Description
Chocolate-orange glaze cake brings Mediterranean sunshine onto dessert plates with rich, zesty brilliance. Dark chocolate and citrus dance together, creating a luxurious slice that invites sweet exploration and delights all senses.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tsp vinegar)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsps baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm the oven to 350F (175C). Lubricate a 9-inch round or bundt pan with grease and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
- Ingredient Fusion: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate large vessel, blend sugars, eggs, and vegetable oil until achieving a smooth consistency. Incorporate vanilla extract, vibrant orange zest, and fresh orange juice into the wet mixture.
- Batter Creation: Gradually fold dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Gently mix until ingredients are just combined, being careful not to overmix, which could compromise the cake’s delicate texture.
- Baking Process: Transfer the velvety batter into the prepared pan, ensuring even distribution. Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick – it should emerge with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, enabling it to set. Carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack, letting it reach room temperature before serving or glazing.
Notes
- Stir the batter gently until ingredients are just combined to maintain a light, tender cake texture and avoid developing tough gluten strands.
- Use a microplane or fine grater to extract maximum orange flavor without including bitter white pith when zesting the orange.
- Allow ingredients like eggs and buttermilk to reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smoother batter and more even baking.
- Insert a toothpick at a slight angle near the cake’s center; a few moist crumbs indicate perfect doneness, preventing dry cake texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg