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Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

Every single year at  Christmas time, my Mom would buy the classic chocolate orange, and read us a Christmas story. Once she finished reading the story, we would take one orange chocolate wedge and wait in anticipation for the next time when she would do it all  over again. Now she does it with her grandkids and my four children absolutely love cozying up the Grandma to hear a story and eat a chocolate orange.

So I wanted to take my famous chocolate cake recipe and turn it into a chocolate orange cake with fresh squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and orange extract for an extra burst of orange flavor. 

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

What ingredients are in Chocolate Orange Cake:

  • Flour
  • Sugar
  • Unsweetened Cocoa
  • Eggs
  • Oil
  • Buttermilk
  • Fresh Orange Juice
  • Baking Powder + Baking Soda + Salt
  • Vanilla
  • Butter
  • Cocoa 
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Orange Extract

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

This chocolate cake is extra moist with the use of oil and buttermilk. Cocoa powder is a game changer. I buy most of my cocoa powder in the bulk section at Winco. They carry Callebaut cocoa powder at the best price. It is literally 5 times more expensive on Amazon! So if you have a Winco nearby you, I suggest stocking up on their unsweetened cocoa.

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

This is the best chocolate orange cake! To get a true orange flavor, I like to use fresh squeezed orange juice, if at all possible. Before juicing the oranges, I use a zester to remove the orange zest.  For extra orange flavor, I suggest using orange extract.

This orange chocolate cake with chocolate orange frosting can be made in three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans, depending on preference. I usually reach for three 8-inch cake pans. Just make sure to spray well with non-stick cooking spray or do the butter and flour technique.

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

The chocolate frosting is made with sweet cream butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange extract. You can find dried oranges at your local grocery store. I found them at Trader Joe’s and dipped half of the dried and sweetened oranges into Ghirardelli melting wafers. You can use either milk or dark chocolate wafers, depending on  preference.

Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

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Moist, decadent chocolate orange cake with a creamy chocolate orange frosting

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5 from 11 votes

Chocolate Orange Cake

By: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com
Rich, decadent chocolate orange cake with a fresh orange chocolate frosting.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients  

  • 1 3/4 cups Flour
  • 1 3/4 cups Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 cup Oil
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Orange Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Orange Zest
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
  • 1/2 cup Hot Water

Chocolate Orange Frosting:

  • 1 1/2 cups Butter (softened)
  • 1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 5 to 5 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Orange Extract

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If you have a flour sifter, sift all dry ingredients.
  • In mixing bowl, beat oil, eggs, buttermilk, orange zest, orange juice, and orange extract for 1 minute. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour in hot water and mix together. The batter will be liquidy but that's a good thing -- it will create a moist cake.
  • Spray two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter evenly into each pan. Bake at 22-27 minutes. Place toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake to check if it comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Chocolate Orange Frosting:

  • In mixing bowl, cream together butter, cocoa, powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange extract until light and fluffy. May add cream or milk depending on consistency.
  • Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.Top with sweet dried oranges dipped in chocolate.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Keyword: chocolate orange cake, orange chocolate cake
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Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler!

I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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9 Comments

    1. Can i use a boxed cake mix and just add ingredients to make it a chocolate orange cake?

  1. This cake looks wonderful, but any chance you could publish metric measurements or even ounce measures? I live in Ireland where we use both, the former gets over all the different cup sizes – for liquids and different dry ingredients that apply to American recipes. A popular British baker, Nigella Lawson, who has a large number of followers includes both metric and American measures for every recipe on her website.
    Many thanks,
    Jill

  2. I can hardly wait to try this – orange and chocolate YUMMY!
    Should the recipe read 2tsp baking soda and 1tsp baking powder?

  3. 5 stars
    I love the While idea of this cake. I love chocolate and orange mixed together as well. The chocolate oranges you buy at The Holidays are amazing, and I have to have one every year. I live close to a Winco and do a lot of my shopping there. I will get some of the chocolate you mentioned while there.
    Your Cake look so Beautiful, and I know it taste great too. Got to make this one. Thanks for the recipe and tips as well. God Bless you.
    Donna

  4. Question, you have baking soda listed twice with different measurements, is one supposed to be baking powder?