Moist chocolate orange cake recipe with an easy chocolate orange cake frosting! If you love Terry's Chocolate Orange, this dark chocolate orange cake is for you! And for more rich chocolate goodness, try my Mini Chocolate Cake, my Chocolate Walnut Brownies, and my Keto Chocolate Mousse for Two!
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The Best Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe
It's no secret that I love the combination of chocolate and orange! Whether it's in my chocolate orange shortbread cookies, my no-bake cannoli pie, my orange chocolate chip mini muffins, I'm always looking for an excuse to combine these flavors! So it was just a matter of time until I made this moist chocolate orange cake recipe! And I'm so glad I did! This chocolate layer cake with orange is everything I love in a chocolate cake -- a moist, tender crumb with fudgy chocolate flavor and a light, fluffy chocolate frosting, PLUS tons of amazing orange flavor to balance out the chocolate flavor so well!
Do chocolate and orange go together?
YES! They are the best flavor combination! If you've ever had a Terry's Chocolate Orange, you know what I mean! The creamy richness of chocolate is brightened up perfectly by the tart citrus flavor of orange, and they create a whole new flavor that is showcased so well in this cake!
Can I add orange zest to a chocolate cake?
Yes! We're making this easy chocolate orange cake with orange zest AND orange juice to give it a bright, juicy orange flavor in addition to a deep chocolate flavor. And on top of that, we're making a fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting with even more zest and juice. The frosting pairs so perfectly with the cake layers! I made this cake for my mom's birthday this year and it was a BIG hit with everyone! Best of all, it's as simple to make as any other chocolate cake! Just add some orange zest and juice! If you're a fan of (or just curious about) the combination of chocolate and orange, this might be your new favorite chocolate cake recipe!
What makes cake moist and soft?
First, buttermilk goes a long way in helping with the softness of a cake. The acid in buttermilk breaks down gluten, which helps the cake to be more tender. Also, the vegetable oil we're using in this cake is liquid at room temperature, so your cake will be moist whenever you want to eat it! Also, oil contains no water, unlike butter, so none of it will evaporate and dry your cake out. Those two key ingredients make this the most moist chocolate orange cake recipe ever! Let's check out the rest of what you'll need!
Easy Chocolate Orange Cake Ingredients
- orange zest and fresh orange juice - this is where our bold orange flavor comes in! I like to use a microplane zester to get the zest (the top layer of the rind) before juicing your fresh oranges.
- granulated sugar - pressing the sugar and zest together in our first step brings out even more of that orange flavor in this orange chocolate cake!
- all-purpose flour - be sure you are measuring your flour correctly, or do what I do and use a kitchen scale.
- unsweetened cocoa powder - this is what gives the cake that rich chocolatey flavor. Cocoa powder is another ingredient that, like flour, is best measured by weight using a kitchen scale.
- espresso powder - a touch of espresso powder adds a depth to the chocolate flavor that makes this cake even more delicious!
- baking powder and baking soda - these leaveners give our dark chocolate orange cake a nice light texture.
- salt - brings out all these amazing flavors!
- vegetable oil - I typically use canola oil, but you can use any light-flavored oil for this recipe.
- eggs - your eggs should be room temperature to make sure your cake mixes up nice and light.
- buttermilk - your buttermilk should also be room temperature to ensure the right texture for your cake. I like to use full-fat buttermilk, but if that's not available, low-fat buttermilk works too. See below for a tip for a buttermilk substitute if you don't have buttermilk!
- pure vanilla extract - I recommend using a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
Then, for the the best chocolate orange cake frosting, you'll need:
- salted butter - your butter should be room temperature. See below for a tip to get it to room temperature quickly! Also, if you prefer to use unsalted, just add in a few pinches of salt to your frosting to taste.
- powdered sugar - measure your powdered sugar by weight using a kitchen scale for the best accuracy, or use the spoon-and-level method.
- unsweetened cocoa powder - this will add even more delicious chocolate flavor to the frosting!
- pure vanilla extract - I like the way a bit of vanilla rounds out the flavors in this frosting.
- orange zest and juice - more of that delicious orange flavor!
Equipment
You won't need an electric mixer for the cake batter, but I do recommend using a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip up your creamy chocolate orange frosting. Other than that, you'll need two 8-inch cake pans, parchment paper, and your zester, and you're ready to bake! I also like to use a wire rack to cool the cake layers. I use an offset spatula and a bench scraper to spread frosting on the sides and top of the cake.
Tips and F.A.Q.
If you don’t have buttermilk, feel free to use whole milk, replacing a tablespoon of the milk with vinegar. This will create the acidic effect of buttermilk to help your cake come out even more moist and tender.
For eggs, just submerge them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 15 minutes.
For buttermilk, just place it in a microwave-safe mug and heat for 5 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Keep going until your buttermilk is room temperature.
And for butter, heat your three sticks of butter, wrapped, on a microwave-safe plate for 25 seconds, rotating each every 4 seconds.
The exact calorie count for this chocolate orange cake recipe will depend on the amount of frosting you use -- the frosting recipe I've included will yield extra frosting (for decorations if needed). But my estimation is that one slice is about 651 calories. You can see the recipe card below for the full nutrition information, and view my nutrition disclaimer for more details on how I calculate nutrition facts.
You can, yes! I like to make this cake with orange zest for a bright, fresh orange flavor, but in a pinch orange extract is a great option! Just replace the orange zest in this recipe with 1½ tablespoon of orange extract, and make the rest of your cake as usual!
The buttercream frosting for this chocolate orange cake is SO easy. You'll only need a few steps and it's ready! First, you'll cream together your butter, cocoa powder, and orange zest. Then just gradually mix in your powdered sugar. Finally, mix in your orange juice and your frosting is ready to be added to your cake!
