Chocolate Orange Cake

A super moist and tender chocolate orange cake with citrus notes throughout. This one-bowl bundt cake recipe is easy enough for beginners, with no special equipment needed. And the chocolate-orange glaze is the perfect finishing touch!

If you are a lover of the classic combination of citrus and chocolate (Terry's Chocolate Orange, anyone??), this cake is for you. It's moist and rich, and all you need is one bowl to make the magic happen. That's right - one bowl!

One of the secrets of this cake is that it's egg-less, and I use mayo and buttermilk in its place. This produces a super tender and moist cake [see: strawberry cornmeal cake and dutch apple cake], and also gives it a slightly tangy flavor.

The other secret is instant espresso powder, which intensifies the chocolate flavor, like in these chocolate old fashioned donuts. It's not a required ingredient, but I strongly recommend it.

This decadent chocolate orange bundt cake will make a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Cake Is The Best
• 🍰 Ingredient Notes
• 🥄 How To Make Chocolate Orange Cake
• 💭 Expert Tips
• ⏲️ Frequently Asked Questions
• 🍊 Related Recipes
• Chocolate Orange Cake

⭐️ Why This Cake Is The Best

• This cake recipe is easy enough for beginners! It's a "one-bowl cake" with no special equipment needed. You can use an electric hand mixer, or you can just mix by hand.
• Super moist cake that isn't cloyingly sweet. The chocolate-orange glaze is the perfect finish to this rich and decadent cake.
• A versatile cake that is rich enough for dessert but light enough for an afternoon tea cake.
• Using a bundt pan makes a beautiful presentation on your table!
• Chocolate and bright citrus are a classic combination, especially around the winter holidays.

🍰 Ingredient Notes

• All-purpose flour - Use your regular all-purpose flour for this recipe. You don't need to use cake flour as this recipe produces a very moist and tender crumb due to the buttermilk and mayonnaise.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder - This is where we are getting all of our chocolate flavor, so I recommend using a high-quality cocoa powder.
• Instant espresso powder - Espresso/coffee powder intensifies the chocolate flavor. It does not make your cake taste like coffee! You don't need to use this ingredient, but I highly recommend it.
• Freshly-squeezed orange juice and orange zest - Using fresh orange juice (and zest) really makes a difference in getting great orange flavor in this cake.
• Buttermilk - Provides a slight tangy flavor and helps to tenderize your cake.
• Mayonnaise - Mayo takes the place of eggs in this recipe, and provides a lot of moisture.
• Vanilla extract and orange extract - Adds warm vanilla and bright citrus flavor.
• Freshly-squeezed orange juice - Using fresh orange juice makes a difference, but you can always use store-bought juice if that is easier.
• Orange zest - Adds more bright citrus flavor.

🥄 How To Make Chocolate Orange Cake

Make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat 10-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Using an electric hand mixer or using a whisk (by hand), combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.

Add orange juice, buttermilk, mayonnaise, vanilla extract, and orange extract, and mix until just combined. *Do not over stir.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the orange zest.

Pour cake batter into bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, and then invert cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze:

Whisk together the confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, orange juice, zest, and pinch of salt. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but not too runny.

Drizzle glaze over top of cooled cake.

💭 Expert Tips

• Use a high-quality cocoa powder. This is going to provide all of your chocolate flavor, and it makes a big difference. Dutch-processed (alkalized) is recommended since it will impact the taste and texture.
• Don't over mix your cake batter! Stir just until combined, and stop at the point where you can still see a small amount of flour. Over-mixing can toughen the gluten in your flour and create a denser, chewier cake. We don't want that; we want light and fluffy.
• Use fresh orange juice if possible. It will make a difference in the orange flavor. Store-bought orange juice can taste processed and mask the fresh citrus flavor.
• How to store: Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How to freeze: Wrap individual slices in foil and place them into a large freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• Grease your bundt pan well. We don't want any cake left in the pan when it is turned out onto a cooling rack.
• How to zest an orange: Whether you use a microplane, grater, or vegetable peeler, make sure that you aren't getting any of the pith of the orange. You just want the orange rind, which is where all of the oil (and flavor) is. Here is a guide on how to properly zest an orange.
• Don't skip the espresso powder! Using espresso powder isn't required per se, but I highly recommend it. Adding espresso or coffee to any chocolate recipe always concentrates the chocolate flavor, and gives it a nice little boost. If you are caffeine sensitive (like myself), use decaffeinated instant espresso/coffee powder.

⏲️ Frequently Asked Questions

🍊 Related Recipes

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