A moist and fragrant Orange Sweet Crumb Cake flavored with orange and almond extract. All topped with a sugary crumb and sweet glaze. Perfect for any citrus lover!
Orange Sweet Crumb Cake
It’s nearly spring, and I am here for all things citrus. Give me orange and lemon and lime, please! This cake has everything you want in a springtime dessert. It’s perfectly moist, flavored with both fresh orange and orange extract (plus almond extract for extra delicious flavor profile, and then covered in a sugary crumb topping and sweet glaze. If you like orange, then I have no doubt you will love this cake!
Some of the Ingredients + Substitutes:
- Sugar sweetens the cake and makes up the bulk of the crumb topping. You can use white granulated sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar. Coconut sugar will lend to a darker, less sweet cake.
- Plant-based butter brings together the crumb topping and the cake. If you aren’t dairy-free you can use regular butter.
- All-purpose flour + cornstarch is a simple mix to create a “cake flour.” Feel free to use cake flour instead (see Note 1 below the recipe) OR replace the cornstarch with arrowroot starch.
- Eggs act as a binder and help create that fluffy, cakey texture. I haven’t tried this recipe with any vegan alternatives.
- Orange extract + orange zest give this cake a wonderful citrus flavor. If you don’t have orange extract on hand, you can leave it out and double or triple the amount of fresh orange zest in the cake + add orange zest to the glaze.
- Almond extract pairs so well with the orange flavor – I highly recommend it! But if you don’t have any on hand OR you’re looking to use a natural flavor, then vanilla extract can be used in its place in both the cake and glaze.
- Unsweetened applesauce adds moisture to the cake. I haven’t tested this cake with any alternatives.
- Powdered sugar is necessary for the glaze. I don’t recommend any substitutes!
- Plant-based milk thins out the glaze. You can use regular milk or water in its place.
More Orange Recipes:
Orange Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: 9 - 16 Slices
Orange Crumb Cake
A moist and fragrant cake flavored with orange and almond extract. All topped with a sugary crumb and sweet glaze. Perfect for any citrus lover!
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Additional Time
1 hour
Total Time
2 hours 20 minutes
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 Tbsp plant-based butter, melted
Cake
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (see Note 1)
- 1/4 cup corn starch (see Note 1)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened (see Note 2)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- Zest from 1 large orange
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp orange extract
- ~2 Tbsp plant-based milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish (I used glass) with nonstick spray and parchment paper - cut 2 long strips of parchment paper, criss-crossing them in the bottom of the pan. Firmly fold the paper over the sides of the dish and trim with scissors.
- Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile...
- Make the crumb topping: in a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and use a fork to fluff the ingredients together until you have lots of large "crumbs" and all of the flour is coated. If needed, add more butter until all the flour is well coated; set aside.
- Make the cake: in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and a bit fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the extracts. Beat in the applesauce and orange zest. Finally, beat in the dry ingredients until all is combined.
- Add the cake batter to your prepared baking dish. Use a spoon to sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter, evenly covering the surface. Bake the cake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean (if you're using a metal pan, the cake may take longer to bake).
- Allow the cake to totally cool. If you wish to slice the cake out of the pan, use the parchment paper to gently lift the cake up and out of the pan once it has cooled.
- Make the glaze: in a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, extracts, and 1 tbsp of milk. Add milk, 1 tsp at a time, until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over the cake. Slice and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- The AP flour and cornstarch can be replaced with an equal amount of cake flour, so 2 cups of cake flour in place of both the AP flour and cornstarch
- If using plant-based butter from a tub, you won't need to soften it at room temperature as it's already soft enough to beat. On the other hand, stick "butter" will need to be softened
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