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Chocolate orange cake on a cake stand with orange slices on top.
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5 from 7 votes

Orange and Chocolate Cake

Layers of cake and homemade icing combine to create this showstopping chocolate orange cake. Made with simple ingredients, it’s infused with flavors of sweet chocolate and zesty orange in a moist, decadent batter. Baked to tender perfection, it’s the perfect dessert for holidays, birthdays, and everything in between!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate cake with nuts, chocolate orange cake, dairy free option, dessert charcuterie, gluten free friendly
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 615kcal

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 eggs
  • cup sugar
  • cup coconut oil melted, any oil or melted butter will work
  • cup milk use dairy-free if needed
  • ½ cup orange juice unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour use gluten free 1:1 if needed
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest approx. 1 orange
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • cup hot water

For the icing

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened, use dairy-free if needed
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest approx. 1 orange
  • ½ cup shaved chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted coconut oil, milk, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
  • Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, orange zest, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt until the flour is about 90% combined. The batter will be fairly thick.
  • Pour the hot water over the batter and gently whisk to incorporate. The batter will thin out pretty quickly. Stir until no flour clumps remain.
  • Distribute the batter equally into two greased 8 inch cake pans. Bake in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes until you can insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean. Let the cakes cool before removing them from the pan. Once they are completely cool, place the cake layers in the fridge to chill while you prepare the icing. This just makes icing the cake easier.
  • For the icing, beat together the softened butter with the sea salt in a mixing bowl for at least 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then slowly add the powdered sugar to the bowl in ½ cup increments along with the orange juice and orange zest. Continue to mix while adding in the powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Then gently fold in the shaved chocolate. Don’t over mix the chocolate or you risk darkening the color of the icing.
  • To assemble the cake, first shave the tops off the cake layers if needed. This helps ensure a stable even cake. Then place one layer on a turntable with about ⅓ of the icing on top. Use an offset spatula to spread the icing over top, allowing it to spread over the edges. Place the second cake layer on top along with another ⅓ of the icing on top. Again use the spatula to spread the icing in an even layer. Then use the remaining icing around the edges of the cake. Use a cake scraper or a knife to smooth the top and sides of the cake. There will be a few lumps and bumps from the chocolate which is okay!
  • If desired, top the cake with a few orange slices and twists. Use a sharp knife to cut it into slices and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 82g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg