Grand Marnier Orange Bundt Cake
Moist, full of orange flavor, and texture from chopped walnuts and sliced almonds, this Grand Marnier Orange Bundt Cake is topped with a simple glaze made from Grand Marnier, fresh orange juice, and sugar.
I bring you some of my favorite things in the entire world. Bundt cakes, cookbooks, prizes, and booze (kidding). And not just any booze. Grand Marnier, which is quite possibly the best type of booze (particularly for baked goods or desserts) in existence!
But really, this Grand Marnier orange bundt cake is all about the booze. It has the simplest, most delectable of simple syrup glazes made with just three ingredients: Grand Marnier, fresh orange juice, and sugar.
Plus, this bundt cake has greek yogurt, walnuts, and orange zest in it, so that practically makes it a health food. That’s my logic and I’m sticking with it.
This bundt cake recipe is courtesy of the newly released cookbook, The Pollan Family Table by Corky, Lori, Dana, & Tracy Pollan. As in, the women of the Pollan family. If you’re familiar with Michael Pollan’s work or writing, that name might ring a very familiar bell!
I have been a huge fan of Michael Pollan’s writing for years (The Omnivore’s Dilemna is one of my favorite books regarding the food industry), so I was incredibly excited and honored to have a chance to review this cookbook.
And, I can say, it did not disappoint. The book contains more than 100 of the Pollan’s family collection of recipes. They are fresh, healthy, and family-friendly dishes that are not only seasonal and approachable, but realistic.
Most of the recipes can be made in less than an hour, and almost all of the ingredients can be found at the most basic of grocery stores. Yet, they still have just enough of a twist to distinguish them from my ridiculously-over-the-top collection of cookbooks.
Dishes that include panfried tofu with chimichurri sauce, pan-roasted cod in spicy thai broth, creamless broccoli soup with roasted garlic and frizzled leeks (on my list of things to make!), parmesan-crusted chicken fontina, and the Pollan signature salad. The cookbook is a great balance of both classic and contemporary meals.
One of my absolute favorite things about this cookbook is that each recipe is accompanied with a “market” and “pantry” list, in which every ingredient in the recipe is listed and grouped according to how you will find them at the store or market.
It was hard to choose a dish to share with you, but I ended up coming back to this Grand Marnier orange bundt cake over an over again. It is actually their Grandma Mary’s interpretation of a traditional Jewish nut cake.
I was a huge fan of this cake! It is incredibly moist, full of fresh orange flavor, and has great texture from the addition of chopped walnuts and sliced almonds. Plus, it couldn’t be easier to throw together and makes a wonderful tea cake or all-occasion cake (that isn’t overly sweet) for the holiday season.
Grand Marnier Orange Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz; 230 g) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing room temperature
- 3 tablespoons sliced blanched or raw sliced almonds
- 2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar divided
- 3 large eggs eggs and whites separated
- 1 cup whole fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 cup chopped raw walnuts
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
- ¼ cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice roughly one juicy orange
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) with a rack in the center position. Generously butter a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan. Set aside.
- Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until toasted and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool on the pan. Leave the oven preheated as you prepare the cake batter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the butter and 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until blended. Over low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with two additions of the yogurt, mixing just until smooth. Stir in the orange zest and walnuts, and transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl. Clean the stand mixer bowl very well, and dry it thoroughly.
- Using the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, about 2 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 7 to 10 minutes while you prepare the simple syrup.
- Prepare the Simple Syrup: While the cake is cooling, combine the Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur) and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) of granulated sugar and stir for 2 minutes, until well blended. Remove from the heat.
- Assemble: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or wax paper) and place a wire cooling rack on top. Invert the cake onto the wire cooling rack and spoon half the glaze (*it should be the consistency of a slightly thicker simple syrup) over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top, then carefully spoon on the remaining glaze. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and spoon any glaze drippings that have pooled onto the paper back onto the cake. Allow to set slightly before serving.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this cookbook by Scribner Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. A review copy was provided to me, but all opinions are my own.
26 Comments on “Grand Marnier Orange Bundt Cake”
I made 2 of these. 1 with my granddaughter without the liquor and with Strawberry icing and sprinkles. She fully enjoyed making it!
The other, I made with the liquor and toasted almonds. Yummmmmm!!!
I wish I could post pictures because they both look as good as they taste!!!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely scrumptious! I went straight to Amazon and bought the cookbook because if this recipe was this awesome there must be others. Thank you so much for doing the review!
So thrilled to hear that! Thank you Astrid!
Couldn’t wait to try this recipe. It was a disappointment, though. While it is wonderfully moist, I found it almost flavorless, with the exception of the ‘alcohol’ taste from the Grand Marnier. Could barely detect any Orange taste.
I’m really sorry to hear that Dana! I personally enjoyed this recipe from The Pollan Family cookbook. What do you mean by flavorless? Did you use fresh orange zest? My only tip if you were to try it again would be to try rubbing the orange zest into the granulated sugar, and that might increase the orange flavor.
I always find bundt cakes to be so gorgeous in the most rustic of ways and this is both gorgeous AND simply delicious. I just love it. Thanks for the fabulous giveaway! If I don’t win one, I’ll surely be buying this cookbook anyway!
I can’t wait to check out that cookbook! Love this beautiful bundt cake!
Everything about this cake looks amazing. Yes to Grand Marnier. You’re right, it’s the top notch. Pinned.
As an avid cookbook collector, this sounds like something that I have to have, looks like I might have to add it to my Christmas list! Beautiful shots!
That looks wonderful!
The cake sounds wonderful and hubby loves anything with Grand Marnier – I’m a cookbook lover and tend to read them like a novel!
I’m with you – – health food for sure! I may substitute chocolate chips for the nuts though:) Can’t wait to try. Thanks!
Absolutely beautiful cake! Love the flavors. The cookbook sounds a great addition to any collection.
Booze in my cake – for breakfast! Where do I sign up?!
Ooooh, and I have some grand marnier here because I use it for biscotti baking. 🙂
All this needs is a little chocolate!
Grand marnier is THE BEEEEEST. I think I’m asking Santa for some 🙂
I love bundt cakes so much…they’re so simple, yet totally perfect, always. And big bonus point for Grand Marnier 🙂
#AWEsome review. My mouth is watering. I will need to try this recipe. Thanks! If I don’t win one, I may have to buy one 🙂
The nuts and the fruit totally make this breakfast food…in my opinion!
Dude, this bundt cake!! I’m all about the Grand Marnier. . looks delicious. . cant wait to try this! and I love collecting cookbooks. . will check this one out. And by the way, your IG prompt within the widget isn’t clicking out properly, just wanted to let you know 🙂
I just fixed it!! Let me know if it still isn’t working! Thank you Alice!
My FIL would love that cake if it had chocolate glaze. He loves that combo. I noticed that the link for your instagram in the entry is missing a letter and goes to a page not found in case you’re not getting a lot of hits for that.
Ohh! A chocolate glaze (spiked with Grand Marnier) would be so good with this! Great idea,
Thank you for letting me know! I just fixed it! 🙂
Such a pretty and festive cake!! This cookbook sounds awesome, it’d make the perfect gift!
What an awesome-looking cake! The cookbook sounds great too 🙂