This Easy Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe is a delicious 2 layer sponge cake coated with rich chocolate buttercream and topped with Terry's chocolate orange slices!

Each bite from this sweet delight is filled with zesty chocolate buttercream, perfect to serve in celebrations and special occasions.

For more chocolate cake recipes, check Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake and 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cake.

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About Chocolate Orange Cake

The texture is moist, thanks to the fudgy chocolate buttercream and orange flavoring throughout! With just a hint of orange flavor, without being overpowering, this chocolate cake really does has a wonderfully fresh and delicious flavor!

Chocolate Orange Cake is a perfect dessert for the whole family to share in the afternoon. Each bite will surely help you relax and chill. It is also a good breakfast dish to pair with your black coffee.

It is quick and easy to make that you won't have to spend grueling hours baking in the kitchen just to have a taste of this luxury.

Why Does This Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe Works?

• Aside from its very delicious taste, this cake is also moist, rich and fluffy.
• It is a budget-friendly, delicious dessert and easy recipe to try and make at home.
• It is freezer-friendly. The taste and texture of the cake will never change, even if you store it inside the freezer.
• It is a combination of citrus tastes and chocolate that everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

Plain Flour (all purpose flour). Plain flour will allow you to control the rising of your cake batter more easily for better texture.

Baking Powder. It will help the flour to make your batter rise and create a light texture for the cake.

Caster Sugar. The best choice for your batter is caster sugar, as it easily dissolves in the mixture.

Milk Chocolate. Milk chocolate provides a sweet and chocolatey flavor to your cake. It also adds notes of cooked milk and caramelized sugar, and a vanilla aftertaste.

Cocoa Powder. It is the key to making this recipe taste like an actual chocolate cake since it gives a strong chocolate taste.

Buttermilk. Baking this recipe requires the use of buttermilk to be successful. It aids in the creation of this cake that is light and soft.

Eggs. Adding eggs to your cake gives them more structure as well as leavening, color, and flavor. The height and texture of this cake are dependent on the proportion of eggs and flour used.

Orange Extract. Add just the right amount of citrus flavor to each bite of this cake by adding orange extract.

For the Chocolate Orange Buttercream

Butter. It is intended to be the primary ingredient in this sweet component of your cake. It is this that gives buttercream its structure.

Icing Sugar. Icing sugar is the perfect sweetener for your buttercream as it will not overcome the taste of the rest of the ingredients.

Milk Chocolate. Your chocolate cake isn't the only one that needs the wonderful flavor of milk chocolate; add this too in your chocolate orange buttercream.

Cocoa Powder. Chocolate orange buttercream wouldn't be chocolate orange buttercream without the strong flavor of cocoa powder.

Orange Extract. A sweet and tangy buttercream is the perfect component for your cake. You can use vanilla extract instead.

Topping

Terry's Chocolate Orange Slices. What is a better topping for your cake other than sweet and citrusy chocolate orange slices too?

“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”

Variations & Substitutions

• If you prefer to add a more interesting taste or flavor to your cake, add dark chocolate chips to enhance the intense flavor of cocoa powder.
• In case there is no buttermilk on hand, you may use sour cream as it too will add thicker and moister texture to the cake.
• If you don't have any caster sugar at home, granulated sugar will work just fine in this recipe as well since it also gives a light and airy texture to the batter.
• Feel free to decorate the cake by scattering some sprinkles on the top if you like.
• If you don't have milk chocolate in your fridge, you can use milk; it will work just fine.
• Eggless chocolate orange cake: Replace eggs with ½ cup orange juice and add ½ teaspoon baking soda.
• For extra orange flavor, add ½ teaspoon orange zest to the buttercream.
• Replace Terry's chocolate orange slices with fresh oranges or orange peel.

How To Make Chocolate Orange Cake?

Before starting, preheat oven to 180°C/ 356°F and line two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment.

One (Make the Cake): Microwave the chocolate for 20 seconds or until fully melted, then set aside to cool.

Two: In a mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs, orange extract and buttermilk.

Three: Add flour, baking powder and cocoa powder, mix until well combined.

Four: Stir in the melted chocolate.

Five: Divide the cake mixture between the two cake tins.

Six: Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove them from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack.

Seven (Make Chocolate Orange Buttercream): Microwave the chocolate for 20 seconds until melt and set it aside to cool completely.

Eight: Whisk together the butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder.

Nine: Whisk in orange extract and melted chocolate, then whisk until combined. The buttercream should have a spreadable consistency.

Ten (Build the cake): Place the first layer of the chocolate orange sponge onto a serving plate.

Eleven: Spread about ⅓ of the chocolate orange buttercream evenly on top of the sponge

Twelve: Add the second layer of the cake and spread ⅓ of the buttercream on top and sides of the cake.

Thirteen: Place the remaining buttercream into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe swirls around the edge of the cake. Finally, place a slice of Chocolate Orange on top of each swirl.

The Best Chocolate For Chocolate Cake

When it comes to chocolate cakes, I recommend using one of the below chocolate types:

Milk Chocolate: It contains about 12% milk, which makes it rich, and it has less amount of cocoa solids than dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate: It doesn't contain any milk or sweetener, and it has a little bit bitter taste.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate: It contains about 50-60% cocoa solids and a
moderately amount of sweetness.

Expert Tips!

• Don't overwork the batter! Just make sure that all of the ingredients are properly mixed.
• Make certain that your flour is measured correctly! Spoon the mixture into the cup, measure and level with a knife.
• Prepare your ingredients at room temperature to ensure that they will blend more smoothly.
• If the buttercream is too thick, you can add 2 tablespoons of milk to make it thinner.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this delicious cake as a dessert after a full meal such as vegetable pasta bake or garlic butter chicken bites. Depending on your taste, you may also have this cake at breakfast with green tea or black coffee.

Recipe FAQs

Easy Cake Recipes

• 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake With Ganache
• Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

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