Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

The side of a slice of orange cake with chocolate ganache revealing the moist crumb.

Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

This chocolate orange cake recipe is an easy cake mix hack that turns out incredibly moist and fluffy, finished with a rich chocolate ganache. It looks impressive without being complicated.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 694kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 yellow cake mix I like Duncan Hines
3.7 ounces instant vanilla pudding (2 small boxes)
5 large eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 Tablespoon orange zest

For the ganache:

⅔ cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips chopped
1 teaspoon orange extract

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.
Add cake mix, instant pudding mixes, vegetable oil, water, orange extract and orange zest.Mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared bundt.
Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely, flip it onto a plate and drizzle with the chocolate ganache (see the recipe below).

For the ganache:

Place chocolate chips in a medium bowl and set aside.
Heat the heavy cream over medium heat. Stir it frequently so that it doesn't scald, until it's at the point just before it just begins boiling (it'll be beginning to simmer). Remove from the heat.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for a few minutes.
Add orange extract and whisk slowly until it starts to come together as a thick ganache and the chocolate has fully melted and combined into the heavy cream (it takes a moment so be patient and keep whisking).
Drizzle over the cooled cake and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Don’t over-mix the batter. Mix just until everything is combined to keep the cake light and tender.
Trust the process mixing the ganache- it's going to seem like the chocolate and heavy cream are splitting as you whisk but it will slowly come together into a smooth ganache, so take your time and trust the process.
If you can't get the ganache smooth- it's ok, it just means your cream needed to be a tad hotter. Zap it in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, whisking between until smooth.
If the ganache sits too long, it will thicken into a spreadable consistency. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s best for drizzling while still pourable. You can gently warm it to loosen it back up if needed.
2 loaf pans work well for this cake too. Start checking it a bit earlier, since the bake time can vary depending on the pan.
Ingredients to prep ahead- Zest the orange and chop the chocolate (if needed) before starting to make things easier.
Leftovers and storage- Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let slices sit at room temperature briefly before serving.

Nutrition