Skip to content
Chocolate orange cake recipe

Chocolate orange cake recipe

255 ratings

A chocolate orange cake recipe fit for a Queen! Chocolate and orange is a classic dessert combo, and this superb Mother's day bake is the best to showcase that rich flavour we all know and love. Adding fresh orange juice into the sponge batter ensures the flavour is consistent throughout the whole cake. Slice it up, dig in and enjoy. See method

  • Serves 16
  • 25 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook, 15 mins to cool
  • 464 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 orange, zested
  • 40g cocoa powder
  • 50ml milk
  • 50ml orange juice​

To decorate

  • 200g unsalted butter, softened
  • 375g icing sugar
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 80g zesty orange dark chocolate, melted
  • 1-2 tbsp orange juice
  • 150g marmalade
  • Orange slices, to top with (if you like)
No self-raising flour? Add 2 tsp baking powder for every 150g plain flour

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1945kj
    464kcal     23%

  • Fat

    25g 35%

  • Saturates

    14g 71%

  • Sugars

    44g 49%

  • Salt

    0.2g 4%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 59.1g Protein 4.3g Fibre 1g

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease and line 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins with nonstick baking paper.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, adding 1 tbsp flour with each one, mixing between each addition, to combine. Gently fold in the remaining flour, cocoa powder, the baking powder, the orange zest and a pinch of salt until no white streaks remain; stir in the milk and fresh orange juice.

  3. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins and level the tops. Bake for 25-30 mins until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

  4. Meanwhile, use an electric whisk to beat 200g softened unsalted butter with the icing sugar until thick and fluffy. Whisk in the cocoa powder, melted zesty orange dark chocolate and 1-2 tbsp orange juice to loosen.

  5. Spread 1 sponge with buttercream and 150g marmalade; top with the second sponge. Cover the top and sides with buttercream, swirling into ridges. Top with halved orange slices, if you like..

Freezing and defrosting guidelines
Freeze un-iced sponges. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Mother's Day recipes

You may also like

Be the first to comment

Before you comment please read our community guidelines.