Orange Cake

Dessert · Full · Sweet

Bordeaux's legendary sweet white — Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc hit by noble rot, then patiently fermented. Honey, apricot, candied citrus, and a finish that lasts a small eternity. Pair with foie gras, blue cheese, or a fruit tart.

Works with Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' +4 more Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' · Orange Walnut Cake · Chocolate-orange Cake · Cranberry Orange Cake · Chocolate Soufflé Cake With Orange Caramel Sauce

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Fortified red from Portugal's Douro Valley — sweet, warming, and surprisingly versatile. Ruby and LBV are for everyday; Vintage and Tawny are for serious occasions. Pair with blue cheese, walnuts, or just a fire.

Works with Chocolate-orange Cake · Orange-butter Pound Cake · Cranberry-glazed Orange Layer Cake +3 more Chocolate-orange Cake · Orange-butter Pound Cake · Cranberry-glazed Orange Layer Cake · Flourless Chocolate-orange Almond Cake · Chocolate Soufflé Cake With Orange Caramel Sauce · Devil's Food Cake With Chocolate-orange Buttercream

Sparkling · Light · Sweet

Asti's more refined sibling — gently frizzante, only 5-6% alcohol, all peach and orange blossom. The perfect summer dessert wine.

Works with Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' +2 more Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' · Orange Walnut Cake · Cranberry Orange Cake

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Port from a single declared year, aged in bottle for decades. Dense, structured, ageless; the pinnacle of fortified wine.

Works with Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' +2 more Orange Cake · Orange Pound Cake · Orange Layer Cake' · Orange Walnut Cake · Cranberry Orange Cake

Sparkling · Light · Dry

Asti, Moscato d'Asti, or Brachetto — Italy's sweet, low-alcohol sparkling tradition. Peach, orange blossom, gentle fizz. The summer-dessert wine.

Works with Chocolate-orange Cake · Cranberry-glazed Orange Layer Cake · Chocolate Soufflé Cake With Orange Caramel Sauce

White · Light · Off-dry

Aromatic, racy, and shapeshifting — bone-dry in Alsace, off-dry on the Mosel, syrupy and ageless when late-harvested. The single most versatile wine for spicy food on earth.

Works with Orange Cake · Orange Layer Cake' · Cranberry Orange Cake

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Spanish table wine, broadly — Tempranillo, Garnacha, or a regional blend. Sun-soaked, food-friendly, increasingly remarkable for the price.

Works with Orange-butter Pound Cake · Flourless Chocolate-orange Almond Cake · Devil's Food Cake With Chocolate-orange Buttercream

Fortified · Full · Sweet

Port aged in cask for years, taking on nutty, caramel, dried-fruit character. The 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year designations are the most reliable indicators of style.

Works with Orange Cake · Orange Layer Cake' · Cranberry Orange Cake

Sparkling · Light · Dry

California's méthode-traditionnelle sparkling wines — Chardonnay/Pinot Noir-based, brioche-and-citrus, often grown in cool coastal regions. Champagne quality at friendlier prices.

Works with Cranberry-glazed Orange Layer Cake · Orange Clove Pound Cake With Strawberries

Austria's late-harvested whites — Riesling or Grüner Veltliner, often with the laser acid that defines the country. Sweet, but never cloying.

Works with Flourless Chocolate-orange Almond Cake · Devil's Food Cake With Chocolate-orange Buttercream

A California crossing (Semillon × Gewürztraminer) — perfumed, lightly floral, mostly used in late-harvest dessert styles. Rare but charming.

Works with Orange Syrup Cake With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream · Flourless Chocolate Cake With Bittersweet Pink Grapefruit Gelato And Orange Sauce

Spätlese-and-beyond Riesling — overripe grapes giving wines with measurable residual sugar balanced by Mosel-level acid. Honey, peach, slate; ages magnificently.

Works with Orange-butter Pound Cake · Orange Clove Pound Cake With Strawberries