Magazines are one of my (many – fresh flowers, Anthro mugs, candles, pens) downfalls. I love them and really have a hard time saying no when I see a pretty cover. So imagine my happiness when I see two of my favorite things rolled into one. King Arthur Flour and a gorgeous new magazine call Sift. It is beautiful, has great recipes, and really well written stories. I was flipping through, saw this Orange Sunshine Coffee Cake and the next morning they were made. They are everything I love – cinnamon rolls AND orange. These were amazing, and everyone in my house loved them. FYI, that doesn’t happen often.
This dough is really beautiful, soft and buttery. I think that it might the base of many, many more coffee cakes in the future. I made this the day before and covered it with plastic wrap. The next morning I let it do the second rise on the counter. It took longer because it was cold from the fridge, but turned out perfectly.
(King Arthur has no idea who I am. I just love them and go there as much as I can. It’s where all my baking dreams come true.)
Dough:
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 egg
Filling:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon clearjel or flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoon orange zest
- 3 Tablespoons orange juice
Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons orange juice
To make the dough, warm the milk in a small saucepan. Add the butter and heat until it melts.
Pour into the bowl of a mixer.
Add yeast, 1 cup flour, sugar and cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Once you see some bubbles, add orange juice and egg.
Add the remaining flour until a smooth dough forms, you might not need all of it. Knead on medium for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
To make the filling mix together sugar, clearjel, cinnamon, zest, and orange juice.
To assemble, deflate the dough and let rest for 5 minutes.
Roll into a rectangle about 12” x 18”. I like to keep a yard stick just for baking for this reason. I had Home Depot cut me a few different sizes.
Spread the filling evenly leaving one side with a ½ inch border. Roll up and pinch the seams shut.
Place the dough on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Pull the ends together to form a ring. Pinch together to seal.
Cut ¾ inch slits all the way around. Lay the rings on their side and overlap them. Or twist to alternating sides.
Cover the cake with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until puffy.
After 20 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 375°. When the dough has doubled bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
When the cake is cooling, whisk together sugar and orange juice. Drizzle over cake.
This recipe is adapted from Sift Magazine.

Orange Sunshine Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Dough:
- ½ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 egg
Filling:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon clearjel or flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoon orange zest
- 3 Tablespoons orange juice
Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- To make the dough, warm the milk in a small saucepan. Add the butter and heat until it melts.
- Pour into the bowl of a mixer.
- Add yeast, 1 cup flour, sugar and cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Once you see some bubbles, add orange juice and egg.
- Add the remaining flour until a smooth dough forms, you might not need all of it.
- Knead on medium for 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- To make the filling mix together sugar, clearjel, cinnamon, zest, and orange juice.
- To assemble, deflate the dough and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll into a rectangle about 12” x 18”.
- Spread the filling evenly leaving one side with a ½ inch border. Roll up and pinch the seams shut.
- Place the dough on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Pull the ends together to form a ring. Pinch together to seal.
- Cut ¾ inch slits all the way around. Lay the rings on their side and overlap them. Or twist to alternating sides.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes or until puffy.
- After 20 minutes of rising time, preheat the oven to 375°. When the dough has doubled bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- When the cake is cooling, whisk together sugar and orange juice. Drizzle over cake.
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Jeanie Q
Thursday 31st of March 2016
Thank you for the pixs and instruction on how to shape the cake. I've wanted to make a cake like this for a long time. I was intimidated by the shaping. Yours is the first site I've found with pix and easy to follow instructions. I plan to make thiis tomorrow -- with King Arthur flour of course. It is the best.
bakedbree
Tuesday 5th of April 2016
It looks so much more complicated than it is. Good luck!
Sara
Wednesday 10th of June 2015
Can you give any suggestions for making the night before and baking in the morning? Should I do all steps except bake the night before? Or stop at a certain spot and leave other steps for the morning?
Thank you!!
bakedbree
Wednesday 10th of June 2015
I let it rise once, form it, then cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I take it out and let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
Jackie
Sunday 19th of April 2015
I make rolls like this, but add a little orange extract to both the filling and the glaze, and leave out the cinnamon. I like the extra orange kick. Love your presentation. I will be trying this. Thanks!
bakedbree
Tuesday 21st of April 2015
Thanks!