Chocolate Orange Cake – The ultimate treat for Chocolate Orange lovers.
An easy to bake chocolate orange sponge filled with chocolate orange buttercream and topped with slices of Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
PLUS – Fancy making this cake even bigger? Take a look below the recipe to find the ingredients and instructions you need to bake this in pretty much any size of round, square or rectangular tin.
Today’s new recipe is one that I’ve been asked for many times. A full-sized version of my popular Chocolate Orange Cupcakes.
This cake comprises a chocolate orange sponge, filled and topped with smooth chocolate orange buttercream and is then finished with slices of Terry’s Chocolate Orange. It’s a Chocolate Orange lover’s dream dessert!
But I want a Chocolate Orange Birthday Cake – Can this cake be covered with fondant?
Absolutely. This cake is based on my chocolate birthday cake recipe and is perfect for covering with fondant to make a chocolate orange birthday cake.
If you’d like to do this, then instead of splitting the buttercream between the middle and top of the cake, use it instead to fill and coat the entire cake. Chill the cake (to help the buttercream to harden a little) and then cover it with fondant icing.
If you’re not sure how much fondant you’ll need, then you can use my fondant calculator to help you work out the right amount.
And if I want it really tall – Can this cake be used to make tiers?
Yes, I wouldn’t go too high (no more than three tiers) and made sure you add dowels or straws for extra support.
How long will the cake last and what’s the best way to store it?
The cake can be stored in an airtight container for 6-7 days after baking. Ideally, it should be stored in the fridge (although I’d recommend allowing your slice to come up to room temperature before eating, as it will have more flavour and the buttercream will soften a little). If you don’t have room in the fridge it should be absolutely fine stored at room temperature as long as your room isn’t too hot (that’s what I always do with mine as I have a tiny fridge).
This cake is also suitable for freezing ❄️
To freeze the chocolate orange sponge, wait for it to cool and then wrap the cake in clingfilm or store it in an airtight container before freezing. Defrost it thoroughly before decorating.
The buttercreamed cake can also be frozen in the same way (although don’t wrap it in clingfilm if you’ve made an effort with your piping as it’ll get squashed!). If you choose the freeze the
I would not recommend freezing just the buttercream to use later as the consistency becomes a little too
Other Chocolate Orange Treats for you to enjoy
If you love Chocolate Orange as much as I do (which I A LOT!) then don’t forget to give my Chocolate Orange Cheesecake a try.
Chocolate Orange Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the chocolate cake
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 100 g milk chocolate
- 40 g cocoa powder
- 230 g caster sugar
- 230 g margarine or butter - if you’re using butter it must be soft at room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ tsp orange extract
- 2 tsp milk
For the chocolate buttercream
- 250 g butter - soft at room temperature
- 250 g icing sugar
- 150 g milk chocolate
- 40 g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp orange extract
- A little milk
To finish
- 12 slices Chocolate Orange
- Orange Sprinkles - Optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pre-heat your oven to 160°C/140°C fan.Line two 20cm round sandwich tins with greaseproof paper or re-usable baking tin liners.
- Melt your milk chocolate (100g) – You can either melt it in the microwave (heat for 30 seconds, stir and then heat for a further 30 seconds. Repeat until the chocolate has melted), over a bain marie, or in a saucepan over a very low heat. Set the chocolate aside to cool.
- Put all of the other cake ingredients into a large bowl (200g self-raising flour, 40g cocoa powder, 230g caster sugar, 230g margarine or butter, 4 large eggs, 1½ tsp orange extract and 2 tsp milk). Beat together (either using an electric mixer on a low speed or by hand) until the ingredients are combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix in (again at a low speed) until combined.
- Split the cake mixture between the two tins. Smooth the mixture using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Once the cakes are cooked, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool in their tins for about 10 minutes before removing them from the tins and moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate orange buttercream
- Melt your milk chocolate (150g) and set aside to cool – It is essential that the chocolate has cooled before it is combined with the other ingredients so it doesn’t melt the butter.
- Beat the butter (250g) until soft – This can either be done with an electric mixer at a low speed or by hand. Add the icing sugar (250g), cocoa powder (40g) and orange extract (½ tsp) and beat together on a low speed until combined.
- Slowly add the melted milk chocolate and beat until combined. Your buttercream needs to be a spreadable consistency. If it is a little too thick, beat in a little milk (no more than 1 tsp at a time) until it reaches your desired consistency.
Build the cake
- Place the bottom layer of your chocolate orange sponge onto your serving dish. Spread about ⅓ of the chocolate orange buttercream evenly across the sponge (I like to use a palette knife, but you could use a regular knife or the back of a spoon).
- Add the top layer of sponge. Again spread ⅓ of the chocolate orange buttercream on top.
- Put the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle (I use a JEM 1B nozzle). Pipe 12 swirls of buttercream evenly spaced around the edge of the cake. I give the piping bag a little wiggle as I squeeze so that the buttercream looks slightly ruffled.
- Place a slice of Chocolate Orange on top of each buttercream swirl and then add some orange sprinkles. If you don't fancy piping, simply split the buttercream evenly between the middle and top of the cake and arrange the Chocolate Orange slices around the edge.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR A DIFFERENT SIZE OF TIN?
The main recipe is for a two-layer 20cm round cake (this serves 12 people). However, this recipe is easily adapted to use other sizes of round, square or rectangular tins.
To find the ingredients needed to make this cake in a different size, simply add the dimensions of your tin and the number of layers into the boxes below and hit “Calculate”.
Round Cake
Cake Diameter (cm) Number of LayersCake Ingredients
- 0 g self-raising flour
- 0 egg(s)
- 0 g soft margarine or butter
- 0 g caster sugar
- 0 tsp orange extract
- 0 tsp milk
- 0 g cocoa powder
- 0 g milk chocolate
- 0 g butter
- 0 g icing sugar
- 0 g milk chocolate
- 0 g cocoa powder
- 0 tsp orange extract
Square or rectangular cake
Cake Size (cm) x Number of layersCake Ingredients
- 0 g self-raising flour
- 0 egg(s)
- 0 g soft margarine or butter
- 0 g caster sugar
- 0 tsp orange extract
- 0 tsp milk
- 0 g cocoa powder
- 0 g milk chocolate
- 0 g butter
- 0 g icing sugar
- 0 g milk chocolate
- 0 g cocoa powder
- 0 tsp orange extract
To keep this calculator from becoming too complicated I've only included metric measurements. If you would like US cups measurements for a different size of tin then simply calculate the metric measurements here and then pop the results into my grams to cups calculator and it'll tell you what you need.
The US cups/ounces measurements for the original two-layer 20cm round cake recipe can be found by clicking the big green button just above the ingredients in the main recipe.
If you have both scales and cups and you're not sure which to use, then go for the scales - it's a far more accurate way of baking 🙂
WHAT IS THE COOKING TIME FOR A DIFFERENT SIZE OF CAKE AND WHAT OVEN TEMPERATURE SHOULD I USE?
The ingredients are calculated so that the depth of each cake is the same as in the original recipe. This means that the cooking time and temperature don't need to change.
CAN THIS CAKE BE COOKED IN ONE DEEP TIN?
Theoretically yes, but I find I get the best results from using sandwich tins and this is what I would recommend.
If you would like to bake the cake in a deep tin then the cooking time will need to increase to 45-50 minutes.
Free From/Suitable For
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide & Sulphite-Free
- Lupin-Free
Katie says
This cake is amazing! Although too much for just me and my partner to eat despite how gorgeous it is! Can it be frozen? Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
You should be fine to freeze it. Either pop it into an airtight container, or put it onto a tray in the freezer for an hour or so (until the buttercream is firm) and then wrap it in clingfilm.
Helen Bruus says
I made this for my sis-in-laws 40th and it went down very well. Really great how you can change tin size and shape to give correct ingredients. Was really tasty without being too orangey.
Carol says
Can I use orange zest in the chocolate orange cake?
I cannot find any orange essence in shops at mo.
Charlotte Oates says
You can, but it won’t have quite the same flavour.
Simon says
Made this for my wife upon request. Delicious! Thank you Charlotte for the recipe.
Sophie B says
Would I be able to make this recipe in cupcake form? Just use the same measurements but in 12 muffin cakes? Can’t wait to try it.
Charlotte Oates says
I have a version of this cake as cupcakes. You can find the recipe here:
Chocolate Orange Cupcakes with Chocolate Orange Buttercream
Caroline says
Hi,
I have used this recipe for a number of cakes which i have baked, which have all turned out delicious.
I have been given a challenge to make a 50th birthday cake, but in numbers. i an looking for use this recipe once again, and i have followed the ingredients required for the size tins which i am using 30cm square deep tin, as well as 30cm round deep tin, I’m looking to make this 2 layers.
Would you recommend baking both caked in each deep tin, or split the mixture and make 2 x each number?
Charlotte Oates says
I would split the mixture.
Sarah W says
Easy to follow recipe, the cake came out a bit flat and it’s not very moist either so prob won’t keep for more than a couple of days. The butter icing is delicious! Is there anything you can add to make the cake more moist and rise a bit more, a raising agent maybe?
Charlotte Oates says
Its sounds as though the cake is over-baked as that’s usually what leads to this cake tasting dry. Unfortunately all ovens bake a little differently and it sounds like it may need a little less time in yours. Adding more baking powder isn’t a good idea. The additional raising agent will cause the cake to over-rise in the oven and then it’s likely to sink after baking as it lacks structure.
Victoria says
I made this for my daughters Birthday cake and this was so easy to make and absolutely delicious so definitely make again, thank you xx
P.s going to make the coffee cupcakes soon
Emily says
Be aware- far too sweet and sickly. The sponge itself was nice. I added a bit more orange extract as with the measurements it wouldn’t have a hint of orange.
Ger Cullen says
Recipe was very easy to follow and the cake turned out lovely and tasted fabulous. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe and the different size converter makes life very easy This will definitely be my go to chocolate orange cake. Thank you Charlotte
Sarah Sheridan says
Smelled awesome, nice batter, but it didn’t rise and came out the exact look and texture of greasy brownies. I followed all the conversions and made more batter for my pan size as well. 🙁
Charlotte Oates says
Can I check what pan size you used then I can double check the conversion. Thanks.
Emily says
I had the same problem. Used the calculator for a smaller pan and not sure where I went wrong
Sophie Killeen says
Can you use melted terrys chocolate orange instead of the milk chocolate, will that make it taste more orangey or is it worth it?
Charlotte Oates says
Chocolate Orange is made from combining chocolate and orange oil (similar to extract) which is what I’ve replicated here. If you want to make it more orangey then you can add more extract. You can use chocolate orange as an alternative. However I find it can be more temperamental than regular chocolate and can sometimes go grainy when it’s melted. If you do use it keep the heat as gentle as you can when you melt it.
Suvi says
This recipe is amazing! The cake was so easy to make and turned out gorgeous looking and tasted divine. My daughter doesn’t eat cake but loves Terry’s chocolate orange, so I made her this for her 11th birthday thinking she would only eat the orange segments off the top. But she actually ate the cake too, which is a miracle. I will definitely make this again – a new family favourite.
Eileen says
I wanted to bake in a 6” x 3” deep pan. How much time should I bake and the temperature?
Thank you
Charlotte Oates says
I always recommend baking this cake in sandwich tins rather than one deep tin as I find it doesn’t rise quite as well when baked in a deep tin and can sometimes dip a little in the middle after baking. However, I also find that results can very depending on the oven you use so I know it works well in a deep tin for some people. If you decide to give it a go then it’ll need about 50 minutes in the oven.
Michelle O'Hara says
Have just made 2 chocolate orange cakes 1 with milk chocolate as a birthday cake and the 2nd one with dark chocolate both look fab and smell delicious .
R says
I’m hoping to bake this cake and was wondering if I can use Cadbury’s Dairy Milk as the chocolate in this recipe, please?
Charlotte Oates says
I don’t tend to use Dairy Milk as it can go grainy (I know some people use it and it’s fine, but it can be temperamental). I always use chocolate from the baking aisle instead.
ZARA KING says
I thought it was very simple and easy to do
Amjad says
Gorgeous recipe, my wife was very impressed!
Looking forward to trying out a 3 or 4 tier version next!
Thanks!
kaavya haddock says
loved it made this recipe and was perfect in first go
K says
How can I substitute self rising flour? I know it’s just all purpose flour, salt and baking powder but I don’t know the measurements needed
Charlotte Oates says
UK self-raising flour is different to the US version (it has a slightly higher amount of baking powder and no salt added). I recently published a post on how to make it from plain/all-purpose flour and baking powder which you will be able to use.
How To Make Self-Raising Flour From Plain Flour
Toni says
I am a baking novice and gave this cake a try. It was made last night and this morning we tried it. Oh my god! You made me look like I knew what I was doing! Currently only about 3 slices left. I had to swap buttercream for a ganache ( 45g dark chocolate,200ml double cream and terrys choco egg). For those with gas ovens, it took maybe 40/45 mins.