I expected. The cake had this pretty orange tinge. It’s subtle, but there.

    And when combined with a delicious orange frosting, the flavor and color of this cake are fabulously orange. 

    If you don’t get orange color in your baked cake – I imagine maybe some extracts won’t be as powerful with the color as mine was – then don’t worry you’ll still get all the flavor.

    And if you love citrusy cakes, then you’ll also love our vegan lemon cake.

    Vegan orange cake on a cake stand with one slice missing.

    How to Make Vegan Orange Cake

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add sugar, baking soda and salt and mix together.  
    • Add soy milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, orange extract and orange zest and mix into a batter. Don’t overmix.

    TIP: Weigh your flour for the most accurate results. If you don’t have a food scale (recommended!) then use the spoon and level method. 

    Orange cake batter in a mixing bowl with a whisk.
    • Divide the batter between two 8-inch prepared cake pans (lined with parchment paper at the bottom and sprayed with non-stick spray).
    Orange cake batter in cake pans ready to go into the oven.
    • Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
    Freshly baked cakes in cake pans.
    • Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. 
    Orange cake layers cooling on a wire cooling rack.
    • When cooled, frost the cake layers.
    Frosting an orange cake on a cake stand.
    • Decorate with orange zest.
    Vegan orange cake topped with orange zest on a cake stand.

    The Orange Frosting

    The frosting is a delicious orange buttercream. The recipe is adapted from our vegan buttercream frosting recipe and uses powdered sugar, vegan butter, a little salt and orange extract to create creamy silken frosting perfection. 

    TIP: If you’re not a fan of sweet frostings, then you might prefer to top this cake with something like vegan whipped cream instead. 

    Slice of vegan orange cake on a cake lifter.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    Soy milk – can be replaced with almond milk or another non-dairy milk that works well in baking if you prefer. 

    Distilled white vinegar – we used white vinegar but apple cider vinegar is also totally fine to use. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda in this recipe giving it a perfect rise. 

    Egg replacement – there is no need for an egg replacement in this recipe, the baking soda/vinegar combination creates all the magic that you need. 

    Orange extract and orange zest – create all the orange flavor in this cake. If you can’t get orange extract you can just use orange juice instead but the flavor will be much more subtle. Orange extract is concentrated and really brings the flavor in this cake. 

    Slice of vegan orange cake on a white plate.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I make this orange cake gluten-free?

    If you want to make this cake gluten-free then you can try a gluten free all purpose flour blend. We have not tested it with this recipe so can’t guarantee results.

    Can I make this orange cake in 9-inch cake pans?

    Yes! This cake can be made in 8-inch cake pans (as pictured) or 9-inch. It will be a slightly thinner cake if made in 9-inch cake pans so the baking time can reduce to 25 minutes.

    Can I make this into a sheet cake?

    This cake can also be made as a 9×13 or 10×15 sheet cake. Bake for 20 minutes for a 10×15 and for 25-30 minutes for a 9×13 sheet cake.

    Can I make cupcakes?

    Yes, this will make 18-24 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes.

    Slice of vegan orange cake on a white plate.

    Storing and Freezing

    Keep it covered at room temperature where it will stay fresh for a few days OR keep it covered in the fridge where it will stay fresh for up to a week. 

    This cake is also freezer friendly (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months.

    Slice of vegan orange cake on a white plate with a cake fork.

    More Vegan Cakes

    1. Vegan Lemon Cake
    2. The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
    3. Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
    4. Vegan Banana Cake
    5. Vegan Carrot Cake
    6. Vegan Oreo Cake

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Sliced vegan orange cake on a cake stand.

