Description
This Orange Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Buttercream Frosting is a moist, deeply chocolatey dessert featuring a vibrant, tangy blood orange buttercream. The cake combines rich cocoa and dark chocolate with a hint of coffee and fresh orange zest, topped with a smooth, citrusy buttercream made from reduced blood orange juice. Garnished with dried orange slices and edible flowers, this cake is a beautiful and flavorful treat perfect for special occasions or holiday celebrations.
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 and cooled)
- ⅓ cup espresso or strong coffee
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Buttercream Frosting
- 1⅓ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¼ cup cooled blood orange juice reduction (made by simmering ½ cup blood orange juice until ¼ cup remains)
- Zest of 2 blood oranges
Garnish
- Dried orange slices
- Fresh organic and food safe flowers
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, neutral oil, egg, brown sugar, orange zest, melted dark chocolate, and espresso until smooth and fully combined.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix to keep the cake tender.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form.
- Fold Egg Whites: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter in three additions, careful not to deflate the mixture to maintain lightness.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Make Buttercream: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter until creamy and pale. Gradually add the cooled blood orange juice reduction and continue beating until light and fluffy. Fold in the zest of 2 blood oranges for extra flavor.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread a generous layer of blood orange buttercream on top. Place the second layer over and frost the top and sides evenly with the remaining buttercream.
- Decorate: Garnish the cake with dried orange slices and fresh organic, food safe flowers for a stunning presentation.
- Serve: Slice the cake into 8 equal pieces and serve. Enjoy your rich, flavorful Orange Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Buttercream Frosting!
Notes
- If you don’t have blood oranges, regular navel oranges can be used, though the flavor and color will be less intense.
- The espresso or strong coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but can be omitted for a milder taste.
- Ensure egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks to help the cake achieve a light and airy texture.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and buttermilk with a dairy-free yogurt mixed with lemon juice.
- The blood orange juice reduction should be cooled completely before adding to buttercream to avoid melting the butter.
- Using fresh, room temperature eggs and butter helps achieve the best texture in cakes and frostings.
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
