Sunshine Orange Cake

This sunshine orange cake gets its brightness from real orange juice stirred right into the batter. It’s a lighter cake with less sugar than most, relying on the natural sweetness of the juice and raisins to carry the flavor.

The alternating mixing method is key to the texture. Adding the flour mixture and orange juice in stages, starting and ending with flour, keeps the batter from curdling and gives you an even, tender crumb. It takes an extra minute of effort but makes a real difference.

Brown sugar and white sugar together create more depth than either would alone. The brown sugar adds a hint of molasses warmth that pairs naturally with the cinnamon and plump raisins scattered throughout.

This bakes in a simple 8-inch square pan and gets cut into bars or squares. No layers, no frosting, no fuss. It’s a weekday baking kind of cake.

Kitchen Tips

• Beat the margarine, sugars, and egg for the full two minutes. This step aerates the batter and gives the cake its lift.
• Add the raisins to the flour mixture before combining with the wet ingredients. The flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
• Test with a toothpick at 25 minutes. The center should come out clean, not wet. Don’t overbake or the edges dry out.
• This cake keeps well at room temperature for 2-3 days, wrapped tightly.

Variations

• Glazed: Drizzle with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and orange juice for a sweeter finish.
• Cranberry orange: Swap raisins for dried cranberries for a tart, festive version.