Yes, you can! According to Duncan Hines, you can use fresh juice as a substitute for water in cake mix. So if you'd like to make a quicker version of this cake with boxed cake mix, that's a great idea!
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
More Cake Recipes You'll Love
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Lemon and Blackberry Cake
- Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Passionfruit Cake with White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon (18 g) orange zest - packed
- 1 ¾ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cup (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ⅔ cup (158 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 cup (237 ml) full-fat buttermilk - room temperature
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) orange juice - freshly squeezed
Chocolate Orange Buttercream Frosting
- 1½ cup (341 g) salted butter - room temperature (3 sticks)
- 5¼ cups (604 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon (12 g) orange zest
- 3 tablespoon (51 g) freshly squeezed orange juice - plus extra as needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, zest, flour, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, cocoa powder and salt. Press with a rubber spatula for 1 minute to release lemon oils.3 tablespoon orange zest, 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- Stir in vegetable oil until dry ingredients are well coated, followed by eggs and vanilla.⅔ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Stir in buttermilk until well combined. Batter should be thick.1 cup full-fat buttermilk
- Heat orange juice in microwave for 45 seconds on high, or until hot. Immediately stir into batter and whisk until just smooth.1 cup orange juice
- Add batter evenly to prepared cake pans and bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cakes comes out smooth.
- Cool cake layers slightly in cake pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding frosting.
Chocolate Orange Buttercream Frosting
- Cream together butter, zest, and cocoa powder in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add vanilla and mix to combine.1½ cup salted butter, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gradually mix in powdered sugar and mix until thick and fluffy. Add orange juice and mix well. Spread over cooled cake.5¼ cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Last Updated on October 14, 2022 by Chenée Lewis
Jen Sim
Chocolate and orange is one of my favourite flavour combinations of all time. This cake was a hit and I know I’ll be making it again!
Chenée Lewis
I'm so glad you liked it!
Shanna Jones
Chocolate and orange go so well together, and you proved that with this cake. So moist, and I loved the chocolate orange buttercream frosting --- I swear I licked the plate!
Chenée Lewis
Haha I do that all the time with this cake! Thanks!!
Jazz
The orange and chocolate combination was just wonderful for a small dinner party this weekend and everybody loved it!
Chenée Lewis
That's awesome! I find that this is a great cake for a special occasion!
Tamara
The Orange with the chocolate was out of this world! It offered such a unique flavor that I didn’t even realize I was missing! My husband said this is one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! So thank you 😊
Chenée Lewis
It's one of my favorites for sure! Glad you both enjoyed it!
Ying Sai Hong
Thanks for the recipe....is it supposed to be so rich and dense? The flavours are definitely there....
Chenée Lewis
It shouldn't be too dense with the listed amount of eggs and buttermilk, but if you prefer a lighter cake, you can reduce the oil and use low-fat buttermilk!
Lilly
I love the combination of chocolate and orange together! This cake was so fluffy and decadent! I will definitely be making this again!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed!
Britney Brown
I love chocolate and orange together. Such a beautiful balance of flavors! The cake had such a beautiful crumb too. I had this with some ice cream and it was truly amazing!!
Chenée Lewis
Oh yeah this cake would be amazing with a scoop of ice cream!
Robin
I couldn't get enough of this moist, scrumptious cake! Thanks for creating my new go-to, chocolate cake recipe.
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! It's my go-to as well!
Crystal
Made this for my fam and they loved it!!!
Chenée Lewis
So glad to hear! Thanks!
Alex
I think your photo is supposed to say orange and not lemon zest. 😉 And this looks crazy good! So unbelievably moist and flavorful.
Chenée Lewis
You're right! Thanks for letting me know I'll fix it asap!
Erin
I love that thick layer of frosting! And chocolate + orange is such an amazing combination. I can't wait to try this!
Chenée Lewis
It's my favorite combination!
Amy B.
The flavor of this cake was amazing, and so moist too! The video was really helpful. Thanks for sharing!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Aditi Bahl
i recently tried this recipe and it came out just delicious. Thanks for the share.
Chenée Lewis
I'm glad you liked it!
Tammy
Oh my gosh this cake looks so light and decadent! What a moist and delicious dessert...the frosting looks so airy and perfect too! Love the combo of chocolate and orange. This is swoon worthy!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you!! It really is so good!!
Anaiah
This chocolate cake was absolutely PERFECT! I loved everything about it and the orange was such an amazing touch. Definitely making this again for my son's birthday which is coming up!
Chenée Lewis
Thank you so much! Happy birthday to him!
Marta
Pairing chocolate and orange may seem off to some, but it is dreamy. Your cake is moist & full of that wonderful flavor.
Chenée Lewis
Definitely an underrated flavor combination!!
Ramona
Omg, this chocolate orange cake looks super delicious! my kids love anything to do with chocolate orange, and this cake would be perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to make this!
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! I hope you enjoy!
Aya
I made this cake for my mum because she loves chocolate with oranges. The cake turned out great, and she loved it! The use of fresh orange juice and zest makes the orange flavor pop. The frosting was smooth and delicious; I had to resist eating it by itself.
Chenée Lewis
Yay! I'm so glad your mom liked it!
Maren
I made this recipe recently and it was delicious! A huge crowd pleaser for my friend’s birthday!
Chenée Lewis
How nice! I'm glad it was a hit!
Shobee
What a great and delicious combination. The cake must not taste too sweet as it's been neutralized bu the citrus.
Chenée Lewis
Absolutely! They're a great combination!