Chocolate orange cake

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Made with orange zest, orange juice, and a thick layer of dark chocolate glaze, this easy chocolate orange cake is a soft and flavorful dessert you can make at home in no time. If you like the orange and chocolate combo, this cake recipe is a must-try!

Orange cake covered with chocolate glaze on a round plate. Fresh oranges and chocolate chips are lying around.

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Why you should try this chocolate orange cake recipe
What ingredient you will need
Cooking tips
How to make orange cake with chocolate glaze
Possible variations
FAQ
More cake recipes
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Why you should try this chocolate orange cake recipe

One of the easiest cakes to make – If you don’t have a stand mixer or a hand mixer, this recipe is for you. The batter can be whipped up with just a whisk, and if you don’t have a whisk, use a spatula or even a fork.
Stays soft and moist – When you notice that a cake is made with vegetable oil, you can be certain it will turn out moist and soft. That's why I like to incorporate vegetable oils into most of my cake recipes, or I try to include recipes like this Olive Oil Cake, which is made with vegetable oil exclusively.
Not overly sweet – This chocolate orange cake has a nice balance of sweetness between the sponge and the chocolate topping, making it a great choice for those who like not-too-sweet desserts.

A slice of orange cake covered with chocolate glaze on a round plate with a silver spoon. Fresh oranges and chocolate chips are lying around.

What ingredient you will need

Flour – Use all purpose flour to make this chocolate orange cake recipe.
Baking powder
Salt
Egg
Vanilla extract – Alternatively, you can use the orange extract to take the orange flavor to another level.
Granulated white sugar
Vegetable oil – I use canola oil for the cake as well as for the chocolate glaze, but sunflower seed oil or any other odorless vegetable oil will work as well in this orange chocolate cake recipe.
Whole milk
Orange zest
Juice of freshly squeezed orange juice
Semi - sweet chocolate – Or you can use milk chocolate instead.

If you’re looking for more easy-to-make cake recipes, check out these Chocolate Bundt cake and Chocolate pound cake made with chocolate glaze or this flavorful Apple crumb cake made with fresh apples.

A slice of orange cake covered with chocolate glaze on a round plate. One bite was taken.

Cooking tips

Don’t overmix the cake batter. Overmixing can overdevelop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a less tender and more chewy cake.
Don’t open the oven too early. Opening the oven too early while your cake is baking can cause it to collapse or lose its rise. The sudden change in temperature and airflow can disrupt the delicate structure that's forming inside the cake. I recommend checking on your cake after 40 minutes of baking.
Don’t pour the chocolate glaze on top of still warm cake. The glaze will most certainly run off the warm cake rather than adhering to it. To achieve a smooth and beautiful finish, make sure the cake has cooled to room temperature before applying the glaze. This will allow it to set nicely on the cake's surface.

How to make orange cake with chocolate glaze

Preheat the oven to 340F (170C). Line the bottom and the sides of an 8” (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, add the egg, vanilla extract, and sugar. Whisk until pale yellow and well combined.
Add the oil, milk, orange juice, and orange zest and mix to combine.
Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no dry ingredients remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.
Melt the chocolate and add the oil. Mix well to combine.
Pour the chocolate on top of the completely cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.

A collage image shows how to make chocolate orange cake in eight steps.

Possible variations

Add some nuts – Chop some walnuts and fold them into the cake batter right before baking.
Use another glaze or frosting – You can cover your orange sponge cake with sugar icing as I did with these Lemon poppy seed muffins (just replace lemon juice with orange juice) or use cream cheese frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting to cover the cake.
Berries – Add a handful of fresh or frozen berries like cranberries into the batter before baking the cake. To avoid the berries sinking to the bottom of the cake, toss them in a little bit of flour first. Then, pour ⅔ of the cake batter into the pan and sprinkle some berries on top. Pour the rest of the batter in and spread the rest of the berries on top. This will not prevent the berries from sinking completely, but it will definitely help them to spread more evenly throughout the cake.

FAQ

How to store this cake?

You can store this cake at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just place it on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap so the cake won’t become dry.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, you can bake the sponge, cool it down, and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then bring to room temperature before glazing it.

Can you make this cake with lemons instead?

Yes, you can replace orange with lemons or limes if you want.

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