Cake! I love cake. My sweet tooth practically calls out for a slice of lavender coffee cake or chocolate coconut cake when it’s time for dessert.

I make this Orange Cake when I want to channel my inner Martha Stewart. It’s a simple but sophisticated one-layer dessert with a fluffy, golden crumb and a glistening orange vanilla glaze. But it’s the vibrant orange flavors in every bite that make it a winning sweet treat.

Take it from me, the biggest cake lover I know: The melt-in-your-mouth texture and bright pops of citrus in each slice will bring a little more sunshine to anyone’s day. 

Orange Cake Ingredients

Navel oranges – It wouldn’t be an orange cake without the fresh citrus flavors and aromas, so I zested a large navel orange before squeezing out all of the juice. If you don’t have a navel orange, use mandarin oranges, blood oranges, or any other kind of orange you like.

Applesauce – The cake gets most of its moisture from plain, unsweetened applesauce. Melted coconut oil or vegetable oil will work as substitutes, but the crumb won’t be as light or delicate.

Flour – Classic all-purpose flour works perfectly.

Orange vanilla glaze – I decorated the cake with a very simple glaze made from powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Orange almond cake – Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract to the wet ingredients for just a kiss of almond. You could sprinkle toasted almond slices over the glaze, too!
• Gluten-free option – I haven’t tested this recipe with anything other than all-purpose flour, but a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend might work as a substitute.
• Glaze substitute – If you’d rather keep it simple, sift powdered sugar over the cake instead.

How to Make Orange Cake

Step 1: Make the orange sugar. Add the sugar and orange zest to a bowl and rub them together with your fingers until fragrant. Add the butter to the same bowl and beat with a mixer until fluffy.

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients. Next, mix the eggs, milk, orange juice, applesauce, and vanilla with the butter-sugar mixture until combined.

Step 3: Whisk dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Step 4: Combine. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.

Step 5: Bake. Pour the cake batter into a cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set it aside to cool.

Step 6: Make the glaze. Meanwhile, whisk the orange juice and vanilla together in a bowl, then whisk in the powdered sugar until you have a smooth glaze.

Step 7: Decorate and serve. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the top. Slice and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Only zest the orange peel, not the white pith underneath. The pith is very bitter, and you don’t want it messing with the cake!
• Zest the orange before juicing it. It’s way easier this way, trust me.
• Room temperature ingredients are easier to incorporate into cake batters. Remember to take the eggs, butter, milk, oranges, applesauce, and any other refrigerated ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
• Don’t overmix the batter when combining the wet and dry mixes. To keep the cake’s delicate crumb, very gently combine the two with a wooden spoon or spatula until the flour is absorbed.
• Garnish the cake with candied orange slices, fresh mint leaves, or extra orange zest to make it feel extra fancy.

Orange Cake FAQs

Storage

Make-ahead: I like to serve this cake fresh to enjoy each moist and fluffy bite to the fullest. That said, the unglazed cake will still be a bit moist after staying covered on the kitchen counter for 1 to 3 days.

Refrigerator: The whole cake or individual slices can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Keep in mind that it will dry out slightly as it sits.

Freezer: You can wrap the unglazed cake in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it on the kitchen counter before pouring the glaze over top.

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There comes a time every year—usually when the sun starts sticking around longer, and the birds are chirping again—when I become absolutely obsessed with the lemon-blueberry combo. Finally, spring has arrived!

My favorite way to celebrate spring is by adding lemons and blueberries to almost everything, including my lemon blueberry cake, a stack of blueberry chia seed pancakes, and these Lemon Blueberry Muffins. They’re a bakery-style treat bursting with jammy berries and finished with a crackly lemon-sugar topping that I genuinely can’t stop eating.

Blueberry Lemon Muffin Ingredients

Blueberries – You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. Personally, I prefer frozen berries because they don’t burst or leave blue streaks in the muffins. However, fresh blueberries are incredible when they’re in season.

Sugar – I like using granulated cane sugar for baking, but white sugar is great, too. I don’t recommend swapping the granulated sugar for liquid sweeteners because your muffins won’t be as lemony or have the right structure.

Lemon zest & juice – Taking the time to massage lemon zest into the sugar granules is the secret to bright, lemony muffins! For the best results, zest your lemons before you juice them (it’s pretty tricky to do it the other way around).

