Perfect Chocolate Orange Cake With 3-Ingredient Ganache
User Reviews
4.6
Perfect Chocolate Orange Cake With 3-Ingredient Ganache
Description
This chocolate orange cake uses unsalted butter and dark chocolate melted together, then mixed with milk combined with fresh orange juice to create a buttermilk-like liquid base. Cocoa powder and brown sugar add chocolate sweetness, while hot coffee intensifies the flavor. Eggs and self-raising flour with a touch of baking soda and salt create a tender crumb, finished with grated zest from two oranges for citrus aroma throughout.
The batter is divided into two pans and baked until risen and set, offering rich chocolate and warm orange essence with a moist texture. The accompanying ganache is made by gently melting dark chocolate with heavy cream and stirring in orange zest. It is chilled to a spreadable thickness before layering and frosting, lending a silky, smooth finish with a glossy look and citrus hint.
Decorations may include thin shavings of fresh orange peel, dark chocolate curls, or thin slices of orange to enhance presentation. This cake suits celebrations or teatime, providing a balance of richness and freshness.
The ganache should be refrigerated for 2 to 2.5 hours to reach ideal consistency and can be briefly warmed if too firm. Store the cake airtight at room temperature or in the refrigerator if warm, lasting up to a week. Cake layers freeze well uniced for up to six months when properly wrapped.
Ingredients
For the cake layers
- 165 grams butter ⅔ cup + a teaspoon/1.5 sticks, unsalted
- 50 grams dark chocolate 1.75 ounces
- 2 orange juice (½ cup) and zest
- 125 ml milk ½ cup
- 75 grams cocoa powder ¾ cup
- 225 grams brown sugar 1¼ cups
- 250 ml coffee 1 cup (instant/Americano/long black, hot
- 2 egg large
- 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)
- orange peel thin shavings of orange peel (use a vegetable peeler), a little grated
- dark chocolate thin shavings of orange peel (use a vegetable peeler), a little grated
- Orange slices thin, fresh or dried if you have them/can find them
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.
Notes
- Use fresh orange juice and zest for pronounced citrus flavor in both cake and ganache.
- Microwave chocolate and butter in short bursts to avoid burning; stir gently until smooth.
- Allow ganache to chill for 2-2.5 hours for spreadable consistency; rewarm briefly if too firm.
- Store cake layers wrapped tightly for up to 6 months in the freezer; ganache can be applied after thawing.
- Decorate with thin orange peel shavings or chocolate curls for visual appeal.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition 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.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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