Pumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake. A deliciously moist, decadent cake that exudes citrus hints balanced by the sweetness of the pumpkin and Christmas spices. However, the real surprise flavor element in this cake is the rye flour, delivering a very intriguing twist of flavor and texture to the realm of cakes.
Song of the day: Get Up by Mother Mother.
I have to admit, it is indeed a pretty scenery to look outside the window and everything is immaculately white.
Sometimes, though, I do that too often. I mean, looking outside the window at the wintery landscape and not daring to venture outside.
So, after being in the house since Sunday, I thought today was finally time for me to go out and walk to yoga.
Snowflakes were falling down softly and it was actually a pretty scene if I wasn't too distracted by the thought of the ingredients waiting for me on the island in my kitchen????.
I had planned to bake a cake, and before going to yoga I had all the ingredients ready to go.
Inspiration
This Pumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake got its inspiration from multiple sources:
- the cookbook Simply Nigella I found at the Edmonton Public Library and its wonderful recipe that here I adapted,
- the last can of organic pumpkin puree that was sitting in our pantry,
- the local, organic, Gold Forest Grains' rye flour that lately has been gracing some of my baked goods,
- and last, but not least, the beautiful Nordic bundt pan that always brings a smile to my face every time I use it.
What are the ingredients of this good-looking and delectable bundt cake?
- all-purpose flour and rye flour
- brown sugar
- avocado oil
- organic eggs
- organic pumpkin puree
- the juice and zest of an organic orange
- cinnamon and allspice for that warm spicy touch
- baking soda
A pretty wholesome cake, this Pumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake, and dairy-free too. The most decadent part is the glaze on top, which is done with icing sugar and orange juice. I even had some leftover, I didn't put it all on. I am not a fan of glaze and icing as you might already know. You feel free to add the whole quantity that is in the recipe (which is already half of what was in Nigella's original recipe). I have to say, though, the glaze is really the icing on the cake. It complements and enhances all the flavors while not making it overly sweet. A mere suggestion from a chocolate lover, do not skip the little grating of dark chocolate on top of it all, it harmonizes well with all the other flavors and textures. Plus, it's chocolate, lol.
You can see how the white outdoor scenery did influence the styling of the photoshoot 🙂 .
The smell in the house, while the cake was in the oven, wrapped me up in all its warmth, uplifted my spirit, and excited me in anticipation of the taste.
Moist, spiced, citrusy and mildly sweet, with a sweet crispy exterior, it is the cake you would want to curl up on the couch with a warm cup of tea and a Christmas movie playing on Tv. They started early, it seems to me, this year. I have already watched a few of those 'cheesy' movies, I confess 😉 .
This Pumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake is also totally a festive cake. It can be on your table for Thanksgiving and during the Christmas holidays. Beautiful and delectable to wow your guests.
Hope you give it a try, you will thank me later, lol.
Song of the day: Get Up by Mother Mother.
PrintPumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake
Pumpkin, Orange and Rye Bundt Cake. A deliciously moist, decadent cake that exudes citrus hints balanced by the sweetness of the pumpkin and Christmas spices. However, the real surprise flavor element in this cake is the rye flour, delivering a very intriguing twist of flavor and texture to the realm of cakes.
Adapted from a recipe from the cookbook Feel Good Food - Simply Nigella
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (I used avocado oil)
- zest of 1 organic orange
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 3 large eggs, organic, free-range
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rye flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 ½ cups pure organic pumpkin puree
For the glaze:
- 1 cup icing (confectioners' sugar)
- 2-3 tablespoon orange juice
- small square dark (or bittersweet) chocolate, for grating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180°C). Spray your bundt pan with non-stick spray or oil it and flour it well in every crevice.
- In a large bowl, add the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and whisk to blend. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar with the oil, the grated orange zest and the 2 tablespoon of orange juice until smoothly combined. If you need, scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs, one at a time and beat again to incorporate.
- Add the pumpkin puree and beat on low-medium until well incorporated.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the flour mixture, folding with a spatula until you have a smooth cake batter.
- Fill your prepared bundt pan with the batter. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester (or skewer) inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Take out of the oven and let sit in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack, then turn out the cake onto the wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Sift the icing (confectioners') sugar in a bowl and gradually add the orange juice until you get the consistency you want. It should be thick enough to stick to the cake, but also able to drip down the sides a little.
- Grate the chocolate square on top, to finish.
Notes
To oil and flour the bundt cake, Nigella suggests making a paste by mixing 2 tsp of oil and 2 tsp of flour and brushing it all over the insides of the pan, well into every crevice. Leave the bundt pan upside down on a piece of parchment paper to drain off any excess oil while preparing the cake. I did it and it worked like a charm.
You can skip the icing and simply dust it with icing sugar. It'll be just as good!
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freeze, without the icing, for up to 1 month. Wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. To thaw, unwrap and place on a rack at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: North American
Keywords: pumpkin, orange, rye flour, brown sugar, dessert, seasonal, icing, vegetable oil, dairy-free, spices
I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul.
aditi bahl says
beautiful and delicious. I can't wait to try this soon. i particularly love bundts and this one looks just perfect.
★★★★★
Thank you! It is one of the best flavor combinations you can have this time of the year 🙂 .
Kelly Anthony says
I've never heard of a Rye Bundt Cake before but it sounds delicious with pumpkin and orange! A creative original for sure! YUM!
★★★★★
Rye flour is just amazing and so under appreciated. I used it in a pie, as well, and muffins, always with incredible results. Thank you!
Sherri says
This cake looks stunning! Love the combination of ingredients! Sounds amazing with the rye flour! Hope you enjoyed your snowy walk! 🙂
★★★★★
I did! Going for another one, this morning 😉 . The rye flour gives such a great flavor and a super moist texture. Thank you!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
I just bought a bundt pan and am so ready to use it! This looks like a great first recipe to try 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you! Hope you try it, it is an amazing bundt cake!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
What a lovely looking cake. I have not ever tried using rye flour in anything but bread. I think I need to try it in a sweet recipe now. Time for me to get baking and try this cake!
★★★★★
Hi Kathy, thank you! I've used rye flour in muffins mixed with spelt flour, in a pie and here, mixed with all-purpose flour. I love it! Hope you try it and let me know!
Kiki Johnson says
This cake looks so wholesome - and the flavors are perfect for the cold season! Do you think I could swap A P flour for whole wheat? Or would the cake be too dense? I guess I would also have to up the amount of liquid. Anyway, it looks like a great holiday bake!
★★★★★
The flavors are amazing. And the texture too. I think if you do not have rye flour and want to use all white whole wheat, you do not have to adjust any liquid. If you want to switch the AP with whole wheat, maybe reduce the amount, or use more pumpkin puree. Hope you try it, thank you!
Nicole says
This would've been perfect for Thanksgiving and your photos are absolutely gorgeous!
★★★★★
Thank you! It is surely a festive cake, with amazing flavors.
Lauren says
This is beautiful and full of festive flavors. I am absolutely in love with this bundt pan, do you remember the brand or where it’s from?
★★★★★
Thank you! The flavors are amazing! That is a Nordic bundt pan, so many shapes they sell, all beautiful!
Gina Hoskins says
This looks super yummy! Do you thinks this would work with gluten free flour?
★★★★★
Thanks! Rye flour is gluten-free, you should have to replace only the all-purpose flour, maybe with a gluten-free blend (of which I am not a fan of).
Ruchi says
Bundt cakes are so pretty! I love the combination of flavors you used here, pumpkin and orange do so well together!
★★★★★
They indeed are pretty! And the flavors here are unbelievable. Thank you!
Brittany Hollie says
What a gorgeous cake! I love that you used the flour. I’ve been wanting to try rye flour and will be using this recipe to for my first experience!
★★★★★
Rye flour is so great! I used it in muffins mixed with spelt and they turned out amazing!
Michelle - The Last Food Blog says
Well, you are definitely getting me in the festive spirit with this cake! I love all the flavours in this and it looks beautiful. I am a little jealous of all that snow too, we rarely get any snow where I live, so it is very special to have it this time of the year.
★★★★★
I agree it is easier to get in the festive mood with a snowy landscape, but I am still not used to it 🙂 . This cake would be beautiful on a holiday table.
Michele says
This is such a perfect holiday cake! The flavor combinations sound heavenly. I think orange and pumpkin sound like a match made in heaven. Cannot wait to try this lovely cake!
★★★★★
Thank you! The flavors are really incredible! Hope you try it!
Jade says
We have a wheat allergy in the family, is it possible to use all rye flour? I can’t seem to find a gluten free flour that doesn’t have rice in it (also react to rice) so I’m finding it really difficult to find a cake recipe that doesn’t call for some sort of all purpose flour
Hello! I'm guessing even spelt flour is out of the question? I'm not sure how it would work using all rye flour. The texture will be different for sure, plus rye has a very strong flavor. Can you have oat flour? You could use a blend of oat flour, rye flour, and maybe almond flour, but for the exact proportions you would have to play around.