Fluffy and bursting with fresh orange flavor, this authentic Italian hangover cake is absolutely delicious and easy to make!
This Italian hangover cake has become extremely popular in the last few years and for all good reasons.
Loaded with fresh and citrusy orange flavor, hints of vanilla, and a light boozy kick coming from Grand Marnier and Disaronno Amaretto liqueurs, this cake is ridiculously delicious.
Super easy to make with simple ingredients, you can easily customize it with your favorite liqueur, or skip it completely to make it kid-friendly.
Once cooked and cooled, you can cut your hangover cake into slices and top it with cherry jam or apricot jam, lemon or orange curd, Italian pastry cream, zabaglione, or homemade chocolate spread.
For a finishing touch, you can decorate it with my Amaretto orange glaze right before serving it.
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What Is Italian Hangover Cake?
The hangover cake has been one of the most popular desserts from the famous NY-based DeFazio's Pizzeria.
Whilst the original recipe is top secret, it's based on a classic Italian bundt cake (ciambellone), but their boozy orange cake version includes a mix of Vodka, Grand Marnier and Disaronno, and orange juice.
There are quite a few traditional Italian cakes that include either Grand Marnier or Disaronno, and I'm confident they were the inspiration behind their hangover cake.
Today I'm sharing my Italian mum's recipe for the hangover cake, which we have been proudly making for at least 20 years.
Our family recipe calls for both Grand Marnier and Disaronno Amaretto, but it skips the vodka. I guess because it has never been a hugely popular drink or ingredient in Italy.
Hangover Cake Ingredients
For this traditional Italian cake, you'll need the most basic ingredients you probably have in your pantry already.
As a nice extra bonus, this is also a completely dairy-free bundt cake!
You'll need just 8 ingredients:
- Flour: I use regular all-plain flour or Italian 00 flour.
- Eggs: go for medium-sized eggs.
- Sugar: use regular granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also use raw cane sugar.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use light extra-virgin olive oil with a delicate flavor. If you want, you can substitute it with an equal amount of butter or sunflower oil.
- Orange: orange zest and juice add a wonderful aroma, use an organic unwaxed orange.
- Vanilla: you can use vanilla extract or scrape the vanilla seeds right out of a vanilla bean pod.
- Baking powder: the baking powder gives the cake a soft and bouncy texture.
- Grand Marnier: this French orange-flavored liqueur gives the cake its boozy name. You can substitute it with Disaronno Amaretto or with extra orange juice.
Optional glaze:
For a nice extra touch, I like to make a simple glaze with Amaretto, icing sugar, orange juice, and orange zest.
You can replace the Amaretto with Grand Marnier, or substitute it with extra orange juice.
Equipment
You don't need any professional equipment to make this easy Italian bundt cake, here are the kitchen tools I use:
- 9-inch springform bundt cake pan - You can use a 9-inch or 10-inch (24 or 26 cm) bundt pan. I usually go for a 9-inch bundt cake tin.
- Hand mixer - Feel free to use a stand mixer or a simple whisk instead.
How To Make Italian Hangover Cake
This Italian hangover cake recipe couldn't be easier!
It's all made in one bowl and comes together in just 5 minutes.
Here's a quick recipe overview with step-by-step pictures.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full recipe
STEP 1. In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar until you have a pale and fluffy mixture. Slowly add olive oil, orange juice, liquer, vanilla and orange zest.
STEP 2. Place a sieve over the bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix briefly to combine all the ingredients.
STEP 3. Butter and flour a bundt cake tin. Pour the batter in, and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
STEP 3. Allow the cake to cool, then remove it from the pan, and brush it with the prepared glaze or dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.
Tip: You can also poke tiny holes in the cake and brush it with a little Limoncello, Grand Marnier, or Amaretto liqueur.
Storage Tips
- Serve: You can leave your orange Grand Marnier cake at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or longer when placed under a cake cover in a cool dry spot in your kitchen.
- Fridge: Cut the cake into slices and transfer them to a ziplock bag or another airtight container to store in the fridge. They will keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! Cut the cake into individual slices, place them on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer them into individual ziplock bags.
Store the slices in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Absolutely! Simply use a regular 9-inch or 8-inch springform cake pan.
More Italian Dessert Recipes To Try
Looking for more dessert recipes? Try these traditional Italian desserts:
- Amaretti Cookies - Italian Almond Cookies
- Italian Butter Cookies
- Pizzicati Cookies - Italian Pinch Cookies
- Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Classic Tiramisu Without Eggs - Authentic Italian Recipe
- Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake
- Crostata - Italian Jam Tart
- Ricotta Cheesecake - Just 3 Ingredients
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Recipe
Italian Hangover Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 180 g sugar, approx ¾ cup + 2 tbsp
- 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil, approx ½ cup
- 50 ml fresh orange juice, approx ¼ cup
- 2 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
- zest of one orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 300 g all purpose flour, approx 2+½ cups
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Amaretto orange glaze:
- 130 g icing sugar, approx 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340°F/170°C and adjust oven rack to middle position. Generously grease and flour a 9-inch springform bundt pan.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Whilst whisking, slowly pour in the extra-virgin olive oil, followed by the orange juice and zest, Grand Marnier liqueur (if using) and vanilla extract.
- Place a sieve over the bowl, add the flour and baking powder and sift them into the bowl. Whisk all the ingredients gently until just combined, do not over mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Place in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the hangover cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature, then remove it from the cake pan. Pour the glaze over the cake or dust with icing sugar and serve.
For the glaze:
- In a small bowl whisk together icing sugar, amaretto liqueur and orange juice until smooth, adding in more orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time to thin as desired.
Video
Notes
- Grease the bundt pan with a thin layer of butter. Then sprinkle a little flour over the butter and shake off any flour in excess. Place in the fridge until you're ready to pour the cake batter in. This step will ensure that the cake doesn’t stick to the pan once baked.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly then remove it from the pan.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Brandy says
You could always sub limoncello for the vodka. Orange,lemon, and almond together would be divine.
Andrea says
Absolutely, I tried it before and it tasted incredible!
Tic says
"This Italian hangover cake has become extremely popular in the last few years and for all good reasons."
I'm 66 years old and my mother made this cake for me all the time every since I can remember.
Kirrisa says
Can you link your pan please?
Mena Pisto says
Can we use canola oil instead of olive oil?
Andrea says
Hi Mena, I've not tried it w, but I'm confident you can use canola oil to make this hangover cake without issue.