    Vegan Orange Cake

    The best vegan orange cake with heaps of orange flavor and a gorgeous color. Light and fluffy and topped with a gorgeous orange buttercream frosting.
    4.86 from 41 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 541kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    Orange Cake:

    • 2 ⅔ cups All Purpose Flour (330g)
    • 1 ½ cups White Granulated Sugar (300g)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
    • ¾ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 ½ cups Soy Milk (360ml) or other non-dairy milk
    • ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 3 teaspoons Orange Extract
    • 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest

    Orange Buttercream Frosting:

    • 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (420g)
    • 1 cup Vegan Butter (225g)
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 2 teaspoons Orange Extract

    Decoration (Optional):

    • Orange Zest
    • Orange Slices
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare two 8-inch* (see notes) cake pans by spraying with non-stick spray and lining the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
    • Sift the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda and salt and mix in.
    • Add soy milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, orange extract and orange zest and mix it into a batter. Don't overmix.
    • Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
    • Let the cakes cool for a few minutes in the pans before removing them from the cake pans and placing on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    • Prepare your frosting by adding the powdered sugar, vegan butter, salt and orange extract to the bowl of a stand mixer and starting at slow speed, gradually increase speed until the frosting is thick and smooth.
    • When the cakes are cooled frost the cake and decorate with orange zest and orange slices around the sides (optional).

    Notes

    1. Measure the flour correctly. For best results weigh your flour or use the Spoon and Level Method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. 
    2. Orange extract. If you can’t get orange extract then you can use orange juice instead, but orange extract is highly recommended as it’s concentrated which provides the perfect flavor for this cake. Using orange juice would reduce the orange flavor.
    3. Orange zest. Around two small oranges will provide 2 Tablespoons of orange zest for the cake. If your oranges are large you might get enough zest from one orange.
    4. Frosting. If orange frosting on top of orange cake seems like too much orange flavor to you then you might prefer to frost this cake with a simple vegan buttercream frosting or just serve it with some vegan whipped cream.
    5. Baking pans. This cake can also be made in 9-inch cake pans. The baking time can reduce to 25 minutes. 
    6. Storing. Keep the cake covered at room temperature where it will stay fresh for a few days or covered in the fridge where it will last for up to a week. The cake is also freezer friendly.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 839IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Yazzy Mehmet says

      March 08, 2025 at 10:10 pm

      This is my go to recipe!! It never disappoints. Everyone is always asking for the recipe, they never believe it’s vegan! It’s so moist and delicious I love making this cake!xx5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        March 11, 2025 at 8:06 am

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Yazzy and thanks for your great review!

        Reply
    2. Mary Thompson says

      February 23, 2025 at 1:43 pm

      I followed the recipe completley and it turned out really flat and not at all nice. I used oatmilk as you had said any dairy free milk. Sorry , but it went in the bin. Will give it another go, but with soya milk. I make a lot of cakes and this just did not happen.1 star

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        February 26, 2025 at 8:04 am

        Hi Mary. So sorry to hear that happened to you. To be honest, I don’t think the problem was the oat milk. You said the cake turned out flat which could be because of the following reasons – if it’s been overmixed, causing the air bubbles to deflate, if the baking soda is old and not activating properly, if the oven temperature is too high causing the outside to set too quickly before the inside has time to rise, or if not enough liquid was added, leading to a dense batter that can’t properly expand.
        We hope you get to try the recipe again. All the best!

        Reply
    3. nadeera says

      December 25, 2024 at 1:16 pm

      I made this yesterday. It came out tasty and all loved it. Thank you for the recipe. I can’t share you a photo as it is not allowed.5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        January 29, 2025 at 10:13 am

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and thanks so much for your great review!

        Reply
    4. Liz says

      September 03, 2024 at 12:16 pm

      I made this cake last week as a tray bake with a chocolate orange frosting. It was lovely with a really good orange flavour
      I’m going to make it this weekend as a Birthday cake with an orange filling.
      Thanks for the recipe5 stars

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        October 29, 2024 at 1:18 pm

        Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe Liz! Thanks so much for your awesome review!

        Reply
    5. Viviane says

      April 28, 2023 at 3:10 am

      How many cupcakes would this recipe make?

      Reply
      • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

        July 12, 2023 at 2:28 pm

        This will make 18-24 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes.

        Reply
    6. Nelly says

      December 31, 2022 at 3:32 am

      Hello
      Can I make this cake in a cake pan with the hole in the middle. And if so how long would I have to bake it for ?

      Thank you
      Nelly

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 03, 2023 at 10:50 am

        Hi Nelly, I’m assuming it will be a single layer cake in that case? It will depend on how large the cake pan is.

        Reply
    7. Angela says

      December 19, 2022 at 3:34 am

      My kid wanted a “creamsicle” cake for her birthday, so I used this cake recipe and swapped vanilla for the orange extract in the frosting. I’ve been baking some serious cakes for decades, but this was the best ever and it was my first vegan cake. She wants it again next year.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 20, 2022 at 10:51 am

        Thank you so much Angela! That is sooo awesome!

        Reply
    8. Susan says

      December 06, 2022 at 8:34 am

      Hi what adjustments would you make if I wanted to make a 10” cake please? Would I use the whole mix in the one 10” cake and then make another batch or would that be to much? Not sure if it rises well enough to be able to cut the one cake in half to fill with buttercream? Also what would you advise for baking time? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        December 06, 2022 at 12:32 pm

        Hi Susan, the recipe as is would make a single layer 10-inch cake and the layer would be much the same in thickness as it is in the photos, so I would not cut it in half. The baking time would be the same.

        Reply
    9. DD says

      November 24, 2022 at 10:22 pm

      I made this for our Thanksgiving dessert, swapping out the orange frosting for your vegan chocolate version instead. I only used about half of the frosting as we prefer cakes with less. I also added a bit more orange zest to the batter than the recipe calls for and it was a fabulous combination. I’d recommend it to anyone reading.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 25, 2022 at 10:49 am

        Wonderful! Thanks so much for the awesome review!

        Reply
    10. Tiffany Mac says

      November 14, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      Could I sub applesauce for the oil?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 15, 2022 at 10:34 am

        Yes you can, it does result in a texture change though.

        Reply
    11. Laura says

      September 20, 2022 at 12:09 am

      I made this last year for non-vegans and it got rave reviews! I want to make it again but am thinking of using 3-inch cake pans instead of 2-inch ones. Do you think the recipe will work still, and should the time/anything else be adjusted?5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 20, 2022 at 11:21 am

        Hi Laura, sorry do you mean 3-inch deep? The depth of the cake pan shouldn’t have an impact. IF you mean that you want to make it in three 8-inch cake pans for a three layer cake then you can definitely do it. The baking time will reduce to 25 minutes.

        Reply
      • Angela (Again) says

        October 30, 2023 at 9:12 pm

        This recipe has become the cake everyone wants for any cake-worthy occasion since my kid requested it for her birthday last year. It turns out amazing every time!5 stars

        Reply
        • Nadine @ Loving It Vegan says

          November 03, 2023 at 11:04 am

          Happy to hear you enjoy the recipe Angela! Thanks for your great review!

          Reply
    12. RiaSunflower says

      May 21, 2022 at 8:09 pm

      My non-vegan friend loved this cake, rated it 10/10 and said it was as good as a professional baker’s cake, one you’d buy in a good Patisserie. I added some pecans and almonds into the mix as I didn’t have unwaxed orange zest. I mixed a little of the orange juice into the almond milk as I didn’t use any vanilla essence (used Sicilian orange essence). I only had 200 grams of fine cake flour so topped up with all the spelt flour I had and the remaining 30g with wholemeal flour.

      My friend couldn’t wait for any frosting or oranges so I just sandwiched the 9in cake halves together with his favourite Banoffee Caramel (Carnation make a vegan one now). The cake was rather too sweet for my taste but perfect for my friend so needless to say it did not last a day as he ate the lot! ☺️

      Such a light, fluffy, impressive cake. Thank you.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 23, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Thanks so much for sharing! It sounds divine and I’m going to have to get my hands on some of that caramel! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Beatrice Beagle says

      October 22, 2021 at 2:05 pm

      I’ve made this cake once before and it was amazing! I’m planning to make it again and freeze it. You said it was freezer friendly, but will it still taste okay? Also, how should I defrost it? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 22, 2021 at 2:43 pm

        Hi Beatrice, yes if you freeze it when the cake is freshly baked (wait for it to cool completely though) then it will lock in that freshness and taste perfect when thawed. Thaw it overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature on the counter before serving.

        Reply
        • Beatrice Beagle says

          October 23, 2021 at 3:46 pm

          This worked really well, thanks!5 stars

          Reply
    14. Marnie Tole says

      August 29, 2021 at 9:04 am

      I added 2 whole oranges, juiced, zested and scooped out the pulp. Very moist cake, loads of flavour.4 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        August 30, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Awesome! Thanks Marnie!

        Reply
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