Description
Rich chocolate layers mingle with zesty orange glaze in this irresistible chocolate-orange glaze cake, creating a sophisticated dessert that dances between indulgent chocolate depth and citrus brightness. Dessert enthusiasts will discover a perfect balance of flavors that elevate this cake from ordinary to extraordinary.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Base:
- 1 ¾ cups (219 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sugars:
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) brown sugar
Wet Ingredients and Flavor Enhancers:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¾ cup (180 milliliters) buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar)
Glaze Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 cup (170 grams) dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350F (175C) and preparing a 9-inch round or bundt pan with a light grease and flour coating.
- Create a dry ingredient blend by whisking flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Develop a smooth wet mixture by beating sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil until the texture becomes uniform and creamy.
- Incorporate orange flavor elements by gently stirring vanilla extract, orange zest, and fresh orange juice into the wet mixture.
- Gradually merge dry and wet ingredients by adding half the flour mixture, then introducing buttermilk, and finally folding in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- Transfer the complete cake batter into the prepared pan, ensuring even distribution and smooth surface.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, monitoring for doneness by inserting a toothpick that should emerge with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes to stabilize its structure, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to reach room temperature completely.
Notes
- Choose Dutch-processed cocoa for a deeper, richer chocolate flavor that enhances the cake’s overall taste and color.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smoother mixing and a more even cake texture with no lumps.
- Zest the orange carefully to avoid the bitter white pith, focusing only on the bright orange outer layer for maximum citrus aroma.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain the cake’s tender crumb.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 306
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 145 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg