Terry's Chocolate Orange Cake
Serves : 12
Layers of orange chocolate cake, filled with chocolate orange ganache and whipped cream topped with a chocolate orange buttercream, this easy to make Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cake is bound to be a show-stopper.
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 50g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 75 ml Hot Water Just boiled
- 150 g Terry's Chocolate Orange or Orange Chocolate
- 3 Eggs Medium
- 50 ml Full Fat Milk
- 175 g Self-Raising Flour
- 2.5 tsp Baking Powder
- 100 g Unsalted Butter Softened
- 275 g Caster Sugar or Superfine Sugar
For the Chocolate Orange Buttercream
- 150 g Butter
- 300 g Icing Sugar or Powdered Sugar
- 100 g Terry's Chocolate Orange or Orange Chocolate
For the Whipped Cream
- 200 ml Double Cream or Heavy Cream
- 50 g Icing Sugar or Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Conitreau or Orange Extract, Optional
For the Chocolate Orange Ganache
- 200 g Terry's Chocolate Orange or Orange Chocolate
- 80 ml Double Cream or Heavy Cream
Instructions
- To make the cake layers: Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line 8-inch round sandwich tins with baking parchment. Alternatively, coat the pan with homemade cake release.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water. Mix together until they form a thick chocolate paste.50g Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 75 ml Hot Water
- Add the butter and chocolate orange to a small heatproof bowl, place over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the bowl does not touch the water. Heat until the butter and chocolate have melted together. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 30 second blasts.150 g Terry's Chocolate Orange, 100 g Unsalted Butter
- Add the remaining ingredients – caster sugar, eggs, milk, plain flour and baking powder, and the melted orange and butter mixture, to the chocolate paste. Mix everything together with a hand held mixer until well combined and the mixture is thick and glossy. Alternatively use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.3 Eggs, 50 ml Full Fat Milk, 2.5 tsp Baking Powder, 275 g Caster Sugar, 175 g Self-Raising Flour
- Pour the cake batter into the lined sandwich tins, making sure the cake batter is evenly distributed. Level off with an angled palette knife.
- Bake the cake layers for 20-25 minutes until springy to touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the chocolate ganache: While the cake layers are baking, break the chocolate orange into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.200 g Terry's Chocolate Orange
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan, gently heat the double cream over a low to medium heat. When the cream starts to gently boil, pour over the chocolate orange and allow it to melt for 1 minute.80 ml Double Cream
- Gently stir together the chocolate orange and cream, then leave to cool for at least 30 minutes or it is thick and spreadable.
- To make the whipped cream filling: Add the double cream, icing sugar and Cointreau or orange extract, if using, into a large bowl. Whisk until the cream starts to thicken up but is still smooth enough to spread. Be careful not to over-whip as the cream will become grainy.200 ml Double Cream, 50 g Icing Sugar, 1 tbsp Conitreau
- To make the buttercream: Add the chocolate orange to a small heatproof bowl, place over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the bowl does not touch the water. Heat until all the chocolate has melted. Alternatively, melt in the microwave. Set aside to cool.100 g Terry's Chocolate Orange
- In a large bowl or stand mixer with the balloon attachment, whip the butter until pale and creamy. Start on low speed for 2-3 minutes, increasing to medium/high for 4-5 minutes. Alternatively use a hand held mixer.150 g Butter
- Add the icing sugar a 2-3 tablespoons at a time, and gently beat in. Continue until all the icing sugar is combined and the butercream is light, airy and smooth.300 g Icing Sugar
- Add the melted chocolate orange to the buttercream and mix through the batter until fully combined.
- To assemble the cake: If you want to level your cake layers, use a large serrated knife, and level the top of each layer. Take the first cake layer and place on a serving plate or cake board.
- Add your whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a round piping nozzle or snip off the end of the piping bag, if not using a nozzle. Pipe a series of cream blobs around the outer edge of the cake layer.
- Pour a layer of chocolate orange ganache inside the ring of piped whipped cream. Spread the ganache using an angled palette knife, if required.
- Place the next cake layer on top of the decorated bottom layer, gently pressing down to fix the layers together. Do not press too far otherwise you will squeeze the cream out the slides of the cake.
- Repeat the decoration using the whipped cream and chocolate orange ganache, then place the final cake layer on top.
- Spoon the buttercream on top of the top cake cake, then using a palette knife, spread the buttercream evenly across the cake. You can add swirls with the palette knife for texture if you prefer.
- Sprinkle all over crushed chocolate orange pieces, or chocolate orange mini eggs and finish with a drizzle of chocolate orange ganache.
Notes
What size baking pan do I need to use?
The cake is best made in a 8-inch sandwich tins or an 8-inch cake pan. If you want deeper cake layers, you can swap for a 7-inch version. I prefer to bake the layers individually, but if you only have a single cake pan, you can bake as one cake and split into three layers; just remember that you will need to adjust your bake times
Can I bake the cake as one layer and split into three?
I prefer to bake the layers individually, but if you only have a single cake pan, you can bake as one cake and split into three layers; just remember that you will need to adjust your bake times. You can find out more in my chocolate fudge cake recipe.
How should I store the chocolate orange cake?
As the cake is layered with fresh whipped cream, once decorated the cake should be kept chilled in the fridge. I recommend covering the cake with foil or cling film when storing in the fridge to prevent it drying out or absorbing any smells from anything else you are storing in the fridge.
How long will the cake keep for?
Due to the fresh cream, the chocolate orange cake will keep for up to 3 days when stored correctly, and is best eaten within 2 days. You can also freeze the cake, either with or without the ganache and cream fillings, for up to 2 months. Make sure it is well wrapped and in an air-tight containers to avoid freezer burn. Remember to fully defrost the cake at room temperature before serving.
Can I use buttercream instead of whipped cream?
You certainly can do! I love the lightness of the cream with the cake and ganache. But if you want to use buttercream instead, just double the buttercream recipe ingredients.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 693kcalCarbohydrates: 87gProtein: 6gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 113mgPotassium: 259mgFiber: 2gSugar: 72gVitamin A: 932IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
DISCLAIMER
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
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