
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.
Hi Bold Bakers!
Chocolate and Orange is a popular flavor combination around the holidays. It reminds me of Christmas in Ireland so I’m making a Big and Bold Chocolate and Orange cake perfect for any celebration.
The chocolate and orange combo is most commonly associated with Terri’s Chocolate Oranges around Christmas. Terri’s Chocolate Oranges are something you would find in the bottom of your stocking on Christmas Day. After eating turkey and ham all day you would eat one while watching the movie, Home Alone.
This recipe is going to be an easy one for you because a lot of ingredients you can make from scratch as you have seen in my Bold Baking Basics series. I added my Homemade Orange extract to my Buttercream recipe to give it that lovely orange flavor. The cake is one of my favorite kinds because it’s made on Buttermilk. I really want you to use buttermilk instead of milk so that’s why I show you how to make your own. Check out my Buttermilk recipe here.
The chocolate cake I used is my “Best Ever Chocolate Cake Recipe”. Now, I wouldn’t say it was the “Best Ever” without hundreds of comments and emails telling me so.
This cake doesn’t only look out of this world but it tastes amazing too. The cake is incredibly soft due to the buttermilk and is a good contrast for the firmer texture of the buttercream. Neither flavors overpower one other, they only compliment.
Watch The Recipe Video!
Chocolate & Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (250g/9oz) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g/14oz) sugar
- ¾ cup (2oz/50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (225g/8floz)buttermilk*
- 1 cup (225g/8floz) freshly brewed hot coffee
- ½ cup (115G/4oz) flavorless oil (veg, canola or sunflower)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Buttercream Frosting
- 2 teaspoons of orange extract or zest of 1 orange
- Orange food coloring (optional)
- Chocolate ganache
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350oF (180oC). Butter and line 3 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. You can use 2 tins, I just wanted 3 layers in mine.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together by hand.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and coffee.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and GENTLY mix the batter just to combine. Do not over mix or beat as this cake can toughen up.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Note: this cake cooks fast so check if after 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook it.
- Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
- To make the Orange Buttercream Frosting: Follow my mater recipe for Buttercream Frosting. Add in Orange extract or the zest of 1 orange. Add in orange food coloring a drop at a time until you have reached your desired color. You can use the frosting immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze if for up to 3 months. Allow frosting to come to room temperature before using.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle with buttercream. Pipe big round dollops of buttercream on each layer. make sure your buttercream is very firm so it will hold each layer of cake.
- When you place on the last layer firm you can pour Chocolate Ganache over top. let it drip down the sides for a rustic look. Finish the cake by piping more orange buttercream on top pf the cake.
- Store at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 4 days. If storing in the fridge make sure it reaches room temperature before eating.
Hey Gemma! As always I was craving for a cake and hopped on here in search of it, coz your recipes have always been the best ever versions!!! ❤️ Love you for that and for all the efforts you put in. However this time I came here craving for an orange pound cake but couldn’t find it or it’s similar on the blog, if it’s ever possible please do create one, pretty please?! ????????
Hi Gemma, I wonder if there is a way to tweek this recipe to make it a layered chocolate cherry cake (my daughter’s request for her 9th birthday cake)?
Hi Gemma! I just came across this recipe and I was wondering if it would be possible to add the orange extract directly into batter instead of the buttercream? Would it be too much orange if I used a whole orange’s zest or should I just use half? I’m not a huge fan of frosting and I’m thinking of going with a chocolate ganache topping instead. Thanks in advance and looking forward to trying this recipe!
Hi Gemma,
Is there something I can substitute for the coffee, or can I just leave it out altogether?
Hey Gemma, I love your classic chocolate cake recipe..Can I add melted butter instead of vegetable oil to the recipe
Hi Gemma!
I made this cake today,it looked so gorgeous and the taste is also awesome. Loved it,I made homemade chocolate to decorate it.Have also shared a pic.
Lots of love
Shamima
Hi Gemma,
How can I make this Vegan? Eggs can be replace by flaxseed egg but buttermilk?
Thank you
Hey Gemma! Is sugar u used in the cake is regular powder sugar or castor sugar?
Hey Gemma! Can i make this in convection mode of microwave?
Hi Gemma,
I really want to try baking this one. This recipe has buttermilk and eggs both together. Can I substitute the eggs with more buttermilk? Or can you suggest something that would work well in place of egg here?