Description
This Orange Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Buttercream Frosting is a moist and deeply chocolatey dessert featuring bright, tangy blood orange flavor in the smooth, luxurious buttercream. Inspired by classic foil-wrapped chocolate oranges, this cake combines rich cocoa, espresso, and fragrant orange zest to create a treat that perfectly balances sweetness and acidity, topped with elegant dried orange slices and edible flowers for a festive presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed, olive, or avocado oil)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
- ¼ cup dark chocolate (melted & cooled)
- ⅓ cup espresso (or coffee)
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Blood Orange Buttercream Frosting
- 1⅓ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup cooled blood orange juice reduction (simmer ½ cup juice on medium low until ¼ remains)
- Zest of 2 blood oranges
Decoration
- Dried orange slices
- Fresh organic & food safe flowers
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then set it aside for later use.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, neutral oil, large egg, brown sugar, orange zest, melted dark chocolate, and espresso or coffee until smooth and well combined.
- Blend Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cake tender.
- Beat Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks develop, creating a meringue.
- Fold Meringue: Gently fold the meringue into the cake batter in thirds, maintaining as much airiness as possible for a light texture.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Blood Orange Buttercream: In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter until creamy and pale. Gradually add the cooled blood orange juice reduction and continue beating until fully incorporated and fluffy. Fold in the zest of 2 blood oranges for extra flavor.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread the blood orange buttercream evenly over the top and sides using a spatula or knife.
- Decorate: Garnish the frosted cake with dried orange slices and fresh organic, food-safe flowers for a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- If you don’t have blood oranges, regular oranges can be used, but the flavor will be less intense and vivid in color.
- You can substitute the espresso or coffee with strong brewed black tea if preferred.
- For a dairy-free version, replace buttermilk with a plant-based milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice and use vegan butter for the frosting.
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature before beating to achieve maximum volume.
- The blood orange juice reduction adds concentrated citrus flavor; simmer carefully to avoid burning and over-reducing.
- Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 303 kcal
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg
