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Home » Desserts

Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron

Published: Jan 2, 2023 · Modified: Mar 9, 2023 by Amira · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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Orange bundt cake recipe perfumed with saffron and turmeric for an amazing color. Super quick to whip up, this moist cake is a lovely dessert for all occasions!

Next time try this readers' approved saffron dessert.

Orange bundt cake on a white platter with a piece cut from it.

This orange bundt cake is just the right flavor, nothing is overpowering here. A sunny cake with bright orange flavor to feed your soul as well as your body.

Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why You'll Love It
  • 📝 Ingredients
  • 🥄 Instructions
  • 💡 Expert Tips
  • 🍽️ Serve With
  • 💬 FAQs
  • Related Recipes
  • Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron
  • 👩‍🏫 My Experience

❤️ Why You'll Love It

  • Warm spices taste heavenly all year long
  • Introduce your family to new flavors with the combination of orange, saffron and turmeric.
  • Easy recipe takes only about 10 minutes of active prep time

📝 Ingredients

Note: This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Orange cake ingredients on a counter.

🥄 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

A collage of four images showing how to make orange bundt cake.
  • Add saffron, turmeric to hot water and let it bloom for 15 minutes. Pour in buttermilk, vanilla, orange zest and orange juice mixing everything well together.
  • Sift the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and egg yolk one at a time until well incorporated.
  • Now alternatively add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter mixture until they are all mixed but do not over mix.
  • Pour the batter in a Bundt and bake until done. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.

💡 Expert Tips

To avoid over mixing, I use a spoon to mix in the last addition of dry ingredients.

🍽️ Serve With

  • Make any frosting you like, this goes very well with cream cheese frosting. I've made a simple sugar-orange glaze and it turned out beautiful and delicious.
  • Dust with powdered sugar.
  • Serve plain or frosted with orange slices, fresh fruits or chopped nuts.
A slice of orange bundt on a white plate.

💬 FAQs

Where does saffron come from?

It is believed that it originated in Greece, other sources say the eastern countries in the Mediterranean. These days saffron is cultivated in Iran, India, Morocco and Greece.

How can you tell real saffron?

Good saffron smells sweet but never tastes sweet! Yes, if you put a thread saffron in your mouth and it tasted sweet then it is fake. There is also the smell, it is earthy yet sweet.. do you get it? Another test for saffron is that real saffron when out in water it colors the water but the threads do not lose their color. And as a rule, do not buy ground saffron, it is usually fake.

Saffron Health benefits?

According to WebMD, saffron might be used to help in so many medical issues. Starting from coughing, Asthma, insomnia,... to cancer and Alzheimer's disease. There is no sufficient evidence for some of those diseases so read more and always check with your doctor of course.

How to use saffron?

Usually, saffron threads should be measured then crushed and let the powder steep in hot water/milk or any liquid, in our case water.

Related Recipes

  • A dreamy, creamy, no bake dessert. A simple combination of coffee, cocoa, and mascarpone cheese. Tiramisu is a fabulous Italian layered dessert that is perfect for entertaining.
  • Orange cake recipe is a moist, lightly sweet cake made with fresh oranges and topped with orange slices.
  • Red velvet bundt cake is an incredibly easy cake, a classic with a signature tangy flavor and deep red color. This decadent delight has been a family and friends favorite for years.
  • Revani is a classic Mediterranean semolina cake drenched in lemon infused simple syrup and topped with coconut flakes.
  • Best fluffy marshmallow frosting recipe, easy to make with a handful of ingredients. This is the perfect frosting for cakes and cupcakes.

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Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron

Easy orange cake recipe with bright color and a unique flavor. Great with fresh fruits, chopped nuts, frosted plain or simply dusted with some powdered sugar.
4.45 from 9 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Halal
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
cooling: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon boiling water
  • ½ teaspoon saffron threads
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 2 Tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 ¼ sticks (1 ⅛ cup) unsalted butter room temperature.
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk large.

Glaze (optional)

  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons plain yogurt
  • 1 cuo chopped pistachios

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 12 cup bundt pan with butter or spray with baking spray.
  • In a cup mix saffron, turmeric and hot water together and let it steep for 15 minutes.
  • Add buttermilk, vanilla, orange juice and zest to the saffron mixture and mix well.
  • In a large bowl, sift in flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix well.
  • Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and pale.
  • Beat in eggs one by one then add the yolk.
  • Add flour mixture alternating with saffron mixture mixing after each addition.*
  • Pour batter into the bundt cake and bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean
  • Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan then let it cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Whisk glaze ingredients well then pour over the cake
  • Decorate with some chopped pistachios.

Video

Notes

  • * To avoid over-mixing, start and end with the flour mixture. With the last addition of flour mixture mix with a wooden spoon instead of your mixer.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 489IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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First published Oct 27, 2018 . Last updated January 2, 2023 with important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.

