Chocolate Orange Cake
This Chocolate Orange Cake is deliciously moist and the perfect combination of chocolate and orange. Boone and I made this cake for our family Christmas Dinner, and it was a hit. The cake traveled well in the car. I decorated the cake with orange slices, and they helped the saran wrap stay out of the frosting for the car ride up. We also made the cakes the night before, saran-wrapped them, and put them in the fridge overnight. The chocolate orange cake was perfectly ready to be decorated the next morning and still kept its moist flavor.
I love making cakes because they are a quick and easy thing to make with your kiddos. You can have them help with a crumb coat for decoration, pop the cake in the fridge, and then finish your second coat of frosting. I finished the decorating on this on my own, as I was trying to get a great picture, but if your kiddos are older, they may love to decorate with you!
Chocolate Orange Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder I used Ghirardelli
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp Orange Zest
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- 1/2 Cup Hot Water
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter-Softened
- 8 Oz Cream Cheese-Softened
- 3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tbs Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Zest from 1 Orange
Garnish (optional)
- 1-2 Oranges
Instructions
Chocolate Orange Cake
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Grease and Line three 8" cake pans with parchment paper.
- *In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- *Use a hand mixer or stand Mixer with the paddle attachment to mix oil, eggs, buttermilk, orange zest, and orange juice until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot water and mix until combined. The batter will seem runny, but this will create a super moist cake.
- *Pour batter evenly into each pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Place a toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling racks to cool until frosting.
Orange Cream Cheese frosting
- *Cream butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. (a few minutes)
- *Add cream cheese and mix until just combined.
- *Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until just combined.
- *Add orange juice, vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt to taste.
- Decorate cakes as desired once completely cooled.
Garnish (optional)
- Preheat Oven to 200 degrees.
- Slice oranges into 1/2-inch slices.
- Place Oranges on a cooling rack and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours or until the orange is slightly dried out, but still has the beautiful orange color.
Notes
Decorating Alternative: Rather than dehydrating your orange slices, you can candy them and dip them in chocolate. Candied Oranges Dipped in Chocolate – Happy Foods Tube Click on the link for a delicious, candied orange slice option. Add them as a beautiful edible decoration for your cake!
You might also enjoy this Lemon Rosemary Ricotta Cookie Recipe.
