Sublime Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

This simple chocolate orange cake recipe is loaded with orange and chunks of chocolate. A poundcake, is so easy to make and served with orange or chocolate frosting makes this irresistable!

 

Looking for a great dessert? This simple chocolate orange cake is not only perfect for Halloween it is perfect for well, just about anything.

To be honest, I’ve never really been a fan of citrus in dessert but I must be honest. I loved this simple chocolate orange cake with its orange flavor.

Yes, this is just a pound cake, but really it is a great orange cake recipe that is served with orange buttercream frosting on the side that has been flavored with orange zest.

Of course you could dye the orange frosting orange, which would make this a great Halloween cake.

Make sure to drizzle a little chocolate glaze on top of that!

You could also make chocolate frosting and the orange frosting and let everyone slather on their fave.

Really, being a frosting lover that’s the way I would go, but I hear that their are those who prefer their cakes more frosting free.

No, I don’t claim to understand those folks, but I guess they are out there lurking wherever the ghosts and goblins hang out.

No need for cake layers, this cake batter is poured into a loaf pan to scent the house with its magical aroma.

Of course, you could slice this cake throught the middle to make a layer cake and perhaps spread some chocolate frosting in the middle, but who am I to suggest something so amazing?

Secrets to Making Chocolate Orange Cake:

A few secrets…I didn’t add chocolate chips.

I added dark orange flavored chocolate from a chocolate bar, that I chopped into dark chocolate chunks.

I added in orange zest and the juice of fresh navel oranges and even oranges that I caramelized in the oven along with dried candied oranges from Trader Joes.

You might think this was so full of orange that it would be too much.

But NO! This cake topped with candied orange slices was a winner from the get go!

And I’m not saying that easily-being the kind of person who is not easily taken by citrus desserts.

Just trying to up the ante on this orange chocolate cake!

Now Manservant on the other hand love citrus everything.

His favorite snacks are chocolate covered orange peels or sticks.

Not me. I generally prefer decadent chocolate all on its own.

But, let’s eat cake, shall we?

How To Make Chocolate Orange Cake-Poundcake Style:

Begin by making sure that all ingredients are at room temperature, specifically the butter and the large eggs.

Now grease your 9 x 5″ loaf pan with lotsof butter. Like 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to help your cake achieve a really golden crust.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange a sliced orange that has been cut into 1/4 ” slices on the pan in a single layer.

Bake the oranges for about 20 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. They will not brown evenly and you may need to flip them halfway through.

They won’t dry out completely and there will be some crisp parts and some that haven’t cooked quite the way through.

If they have browned too much and some look burnt, throw those parts away and cut up the rest into small pieces.

In an electric mixer, cream 1 cup of the room temperature butter with white sugar or caster sugar if you can find it.

(Caster sugar is extra fine granulated sugar.)

Cream until mixture is pale, for 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time, before adding the next.

In a separate bowl combine the cake flour and kosher salt.

With the mixer on low speed gradually add the dry ingredients, the fresh orange juice, the chopped charred oranges and the chopped orange chocolate bar, along with some zest from the orange peel.

Mix until just combined and then scrape into the buttered loaf pan.

Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake emerges clean or for about 45 to 60 minutes.

Let the cake sit in the pan about 20 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Make the buttercream frosting by combining powdered sugar, room temperature unsalted butter, kosher salt and vanilla extract.

I stirred in a bit more fresh orange juice and some orange zest until the frosting was the consistency that I wanted.

Definitely no need for orange extract in this cake.

Like I mentioned above you could frost the top of the cake. You could frost the sides of the cake.

You could slice this cake in half and frost the middle interior of the cake.

Or you could be totally crazy and serve this cake with just orange frosting, just chocolate frosting or heck why not? Both!

Love chocolate ganache? That works, too! And this chocolate cake recipe is pretty good, too!

This is a great moist cake that is a wonderful change from a plain poundcake.

If you are looking for more of a chocolate cake, then frost with chocolate or even add some unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter.

Leftovers can be stored in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

This simple orange poundcake is perfect for any Fall holiday and also is great during the holiday season.

Top with pretty candied orange slices and you have a gift ready for delivery.

Imagine this tied up with a bow and delivered with a mason jar of icing.

Now those are all friends we can use!

Need Some More:

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cornmeal Olive Oil Cake

Easy Pumpkin Bread

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