Perfect Chocolate Orange Cake With 3-Ingredient Ganache
User Reviews
4.6
60 reviews
Excellent
Perfect Chocolate Orange Cake With 3-Ingredient Ganache
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A rich, decadent, moist, fudgy and very easy to make chocolate orange cake sandwiched together with a creamy 3-ingredient orange ganache. It's the perfect crowd pleasing chocolate fudge cake for any occasion.
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Ingredients
For the cake layers
- 165 grams unsalted butter ⅔ cup + a teaspoon/1.5 sticks
- 50 grams dark chocolate 1.75 ounces
- 2 oranges juice (½ cup) and zest
- 125 ml milk ½ cup
- 75 grams cocoa ¾ cup
- 225 grams brown sugar 1¼ cups
- 250 ml hot coffee 1 cup (instant/Americano/long black)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 240 grams self-raising flour 1½ cups (US: Use all purpose flour + 1.5 teaspoons baking powder)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the orange ganache
- 200 grams dark chocolate 7 ounces
- 170 ml cream ¾ cup (double, heavy or pouring cream (NOT thickened)
- 1 orange zest only
To decorate (optional)
- thin shavings of orange peel (use a vegetable peeler), a little grated dark chocolate
- thin orange slices, either fresh or dried if you have them/can find them
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Instructions
For the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 180C/355F (160C/320F fan oven). Line the bottom and sides of two 8-inch cake tins with baking paper (I use loose-bottomed ones).
- Pour the orange juice into a measuring cup or jug. Top up with the milk so you have a full cup of liquid. Set aside. The liquid will curdle and turn to a kind of buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, heat the chocolate and butter together in the microwave in 30-second bursts until melted or almost melted (1.5 to 2 minutes).
- Add the 'buttermilk' you just made to the bowl of chocolate/butter and heat again for 30 seconds. Stir everything together until smooth.
- Stir in the cocoa and sugar. Then pour in the hot coffee and stir again.
- Whisk the eggs and egg yolk together lightly. Stir into the chocolate mixture until well combined.
- Finally, sift in the flour, salt, baking soda, and the zest of 2 oranges. Stir just until no white bits are visible any more.
- Divide the mixture between the two cake pans. Bake for about twenty-five minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few sticky crumbs on.
- Let the cakes rest for 10 minutes in the pan. Then let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
For the ganache
- Meanwhile, to make the ganache, heat the chocolate in a medium jug or bowl in the microwave in 30-second bursts until almost melted (1.5 to 2 minutes).
- Pour in the cream and heat again for 30 seconds. Add the remaining zest (1 orange) and stir until smooth.
- Cover and let cool in the fridge until set but still easy to spread - like peanut butter (around 2 to 2.5 hours). Use half of the ganache to sandwich the two cakes together, then spread the rest over the top.
- To decorate (optional), grate a little extra chocolate over the top of one side of the cake and sprinkle over thin shavings of orange peel (use a vegetable peeler). If you like, also place 4 to 5 overlapping orange slices on top.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Australian/UK or US cup measurements? I usually use an Australian/UK measuring cup for this recipe (250ml). A US cup is slightly smaller (240ml) but it will not make a difference to the recipe if you're using this as everything will be in proportion. The amount of baking powder/eggs etc. does not need to change.
- Melting the chocolate and butter: I usually do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts. If you don’t have a microwave, just melt in a bowl over a pan of boiling water (but don’t let the bowl touch the water).
- Getting the batter smooth: I don't usually bother sifting flour, but I do for this recipe to help avoid white lumps of flour being visible in the finished cake. If you don't have a sieve, just sprinkle the flour over little by little and mix it in gradually. Stir until you can't see any more white bits.
- Getting the ganache right: I find that the ganache needs roughly 2 to 2.5 hours in the fridge to set to the right consistency. You want it to be easy to spread, but you don't want it to slide off the cake. Aim for the consistency of peanut butter or Nutella. If it's too hard, no problem - just microwave for 5 to 10 seconds and stir well until it's soft enough to spread again.
- You can get it to set faster by popping it in the freezer for half an hour to an hour instead. Try not to leave it for too long, but if it is then too hard just follow instructions as above to make it softer again.
- Storage and freezing: This cake keeps really well in an airtight container such as a cake tin for 4 to 5 days. If the weather is warm, pop it in the fridge and it should last for around a week (again, in an airtight container).
- Freeze any leftovers in sealed containers for up to 6 months. You can also freeze the cake layers without the ganache. Just wrap each one really well in several layers of plastic/cling wrap and/or aluminium foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Missing the old recipe? Please note that there was an earlier (quite different) version of this recipe that I published a few years ago. While initially very happy with it, after feedback from readers over time I felt that the results could be inconsistent so I decided to work on the cake some more. After extensive testing and tweaking (and way too much chocolate cake eating!) it's now more of a chocolate fudge cake than it was before. I think it's vastly improved but if you're missing the old version do feel free to contact me and I'll happily send it to you ;-)
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
703kcal
(35%)
Carbohydrates
76g
(25%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
42g
(65%)
Saturated Fat
25g
(125%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
12g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
141mg
(47%)
Sodium
410mg
(17%)
Potassium
583mg
(17%)
Fiber
8g
(32%)
Sugar
41g
(82%)
Vitamin A
1082IU
(22%)
Vitamin C
26mg
(29%)
Calcium
128mg
(13%)
Iron
6mg
(33%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8to 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 703 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 703kcal | 35% |
| Carbohydrates | 76g | 25% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 25g | 125% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 141mg | 47% |
| Sodium | 410mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 583mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 41g | 82% |
| Vitamin A | 1082IU | 22% |
| Vitamin C | 26mg | 29% |
| Calcium | 128mg | 13% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
60 reviews
Excellent
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