Easy Chocolate Orange Cake

Remember those breakable chocolate oranges you get around the holidays? Well, if you’re a fan of those you are going to want to bake this eggless chocolate orange cake.

Chocolate Orange Cake

Moist, chocolatey and loaded with orange flavour, you won’t believe that this chocolate orange cake is made without eggs and orange extract. So, keep those eggs in the fridge, and don’t worry about trying to find orange extract in the grocery aisle.

Perfect for your afternoon cup of tea, or paired with vanilla ice cream for a decadent evening dessert. This eggless dark chocolate orange cake is the perfect treat when you are craving something chocolatey and fruity at the same time.
The secret ingredient in this chocolate orange cake with orange juice? Mayonnaise!

Follow the recipe below, and make sure to read through the frequently asked questions and recipe tips to bake the best chocolate orange cake.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE INGREDIENTS :

For the cake:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened – the butter, when combined with the cocoa powder is what is going to prevent your cake from sticking to the pan. Unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder – here is where the chocolate flavour comes in. Use unsweetened cocoa powder as the cake will be sweet enough from the granulated sugar and orange juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour – use unbleached flour if you can as it has a better taste. A gluten-free flour blend can be used in order to make this recipe gluten-free
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar – a mix of granulated sugar and orange juice are what makes this cake sweet, but not overly sweet. The natural orange flavour will shine through
• 2 tsp baking soda – this helps the cake rise and prevents it from being dense
• 1 tsp salt – salt gives the cake an extra depth of flavour and helps to bring out the chocolate
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon – orange and cinnamon pair beautifully together. If you are not a cinnamon fan, leave this out
• 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice + 2 tbsp grated orange zest – juice right from the orange is best, but store-bought orange juice will work in a pinch. Grate the zest as fine as possible
• ¾ cup mayonnaise – this recipe does not use eggs or dairy, so the mayonnaise provides richness and helps the cake ingredients bind together
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar – the vinegar in this recipe is the secret ingredient. It will make you say “hmmm, what is that?”
• 1 tsp vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract is best, or vanilla bean

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar – this helps to create a nice fine glaze. You can sift your sugar to avoid lumps
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder – more cocoa gives a deep chocolate flavour and dark colour
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice – the orange flavour is carried throughout the glaze. Again, juice right from the orange is best, but store-bought orange juice will work in a pinch.

HOW TO MAKE AN EGGLESS CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE?

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, In a small bowl, combine the softened butter and 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Mix well to form a thick paste.
2. Brush the inside of a 9-inch Bundt pan with this paste, coating well. Set aside.
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a whisk, combine flour, remaining ½ cup of cocoa, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add in the orange juice, orange zest, mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar and vanilla and mix well until no lumps remain.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 45-minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Mine took exactly 45-minutes, but oven temperatures vary so watch yours closely.
6. While the cake bakes, prepare the glaze by mixing the sugar, cocoa and orange juice until well combined. Set aside.
   
7. Carefully remove the cake from the oven and allow it to sit for 10-minutes.
8. Once 10-minutes has passed, lay a piece of parchment paper over the top of the cake and place a cooling rack on top.
9. Carefully flip the cake onto the cooling rack and slowly lift the pan off.
10. Allow the cake to cool completely before drizzling the glaze overtop.

WHAT FROSTING DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR THIS CAKE?

The chocolate orange glaze in this recipe is absolutely delicious.

However, if you are looking for another option you can use store-bought chocolate or vanilla frosting instead.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE TIPS:

1. The mayonnaise can be replaced with 2/3 cup plain Greek yoghurt if needed
2. Try not to let your cake sit for longer than 10 minutes prior to flipping. If you wait too long it can stick to the pan and won’t come out clean.
3. Notice your glaze is too thick, add in 1 tsp of milk or cream. If it is too thin, add in 1 tbsp of confectioners’ sugar until it reaches the right consistency

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE
• BEST HOMEMADE CARROT CAKE
• PECAN UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE RECIPE