Chocolate Orange Cake (SUPER moist!)

This super-easy chocolate orange cake is rich, moist and gooey, bursting with subtle hints of orange!

Infused with zesty orange peel, fresh orange juice, tangy marmalade and orange-flavoured chocolate, this cake is a dream come true for chocolate orange lovers – and even for those who aren’t, I can vouch!

We’re also adding a dash of robust coffee for extra depth of flavour.

Oh, and did we mention? This cake is SUPER MOIST and only gets better with time!

If you love chocolate cake, why not try this fun chocolate cake shot for a chocolate fix without the calories? Also, have a look at our baking category for more cakes and bakes, like this insanely rich chocolate basque burnt cheesecake.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

**Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe and list of ingredients.

Cake ingredients

Buttercream ingredients

Light brown sugar

Using light brown sugar gives the cake a richer, more complex flavour compared to white sugar.

If you don’t have light brown sugar on hand, regular brown sugar works well as a substitute.

Cocoa powder

If you can, try using a high-quality Dutch-processed, 100% unsweetened cocoa powder like Valrhona, Callebaut, or Ghirardelli – it really makes a difference in the cake’s flavour.

But don’t worry if you can’t get your hands on those, any cocoa powder you have will still work wonderfully.

Eggs

Before you start the cake, be sure to take the eggs out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour. This allows them to blend more smoothly into the batter.

To speed things up, you can place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes.

Strong black coffee

For the best flavour, we suggest using good-quality instant coffee granules – about one heaped teaspoon dissolved in 120ml of hot water.

But if you prefer brewing your own filter coffee, go ahead! Just make it a tad stronger than usual to really bring out that rich coffee flavour in your cake.

Orange juice

Freshly squeezed orange juice is ideal for the recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand, orange juice from a carton or bottle works just as well.

Zest from one orange

If you prefer a milder orange flavour, feel free to skip the zest or use just half an orange’s worth.

The zest offers a more natural and subtle orange taste than using an extract.

Orange chocolate

Use any orange-flavored chocolate you like for this recipe.

Some options are “Cadbury’s Milk Orange Chocolate” and “Terry’s Chocolate Orange.”

You can even top the cake with Terry’s chocolate slices for a fun theme.

Lindt’s dark chocolate orange is another delicious option, though, it’s pricy!

Marmalade (smooth or fine-cut)

We use marmalade along with the icing between the cake layers.

If you’re not a fan of marmalade, you can easily leave it out.

That said, the marmalade flavour is subtle – it enhances the orange theme and adds a nice bit of moisture to the cake.

Step-by-step instructions

To make the sponges:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/gas mark 4.

2. To prep the cake tins, cut two circles of parchment paper to fit the bottoms of your 20cm (8″) pans.

Place the parchment circles in the tins, then lightly butter or spray the sides with a non-stick spray.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

4. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients, breaking up any lumps, especially in the brown sugar, which tends to be a bit clumpy.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork to break them up.

6. Add the beaten eggs, sour cream, prepared coffee, orange juice, oil, vanilla extract and orange zest to the dry ingredients.

7. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, beat the ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

8. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two cake tins. If you want to weigh it, you should have around 700g of batter per tin.

Give each tin a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.

9. Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean.

Since this is a moist cake, a few crumbs on the tester are normal. The cakes are done when they feel firm to the touch on top.

10. Let the cakes cool in their tins for at least 10 minutes. Use a palette knife or offset spatula to gently loosen the cakes’ edges from the tins.

11. Carefully tip the cakes upside down onto a wire rack, remove the parchment paper and let them cool completely before decorating.

Make the chocolate orange buttercream:

1. Add the softened butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it’s light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3. Next, add the melted chocolate and cocoa powder. Beat until everything is well combined, creating a smooth and creamy chocolate orange buttercream.

4. Add the orange juice a little at a time, starting with one tablespoon, until the buttercream is spreadable. Mix well after each addition.

If you want it thinner, add another tablespoon. Adjust as needed to get the texture you like.

Assembling the cake:

1. Spread a layer of marmalade on the first cake, then add a layer of buttercream. Place the second cake on top to sandwich them together.

2. Finally, spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it out for an even finish.

3. Add any extra decorations to the top of the cake if you like, such as chocolate shavings or orange slices.

Decoration ideas

• Candied orange peel.

• Chocolate shavings, chocolate chips or chocolate curls.

• Fancy piping work.

• Dehydrated oranges.

• Fresh orange slices.

• Use a chocolate ganache instead of the orange buttercream.

• Whip up some heavy cream and serve it alongside the cake in a serving bowl.

Storage

You can keep this cake in an airtight container for 3-4 days, and the good news is that it gets even better over time!

Freezing the cake

To freeze the cakes, without buttercream, for up to three months, follow these steps:

• Ensure the cakes are completely cooled before wrapping to prevent condensation.

• Wrap each cake tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap to keep them well protected from freezer burn.

• Place the wrapped cakes inside an airtight container to provide an additional layer of protection.

When you’re ready to defrost the cakes, remove them from the freezer for a few hours before decorating. Let them thaw at room temperature. Once thawed, you can decorate them with freshly made buttercream.