Orange Almond Bundt Cake

Anniversary Orange Almond Bundt Cake Recipe

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Today we’re making a delightful bundt cake recipe featuring one of our favorite flavor combinations — oranges, almond, and chocolate.

About this Bundt Cake Recipe

We have previously waxed lyrical about our favorite 6-cup bundt cake pan, so please forgive the repeat. We love how adorable bundts look with minimal decoration. This beautiful cake is particularly delightful, with its moist crumbs and mild almond-orange flavor. The chocolate ganache gives it a dramatic appearance with minimal effort. This recipe was originally developed by Swan’s Down cake flour and named “Golden Anniversary Cake.” Swan’s Down provides no detail about why the cake is so suitable for a golden anniversary, but we can confidently say that it’s the kind of anniversary gift we’d be thrilled to receive (hint, hint, husbands! Also, feel free to also gift some bling, along with the cake. There’s never a bad time to give your wife bling.).

A Short History of Bundt Cakes

The bundt’s shape derives from the long European history of cakes baked in decorative cake forms, of which the Gugelhopf (a molded yeasted bread) is perhaps the most famous. Bundts are unique in that they are not characterized by any particular recipe, but by the shape of the pan in which they are baked. The pan is torroidal in shape (yep, we had to look that word up, too, but we’re here to educate, not just entertain). This essentially means that they are round and have a hole in the center, like a doughnut, if you will.

Bundt Cakes were “invented” by the Dahlquist Brothers, founders of NordicWare. Friends asked if the company could produce a more modern version of the traditional cast iron (aka very heavy) gugelhopf pan. They developed a much lighter cast aluminum version, the same material that we still use today. In order to trademark the product, they invented a new name, adding a “t” to the traditional German “bund” cake, which can sometimes be used in reference to a Gugelhopf. They initially struggled to find a market for their cake pan, and it was not until 1966, when Ella Helfreich’s “tunnel of fudge” cake (more on that later), won the annual Pillsbury Company Bake-Off, that Bundt cakes entered the mainstream of American baking.

Inspired by this short history to try all the Bundt cakes? We’ve got you covered! Check out our pumpkin bundt with bourbon caramel glaze or our classic rum cake.

Recipe Facts

  • Yield: One 8-inch bundt cake, serving 8
  • Active Time: 30 minutes
  • Baking Time: 50 to 55 minutes

Ingredients for the Bundt Cake Recipe

For the Cake

  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sour cream, divided
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 cups sifted Swans Down cake flour (you can use all purpose flour in a pinch)
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp grated orange peel
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

For the Orange-Almond Syrup:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup grand Grand Marnier or Amaretto

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions for the Bundt Cake Recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 6-cup bundt pan with Pam or some other oil based-spray.
  2. Combine eggs, 1/3 cup sour cream and vanilla and set aside.
  3. Mix together dry ingredients and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  4. Add butter and remaining sour cream to the flour mixture and, using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until moistened.
  5. Beat on medium speed until creamy.
  6. Gradually add egg mixture in thirds, mixing the cake batter well after each addition.
  7. Pour batter in the prepared pan.
  8. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.
  9. While the cake is in the oven, make the syrup. Heat the sugar, orange juice, and grand marnier or amaretto in a small saucepan until dissolved.
  10. Remove the cake from the oven. Poke holes in the top (will be bottom) of the cake. Brush with half of the orange-almond syrup. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. A note to nervous bakers: if your cake doesn’t come out at first, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a thin knife, then just let it sit inverted for 10-15 minutes. Eventually, gravity will work its magic. Let cake cool fully, then brush the top with the remaining orange-almond syrup.
  11. Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache glaze. Scald the cream in a small saucepan. Put the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and pour the scalded cream over. Let sit 5 minutes, then stir to fully combine.
  12. Put the cooled cake on a wire rack over a pan. Pour the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, let fully cool and set, then serve!

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