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    Home » Recipes » Vegetable Desserts

    Kale and Blood Orange Cake (with vegan option)

    Published: Feb 2, 2016 · Modified: Sep 20, 2018 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

    This kale and blood orange cake is fluffy and green, naturally! The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the zesty orange in the sponge, leaving behind some green goodness, and it's topped with a pale pink citrus buttercream. I've also given all of the options to make also make it a vegan kale blood orange cake, which I've tested and we loved.

    Pieces of cake on a table, with the text: Kale Orange Cake with vegan option.

    Squares of cake next to blood oranges cut open.

     

    Blood orange season is such a joy. These goth-fruits bleed their crimson tears onto cutting boards and hands as the heady citrus notes awaken dull winter days from their endless slumber.

    When you make this cake, I urge you to buy extra blood oranges. As you mix and measure, stir and pour you will need to take breaks to sink your teeth into fresh, fragrant slices, allowing the red juice to stain your lips, like an illicit kiss from a vampire.

    The red hue of the blood orange comes when the fruits are exposed to warm days and cold nights, usually in Southern Italy where they're most commonly grown. The extremes of temperature causes the flesh to turn red and make them beautifully tart, but sweet and not too acidic. They steel your body against winter illness - hissing, angry, at germs and filling you with antioxidants and vitamins.

    Eaten delicately so as not to spend the afternoon in the sink with one's top and a bar of stain remover, these ruby spheres demand attention - trendy mindfulness, if you will - like no other food. Slow down and savour these beauties. The short winter season won't be around for long.

    A table with oranges and a bowl of kale.

    This kale and blood orange cake is fluffy and green, naturally! The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the zesty orange in the sponge, leaving behind some green goodness, and it's topped with a pale pink citrus buttercream.

    I've also given all of the options to make also make it a vegan kale blood orange cake, which I've tested and we loved.

    What rhymes with orange? Cake - Kale Cake.

    The sudden bounty of blood oranges brings with it a plethora of new season recipes. Suddenly stew loses it's lustre and thoughts return to salads and fresher flavours. But as I spread the red segments onto a bed of kale salad, it was cake that I wanted next. Kale and blood orange cake.

    I wanted a zesty sponge with green goodness, I wanted a zingy buttercream.

    And I wanted to give you the option of making it a vegan kale cake. I've made a few kale cakes and cupcakes in the past, but I've had a lot of you asking about how to veganise it - so here you go! I've tested both versions of the cake. The pictures are of the standard kale cake, but the vegan kale cake looks very similar. It rises just as much, but is just slightly less green due to the flax 'eggs'.

    A slice of cake next to a cut orange.

    Get the Blood Orange Kale Cake Recipe

    If you make this kale cake recipe, please tag it with #veggiedesserts on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I LOVE seeing your recreations of my recipes!

    Also, pop down to the comments and let me know how you got on with the recipe. It’s always great to hear from my readers. Your support allows me write this UK food blog and bring you vegetable cake recipes as well as vegan desserts, plus savoury vegetarian and vegan recipes and breakfasts and drinks.

    Close up of a square slice of cake with frosting.

    Kale and Blood Orange Cake (with vegan option)

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    This Blood Orange Kale Cake is naturally green! The flavour of the kale fades away beneath the zesty orange in the sponge, leaving behind some green goodness, and it’s topped with a pale pink citrus buttercream. 
    5 from 6 votes
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine British
    Servings 16
    Calories 260 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 150 g kale (2 cups, packed) (woody spines removed)
    • 3 eggs [vegan: 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 7 ½ tablespoon water and left to stand for 5 mins to thicken slightly]
    • 100 ml vegetable oil
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 100 g applesauce
    • 175 g sugar
    • juice of ½ a blood orange
    • zest of 1 blood orange
    • 250 g plain flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    For the blood orange icing

    • 250 g icing sugar (powdered confectioner's sugar)
    • 4 tablespoons butter softened [vegan: use vegan spread]
    • 2 tablespoons blood orange juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 9” square cake tin with parchment paper.
    • Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and boil or steam for a few minutes until tender. Drain then refresh in cold water, drain well and puree (it will still be a bit little bit stringy, but persevere as long as you can until well pureed for a greener cake. If necessary, add a teaspoon of water but don’t allow the puree to get too wet. If you add water, squeeze excess moisture out of the resulting puree before adding to the batter). Set aside.
    • Beat the eggs (or flax eggs), oil, vanilla, applesauce and sugar together well. Beat in the kale puree and orange zest and juice. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently combine.
    • Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then turn onto a wire rack, removing the parchment paper, to cool completely.

    For the Blood Orange Icing:

    • Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the other ingredients and mix until smooth.
    • Store in the fridge until ready to use. Frost the cooled cake as desired.

    Notes

    If you don't have applesauce, just peel, core and slice 2 apples, steam or boil with 1 teaspoon water until soft and puree. Use ½ a cup and any left over is lovely on porridge or sprinkled with cinnamon and eaten as a dessert.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 260kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 133mgSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1075IUVitamin C: 12.4mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1.1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

     

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vicky

      January 19, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      I don't come across blood oranges that often but I'll be in the look out so I can try this!

      Reply
    2. Milly Youngman

      January 19, 2018 at 2:42 pm

      5 stars
      I didn't even think of using kale in cakes - wow! These look delicious.

