Chocolate Orange Cake | Rich and Indulging

A rich and tender chocolate cake infused with fresh orange flavors, topped with smooth chocolate ganache.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate orange cake

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 35

Servings inch cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease the bottom of an 8-inch pan. Line with parchment paper, and do not grease the sides.
Place the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and pour over the hot half and half. Let sit for about 4-5 minutes.
Use a spoon or a fork to mix the ingredients together into a smooth paste. Set aside.
Measure the olive oil and warm it in te microwave for 60 seconds. Pour it into the cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mix to blend. Set aside.
Measure the sugar and orange zest in your mixing bowl, then use a fork to rub the zest into the sugar.
Mix in the eggs and whip until light and airy.
Drizzle in the chocolate mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
Mix in the flour mixture then fold in the chopped candied oranges.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes in, over the middle oven rack.
The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs.

Heat the cream and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and you notice small bubbles on the sides of the pan.
Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate in a large bowl and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Slowly stir the chocolate and cream until smooth and shiny.
Let the chocolate mixture cool. As it cools it will get a paste-like texture.

Once the cake has completely cooled, run a knife between the sides of the cake and the pan, then invert the cake onto your serving dish.
Mount the ganache at the center of the cake, then use an offset spatula, or the back of a spoon, to spread the ganache over the surface of the cake.

When warming up the half-and-half and heavy cream: Do not allow to reach a boil, otherwise it will burn the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Bring it to a simmer (once you notice small bubbles at the sids of the pan.)
Make sure the ingredient (including the bloomed chocolate mixture) are at room temperature when you mix the cake.
Store at room temperature for up to three days. Freeze leftover for up to three weeks.
The cake is ready when I toothpick comes out of the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs. Please pay attention tot he cake and not the oven, it is different than mine and needs more or less time.
If needed, do not warm up the ganache in the microwave. Place the bowl over a double boiler, or at the center of a large bowl filled with hot boiling water.