Yogurt – It keeps the muffins moist and makes them extra fluffy. Regular yogurt and Greek yogurt both work well. If you need a substitute, use sour cream instead.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Gluten-free option – I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, but it should work (make sure you use a brand that includes xanthan gum). I’d recommend adding an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil per cup of flour and letting the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes before portioning it into the muffin cups.
• Instead of blueberries – Make the muffins with raspberries, blackberries, cherries, diced strawberries, or a frozen berry medley.
• More add-in ideas – Make lemon poppy seed blueberry muffins by folding 2 to 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter. 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or white chocolate chips would be nice here, too!
• Add a sweet topping – Decorate the cooled muffins with a drizzle of the cream cheese frosting from my gluten-free blueberry cake or the sweet lemon glaze from my almond flour blueberry scones.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Step 1: Make the lemon sugar. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl, and use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar granules. It should smell very lemony and fresh! Set 1 tablespoon of the lemon sugar aside.

Step 2: Beat the wet ingredients. Add the butter to the same bowl and beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Next, stir in the eggs, lemon juice, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.

Step 3: Coat the blueberries. Add the blueberries to a small bowl and dust them with some flour.

Step 4: Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Step 5: Finish the batter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Finish by folding in the blueberries.

Step 6: Bake. Pour the batter into a muffin tin, sprinkle the reserved lemon sugar on top of each muffin, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Step 7: Cool, then serve. Let the muffins cool in the tin, then transfer them to a wire rack. Serve and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Do not thaw your frozen blueberries! They’ll definitely burst and turn the batter blue if you don’t leave them in the freezer right up until it’s time to use them.
• Always dust frozen blueberries with a sprinkle of flour. Without the flour coating, your blueberries will sink to the bottom of the muffins.
• Do not overmix the muffin batter, or else the muffins will be dry or dense. Gently stir the dry mixture into the wet batter until a few streaks of flour remain, then very gently fold in your berries. 
• The two-temp trick is the secret to tall, domed muffin tops. The initial blast of heat at 425°F activates the leavening agents and creates air bubbles inside the muffins. After, the temperature drops to 375°F to finish baking the muffins.

Muffin FAQs

Storage

Room temperature: It’s best to eat these muffins within a day or so of being baked. Store them in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to keep them moist and fresh.

Freezer: Once cool, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. You can thaw them on the counter for about an hour or reheat them in the microwave or toaster oven.

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I have great news for you: summer dinners don’t always mean standing over a hot grill. Just look at these BBQ Shrimp Bowls! They deliver the same char-grilled flavor without actually needing a grill. 

To make these bowls, I glazed seasoned and seared shrimp with barbecue sauce and topped them on a bowl of rice with cool cucumber, carrots, and creamy avocado. It’s the kind of 30-minute dinner that tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did. And just like my slow cooker BBQ chicken or BBQ glazed chicken thighs, I make them constantly in the summer!

BBQ Shrimp Bowl Ingredients

Shrimp – I used peeled and deveined large shrimp for convenience.

Herbs and seasonings – I seasoned the shrimp with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, thyme, oregano, and salt.

Barbecue sauce – You need half of the sauce for the shrimp and the other half for drizzling over the bowl.

Grains – Cooked white rice, brown rice, or quinoa are all great options for the base. Craving more flavor? Use cilantro lime rice or coconut rice instead.

Toppings – Keep the toppings fresh to balance those smoky BBQ flavors. I like sliced cucumbers, avocado, and carrots.

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• Whole30 or Paleo option – Swap the rice for cauliflower rice, leafy greens, or spiralized veggies like zucchini (zoodles) or sweet potato. Also, use a compliant BBQ sauce sweetened with dates or pineapple instead of sugar.
• Instead of shrimp – Make the bowls with diced chicken breasts, salmon bites, or tofu cubes.
• Customize the toppings – Top the bowls with sliced bell peppers, shredded cabbage, a quick homemade coleslaw, chopped cilantro, or fresh lime juice.

How to Make BBQ Shrimp Rice Bowls

Step 1: Cook the rice. Start by cooking your rice if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Season the shrimp. Add the shrimp, herbs, and spices to a large bowl and toss to combine.

Step 3: Sear. Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the shrimp and cook until they’re pink. Remove from the heat and pour the BBQ sauce into the skillet. Stir to coat the shrimp.

Step 4: Assemble. Divide the rice between bowls and top with the BBQ shrimp, cucumbers, carrots, and avocado. Drizzle more BBQ sauce on top and enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Before you do anything, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to help the spices stick.
• Don’t overcrowd the shrimp in the pan, or else they’ll steam rather than caramelize.
• You’ll know the shrimp are done cooking when they turn opaque and curl into a “C” shape. They should only take 1 or 2 minutes per side.

Storage

Make Ahead: These loaded shrimp bowls are great for meal prep! I keep the cooked rice, BBQ shrimp, and prepped veggies (except the avocado) in separate containers in the fridge, then assemble them right before serving.

Refrigerator: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Reheating: To avoid overcooking the shrimp, I microwave the rice in 30-second intervals until it’s warm, then place the BBQ shrimp on top and microwave again for 30 to 45 seconds.

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