      Reply
    3. justine

      September 04, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this sort of as a joke, but everyone really loved it! It was a little hard to puree the kale, but I added water like you said and it made it easier. I'll make it again. Maybe a monster cake with it!

      Reply
    4. Beth

      May 03, 2017 at 7:42 pm

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous cake

      Reply
    5. Sheila Rema

      February 07, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! I would never have thought of using kale in a cake but I'm so glad I tried it. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    6. vegancyclopedia

      August 14, 2016 at 4:00 pm

      So creative! Thanks for the vegan option! Will bookmark for fall, I'll let you know how it goes. 🙂

      Reply
    7. Ana Seijas

      May 23, 2016 at 7:02 pm

      What a great recipe! Cant wait to give it a go! But I was wondering, where Im at, getting apples, much less applesauce is almost imposible 🙁 *cries eternally* So do you have any suggestions for replacing the applesauce in the recipe?

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        May 26, 2016 at 9:36 am

        Hi Ana

        What a shame not to get apples :(. I haven't tested it, but you could add some yogurt to replace the applesauce or else a bit of cooking oil. I hope it works!

        Reply
    8. hijackedbytwins

      February 19, 2016 at 9:53 am

      I love blood oranges, they have such a delicious tang to them. These cakes look so good! Popping over from #extraveg x

      Reply
    9. choclette

      February 04, 2016 at 9:31 pm

      Blood oranges are just so alluring and yet repelling at the same time. I love them and I love how you've described them. I bet they go superbly with the kale cake.

      Reply
    10. kellie anderson

      February 04, 2016 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      You always amaze us with your inventive recipes and enticing images. Love this one, Kate. And I am vey impressed that you did it both vegan and "regular" 🙂

      Reply
    11. Chris @thinlyspread

      February 04, 2016 at 12:50 pm

      How utterly fabulous is this?! Gorgeous photos and mouthwatering cakes!

      Reply
    12. FreeFromFairy

      February 04, 2016 at 11:14 am

      This looks fabulous! I love adding 'strange' things into cakes. Kale seems like the perfect thing for me!

      Reply
    13. fabfood4all

      February 03, 2016 at 11:27 pm

      I adore Blood Oranges but haven't seen any this year, boo hoo! Your cakes look adorable and sound totally scrummy too:-)

      Reply
    14. Jo of Jo's Kitchen

      February 03, 2016 at 9:46 pm

      Gorgeous photos as ever! What a great way to use up blood oranges

      Reply
    15. Christie

      February 03, 2016 at 8:45 pm

      What an interesting recipe. I love that you used some healthy ingredients to make this gorgeous cake.

      Reply
    16. Sally

      February 03, 2016 at 12:50 pm

      I've never fancied green cake since my sister made an Emperor Ming cake and we all refused it including the birds.... until now that is. Such gorgeous pics - getting my fangs out now.

      Reply
    17. Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures

      February 03, 2016 at 11:14 am

      Oh this is totally gorgeous Kate - and love love love how red your oranges are - what luck!

      Reply
    18. Felesha Bell

      February 02, 2016 at 11:18 pm

      I love the idea of incorporating veggies into desserts. It's pratically guilt free that way! 🙂

      Reply
    19. Kavey

      February 02, 2016 at 8:03 pm

      I love blood oranges but it's so hard to get the colour into bakes so I love that you've turned out on it's head by going green instead! Very cool!

      Reply
    20. Keep Calm and Fanny On

      February 02, 2016 at 6:30 pm

      I'm loving Blood Orange season so much, and these seem perfect! Thanks...

      Reply
    21. fashionandstylepolice

      February 02, 2016 at 1:16 pm

      Your pictures are so pretty. Food looks yummy too.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:17 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    22. efwalt

      February 02, 2016 at 12:16 pm

      Fantastic post Kate 🙂 I love the way you write! We also call them goth oranges! Glad I'm not the only one hahaha. Love the idea of cooking with kale - I've still not moved beyond courgette muffins and beetroot cake but this looks fantastic.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:17 pm

        Courgette muffins and beet cake are so nice as well! But goth oranges are amazing 🙂

        Reply
    23. nutrizonia

      February 02, 2016 at 12:02 pm

      Omg, how creative! Absolutely loving this, will make it definitely when I can get some kale!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:18 pm

        I hope you do! Let me know how you get on 🙂

        Reply
    24. Kitty Wood

      February 02, 2016 at 11:35 am

      I love how colourful the end result is! I must admit, I've not tried blood oranges but as someone with a not very secret inner goth I must!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:18 pm

        I know, so green! Embrace your inner goth with blood oranges!

        Reply
    25. Everyday Sarah Jane

      February 02, 2016 at 11:32 am

      I Love the flavors of blood oranges...I bet this dessert tastes amazing!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:19 pm

        It does! So zingy and greeen!

        Reply
    26. Katie Bryson (@cookingkt)

      February 02, 2016 at 11:29 am

      What a beautifully written and photographed post! You've really celebrated those blood oranges 🙂 I bought a load last week and made some Blood Orange Curd and then just squeezed the juice to drink of the rest as they were so delicious!!!!!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        February 02, 2016 at 5:19 pm

        Thank you so much, Katie. That's made me smile. Enjoy your blood oranges while they last!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

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    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
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    My cookbook

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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