This easy Chocolate Orange Cake brings together an amazing flavor combination. Rich chocolate and zingy orange are merged into a delicious, decadent layer cake. It’s an easy one-bowl recipe.
1-bowl chocolate orange cake
You're not only going to love the flavor and texture of this gooey chocolate orange cake, but how easy it is too!
Rich, decadent chocolate pairs beautifully with zesty, zingy orange in this cake. If you haven't had the flavor combination together in cake before, prepare to have your mind blown
I've seen many recipes for similar cakes on the internet, from Mary Berry or Allrecipes, but often they're complicated, have lots of steps or have unusual ingredients. Not this one! I'm simplified it, without compromising on the taste or texture.
This cake recipe is super easy to whip up with simple ingredients and minimal prep in just 1 bowl. Plus, it comes together in just 35 minutes
ingredients
Here are all the ingredients that you'll need to make this Chocolate Orange Cake recipe, plus any substitutions.
Check out this list of ingredients, then scroll down to the full recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact measurements and recipe method.
- Butter - You'll need it at room temperature - scroll down to my tips for ways to soften it.
- Granulated sugar - caster sugar works too.
- Plain all-purpose flour - or use self-raising flour and leave out the baking powder.
- Milk - whole milk, semi-skimmed, 2% all work fine. For a dairy free cake, use dairy free milk and butter.
- Cocoa powder - unsweetened or Dutch processed.
- Eggs - I use large organic free range.
- Baking powder - leave out if you've swapped the plain all-purpose flour for self-raising.
- Orange extract - this is found in small bottles in the baking aisle of major grocery stores and supermarkets, with the vanilla.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda - aka bicarbonate of soda. If you're using self raising flour (and thus leaving out the baking powder, you'll still need to include the baking soda).
- Zest of 1 orange - ideally a large orange, but if you only have satsumas or tangerines, use 2.
For the Chocolate Orange Frosting, you'll need the following ingredients:
- Powdered icing sugar (confectioner's sugar).
- Butter - again, this will need to be softened. See notes below.
- Cocoa powder - unsweetened or Dutch-processed.
- Milk
more chocolate cake recipes
Hello chocolate cake lovers! There are so many amazing cocoa cakes out there. Here are some of my favorites:
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Beetroot Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Mashed Potato Cake with Tahini Drizzle
- Cauliflower Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Chocolate Cake with Black Pepper Frosting
- Chocolate Squash Cake
- Mint Chocolate Cake by Delish
how to make chocolate orange cake
This is SUCH an easy recipe! It's a quick and simple one-bowl cake with pantry ingredients (plus orange essence and orange zest).
Follow these simple four steps and you'll have a tasty and delicious cake.
Check out the step-by-step picture tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post to get the full ingredients list with amounts, and the detailed method.
- In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) use an electric mixer (or beat vigorously by hand) and beat the room temperature butter and the sugar together until combined and pale.
2. Add all the remaining cake ingredients to the bowl (flour, milk, cocoa powder, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, orange essence and vanilla.
3. Beat the mixture for a few minutes until it's completely combined and fluffy. Scrape the sides down as needed. You can also do this by hand.
4. Divide the cake batter between the greased and lined pans and spread the mixture out evenly. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
cook's tips
- Don’t over-mix the batter when adding the wet ingredients to dry. Combine well, but don’t beat.
- Ideally, all the ingredients should be at room temperature. But if they're not, then don't panic - it will still work.
- The recipe calls for the butter to be softened. You can either do this in a microwave (don't melt it completely, just let it soften slightly) or leave the butter out to come up to room temperature.
- My trick, when I've forgotten to leave the butter out to come to room temperature, is to use a cheese grater and grate it into the bowl. Then just leave it for a few minutes before mixing it. Grating it means it comes up to room temperature far faster than a block would.
special diets
This recipe is very versatile and can be tweaked to fit a number of different diets:
Gluten-free: To make this a gluten free cake, use gluten free flour and check that your baking powder is also gluten free.
Dairy-free: As long as you use dairy-free milk and butter, this recipe is dairy free.
Vegan: To make this a vegan chocolate orange cake, use dairy free milk and butter. To replace the eggs, make 4 flax eggs (for each egg, mix one tablespoon of ground flax with three tablespoons of water - you can mix all the 'flax eggs' in one bowl. Mix together then let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Add them to the bowl when eggs are called for.
Oil-free: This recipe is naturally oil-free.
Lactose-free: Swap the milk and butter for vegan versions, such as soy, that don't contain lactose. You can also buy lactose free cow's milk and lactose-free butter.
NOTE: I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. If you have a food allergy or intolerance you should determine whether all the ingredients in each recipe are suitable for you.
terry's chocolate orange cake
If you love the taste of orange with chocolate, then you're probably a huge fan of Terry's Chocolate Orange.
The popular British treat is chocolate shaped like an orange into segments and flavored with orange too! Growing up, we often had one at the toe of our Christmas stocking, alongside a satsuma or tangerine.
You can make this a Terry's Chocolate Orange Cake simply by decorating the top with it! Bash it into segments and nestle them on the top of the cake in little blobs of frosting. Delicious!
storage and freezing
- The frosted cake is best stored on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. You don’t need to tightly wrap it, but a cake tin will ensure the cut edges don’t dry out and keep it clean.
- If the weather is very warm, you can keep the cake in the fridge. Put it into an airtight container or wrap it. Let the cake warm up to room temperature before eating.
- You can store un-frosted cake layers, well wrapped, on the kitchen counter for up to 6 days. If you need to keep them longer than that, then it's best to freeze them.
- This chocolate orange cake is freezable: you can freeze the un-frosted cake layers for up to 1 month. Wrap each completely cooled layer well in plastic wrap and freeze them. Then let them defrost and add your favorite frosting.
- If you've already frosted the cake, you can still freeze it. Wrap it a little looser, then freeze. Allow to thaw and enjoy.
cupcake and other sizes
- Turn this into choc orange cupcakes by filling the 12 cups of a lined muffin pan and bake for 15-20 mins.
- Increase the ingredients by an extra 50% for a three layer cake.
get the chocolate orange cake recipe
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #veggiedesserts.
Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog, sharing vegetarian recipes, vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and more.
Kate x
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Orange Cake
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- 8" round cake pans
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (200g) plain flour
- 6 tablespoon milk
- 5 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarb of soda
- 2 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
For the frosting
- ⅔ cup (150g) butter softened
- 3 cups (400g) powdered icing sugar confectioner's sugar
- 6 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon water
To decorate
- Orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F / 180C. Grease and line 2 x 8”/20cm round cake pans.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until combined and pale. Add all the remaining cake ingredients and beat well.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and spread to the edges. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Beat the ingredients together until fluffy. If it's too runny, add a little more icing sugar. If it's too thick, add a little milk, a tablespoon at a time.
To assemble
- When the cake is completely cooled, frost the top of the bottom layer, add the top layer and spread the frosting around the top and sides. Decorate with orange zest.
Video
Notes
- Turn this into choc orange cupcakes by filling the 12 cups of a lined muffin pan and bake for 15-20 mins.
- Increase the ingredients by an extra 50% for a three layer cake.
- The frosted cake is best stored on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. You don’t need to tightly wrap it, but a cake tin will ensure the cut edges don’t dry out and keep it clean.
- If the weather is very warm, you can keep the cake in the fridge. Put it into an airtight container or wrap it. Let the cake warm up to room temperature before eating.
- You can store un-frosted cake layers, well wrapped, on the kitchen counter for up to 6 days. If you need to keep them longer than that, then it's best to freeze them.
- This chocolate orange cake is freezable: you can freeze the un-frosted cake layers for up to 1 month. Wrap each completely cooled layer well in plastic wrap and freeze them. Then let them defrost and add your favorite frosting.
- If you've already frosted the cake, you can still freeze it. Wrap it a little looser, then freeze. Allow to thaw and enjoy.
Nutrition
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.
Vini
Hi Kate, if I don't have orange essence what can I substitute it with?
Becca
tasted so good. Loved the flavor.
Rebecca
Recipe was super easy and quick, the result absolutely delicious! Very moist, with a light orange taste behind the chocolate. Made it for a colleagues birthday, the staff all loved it! Will be making again.
Toni
Everyone at my house really loved it! So good!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Chocolate and orange is one of my favourite flavour combinations - this cake looks and sounds so delicious! I'd be tempted to eat it all - don't think I could limit myself to one slice.
Alison
My son has been asking me to bake a homemade cake. When I came across this recipe I knew this was the one we would tackle. We both love the flavor combination of chocolate and orange. It was easy enough to make with my 7 year old, and it tasted delicious. My son was so proud of his creation! Thank you for the recipe!
Jen
Love the combo fo chocolate and orange! Thanks for including GF substitutions!
Ayngelina
I love that you used fresh citrus, it really adds so much brightness to a recipe.