👩‍🏫 My Experience

I'm used to using saffron in rice, but I fell in love with cakes made with saffron when I was making this flavored saffron and cardamom cake, it was amazingly delicious and it was the first time I use saffron in desserts.

I've read an article about saffron in a Costco magazine lately and I was reminded of the saffron I bought from Egypt a year ago!!. It was completely forgotten for a whole year.. can you believe that.

The article mentioned that saffron appeared in 50,000 year old cave paintings in Iraq and ancient Greek. Alexander the great used it to heal wounds and the mighty Cleopatra used to bath in it!!! Reckless behavior Cleo, these stuff are expensive!

Anyways, So I wanted to make another saffron dessert, but kept wondering what other flavors to add. I know already that cardamom goes very well with saffron but I needed something else.

After a lot of searching and experimenting here it comes a soft, fluffy with a melt in your mouth texture cake. Perfectly sweetened and very balanced between saffron, orange and turmeric. This orange bundt cake will brighten your day.

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About Amira

I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by! My hope is to introduce you to new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on favorites. To help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table. From weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean. One thing in common, they are all recipes that have been tried and tested by family and friends.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nathan

    April 22, 2023 at 2:25 pm

    Oh, this cake is amazing. I received a gift of saffron from a friend and wasn't sure what to make with it, but I knew I wanted something sweet, so I googled saffron dessert recipes and decided on this one and I'm very glad I did! The orange flavour is beautiful, subtle enough that you don't get a figurative punch in the face from the citrus but definitely there, and the aroma and undertones of the saffron are unlike anything I've ever made before. I'll definitely be keeping this recipe around, thank you!

    Reply
  2. Joslyn

    January 31, 2023 at 9:53 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! I am looking to make this recipe, but I dont understand under the nutrition facts it states that it is 339 Kcal, which translates to 339000 calories, I just wanted to clarify if this was correct or if it was meant to be cal instead of Kcal

    Reply
    • Amira

      February 07, 2023 at 5:50 pm

      Nooo, that would be terrible Joslyn. Kcal means kilocalorie but it is another word for what's commonly called a calorie, so 1,000 calories will be written as 1,000kcals.

      Reply
  3. Catherine Jacobs

    June 12, 2022 at 12:46 pm

    CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR PART OF THE RECIPE A BOX CAKE MIX? IF SO, HOW? IT'S THAT SOME OF US HAVE LIMITED TIME AND ARE DEPLETED OF ENERGY. THANK YOU.

    Reply
    • Amira

      June 15, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      I haven't tried that before Catherine, sorry. But I am coming up with more easier cakes using cake mixes so stay tuned.

      Reply
  4. LJ

    January 31, 2022 at 3:17 pm

    2 stars
    You have to like saffron to enjoy this cake. The recipe itself is good. The cake came out perfect, moist with the perfect crumb. For me however,(and everyone else that tried it) the saffron ruined it as it sits with you long after you have eaten a piece of this cake. Maybe too much saffron on my part but it didn't look like a whole lot when its added in so as a previous comment suggests, maybe just a very small pinch. I will actually use this recipe for any other citrus based cake.....leaving out the saffron and turmeric next time.

    Reply
    • brenda

      June 17, 2022 at 8:22 pm

      5 stars
      your giving this recipe 2 stars because of your own unrefined palate lmaooo imagine that?

      Reply
  5. Nancy Karlen

    November 14, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    Amira-

    I am sure your cake will make me that star of the refreshment table at garden club next month!! A bunch of wonderful ingredients!! Thank you so much for posting.... and my family had a variation on your end of week / clean out the fridge chicken soup tonight for dinner.. solved the problem and tasted great!!!

    I do so enjoy your recipes!

    Reply
    • Amira

      November 16, 2021 at 10:55 am

      Thank you so much Nancy, happy that you liked the soup.

      Reply
  6. Candace

    November 29, 2020 at 8:14 am

    Cake looks delish! How do you measure the saffron, because you are using saffron threads, not sure what amount of threads equals a 1/2 tsp??? Thanks

    Reply
    • Amira

      November 30, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      Candace, you see it is like when we say a tablespoon of parsley. I would say a generous pinch. I hope this helps.

      Reply
  7. Anna

    October 27, 2019 at 4:41 pm

    This looks delicious! I’m planning on making it tomorrow but I’m confused about the butter quantity. Can you clarify?

    Reply
    • Amira

      October 28, 2019 at 10:42 am

      Anna, sorry for the confusion it is 1 1/8 cups = 2 1/4 sticks. Thank you for spotting this.

      Reply

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Hey Y'all, I'm Amira.
I’m overjoyed that you have stopped by!
I send warm greetings from sunny Colorado. This blog combines weeknight dinners for crazy busy days to desserts with the “wow” factor, and classic comforts from the Mediterranean.
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