Orange and chocolate cake

Orange and Chocolate Cake

This cake came about because I had fresh oranges, and my son always asks for something with chocolate. I started with the idea of an orange cake and adapted the recipe to include grated chocolate and cocoa. I used a bundt pan, but any cake pan will do. I made the candied orange peel separately, at the end.

Quick Info

Total time: about 1 hour
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 30-35 minutes
Servings: 10-12 slices, depending on the pan
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade dessert, occasion cake or for the weekend

Ingredients

Base:
- 2 oranges (zest and juice)
- 300 g sugar
- 3 eggs
- 300 g flour
- 1 packet baking powder
- 75 g butter (melted)
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 100 g grated chocolate

For decoration:
- 150 g powdered sugar
- juice of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.

2. Grate the zest from the oranges and squeeze the juice. Set aside.

3. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar until creamy.

4. Add the grated zest and orange juice to the yolks. Mix well.

5. Mix the flour with cocoa and baking powder. Fold this combination into the yolk mixture.

6. Add the melted butter and grated chocolate. Mix well.

7. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter, using upward motions to retain the air.

8. Prepare the cake pan: grease with butter and dust with flour (or use parchment paper if using a regular pan, but flour works better for bundt). Shake off the excess.

9. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 170°C. Do the toothpick test – when it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

10. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

11. Meanwhile, prepare the candied orange peel: cut the peel from one orange (without the white part) into thin strips. Boil them in enough water to cover. Change the water three times (boil, drain, and add fresh water). On the fourth round, add 2 tablespoons of sugar and let it boil until the peel becomes translucent and starts to caramelize slightly. Remove to parchment paper.

12. For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with lemon juice and one tablespoon of hot water. Stir until it becomes a thick cream. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake.

13. Place the candied orange peel on top. Let the glaze set before slicing.

14. If you wish, you can slice the cake in half and fill it with a cream of your choice, but in the basic version, I did not use a filling.

Why I make this recipe often

I love that I can use oranges when they are in season, and the taste is pleasant, with a balance between fruity and chocolate. The cake is easy to make, doesn't require much cream, and is good either plain or with a quick glaze. The candied peel adds a nice touch to the presentation.

Tips and Variations

Tips
- Use chocolate with at least 50% cocoa for a more intense flavor.
- If you don't have a bundt pan, any cake pan will work, but adjust the baking time if the cake is thicker.
- It's best to let the cake cool completely before pouring the glaze, so it doesn't run too much.

Substitutions
- You can use margarine instead of butter, but the taste will be different.
- Cocoa can be omitted if you want just an orange cake, but you will lose some flavor.
- Orange juice can be partially replaced with milk if you don't have enough oranges, but the result won't be as flavorful.

Variations
- If you want, you can add chopped nuts or hazelnuts to the batter.
- For more chocolate, add small pieces to the batter, not just grated chocolate.
- It can also be made without candied peel, decorating only with glaze.

Serving Ideas
- Goes well with coffee or tea.
- You can add whipped cream or ice cream beside a slice.
- If you slice it in half, fill it with cream cheese mixed with a bit of orange zest.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use older oranges or orange juice from a carton?
You can use older oranges if they are not dried out, but I do not recommend store-bought orange juice, as it does not provide the same flavor and suitable zest.

2. Can I make the cake without cocoa or chocolate?
Yes, you can omit cocoa or chocolate if you want just an orange cake, but the texture and flavor will not be the same.

3. Can this cake be frozen?
It can be frozen without the glaze and candied peel, but it is better fresh. If you freeze it, let it thaw completely at room temperature.

4. What can I use instead of the glaze if I don't have powdered sugar?
You can use a quick glaze made from melted chocolate with a bit of milk or just sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

5. Do I have to use a bundt pan?
No, any cake pan will work. The bundt pan allows for more even rising and quicker baking.

Nutritional Values

Approximately, one slice from 12 (without filling) has about 270-290 kcal. Approximately: 42 g carbohydrates, 7 g fats, 4 g proteins per serving. The glaze and candied peel add some extra calories. These are estimates and depend on how much glaze and peel you actually use.

Storage and Reheating

The cake keeps for 2-3 days at room temperature, covered. If you keep it longer, put it in the fridge, but it may dry out. I do not recommend reheating; it is better at room temperature. The candied peel maintains its texture best if added just before serving, especially if there is high humidity in the kitchen.

We separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. We beat the yolks well with the sugar. We add the orange zest and their juice. We mix the flour with cocoa and baking powder. We add this to the yolks along with the melted butter and chocolate. We mix it and finally add the beaten egg whites. We fold from the bottom up until it becomes homogeneous. We grease the cake pan and dust it with flour. We rotate the pan to make sure the flour sticks well. We pour the mixture and bake it at 170 degrees for about 30 minutes. We do the toothpick test. It should come out dry. For decoration, I used powdered sugar glaze with lemon juice and a tablespoon of hot water. It is mixed and poured over the cake. When serving, I added orange zest on top. I sliced the orange peel without the white part, boiled it, changed the water three times, and on the fourth time added sugar. I let it boil until the orange peel caramelized a bit. I used a cake pan with a hollow center (bundt cake type). The cake can be cut in half and filled with cream.

 Ingredients: 2 oranges 300 g sugar 3 eggs 300 g flour baking powder 75 g butter 4 tablespoons cocoa 100 g grated chocolate Decoration 150 g powdered sugar lemon juice hot water 1 tablespoon orange zest 2 tablespoons sugar

 Tags:  orange cake chocolate cake