Chocolate Orange Cake

This chocolate Orange Cake is seriously rich and moist. Both cake and frosting are naturally sweetened with no sugar added. This cake has the perfect crumb texture, is light and fluffy with luscious thick frosting.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Australian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings slices

Calories 236kcal

Author Kim

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
¾ cup Granulated sweetener that measures like sugar
½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 large Egg
½ cup Vegetable Oil
⅓ cup Milk
1 cup Boiling water
2 large Oranges Zest only

Frosting (optional but recommended)

2 large Avocados
½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tablespoon Orange Juice
⅓ cup Plus 1 tablespoon Granulated Sweetener that measures like sugar

Instructions

Making the Cake

Preheat Fan oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F. Line a 22 cm/8 inch round springform cake tin with baking paper/parchment paper on the base and lightly spray with oil on the inside walls of the tin to prevent sticking
In a large bowl, add the boiling water and cocoa powder. Whisk together until smooth.
Add egg, oil and milk and whisk until smooth and velvety
Add flour, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Whisk together until smooth. (Batter will be very runny)
Pour batter into cake tin and bake on middle shelf of oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F.

Making the Frosting

Deseed the avocados and scoop out the flesh. Add to food processor, along with cocoa powder, orange juice and powdered sweetener
Blitz until smooth and silky
Spread generously onto cake using the back of a spoon

Notes

Flour: I used all purpose plain flour, but equally you could use spelt flour, or almond flour. I wouldn't use a wholemeal flour in this recipe as you want a fine light crumb and I find this can be hard to ahceive with some wholemeal flour
Granulated Sweetener: I used Monkfruit Sweetener in this recipe which is a granulated sweetener that measures like sugar. There's no weird after taste and it adds just the right amount of sweetness. Alternatively you could use granulated stevia.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: this gives the cake its delicious chocolate flavour. Note: unsweetened cocoa powder is different to the chocolate powder you drink which tends to be very sweet.
Milk: any type of regular milk (full fat or low fat), or nut milk would be fine to use. I wouldn't recommend coconut milk as it would impact the chocolate orange flavour too much
Vegetable oil: this helps to add moistness to the cake and is one of the reasons that the cake does;t dry out after a few days. Extra virgin olive oil can also be used.
Oranges: I love to use navel oranges in baking as they have lots of flavour, are juicy and they zest easily. When choosing oranges, pick ones that are ripe and go for ones with more texture on the skin as they zest better and that is where all the orange flavour comes from.
Salt: don;t skip the salt. even though its only a small amount, it helps to bring out the orange and chocolate flavours and to balance the sweetness of the cake
Baking powder/Baking soda: this is what helps the cake to rise and gives the cake its lightness. If you haven't used your baking powder or baking soda in over a year, you may want buy some new ones as it looses its effectiveness as it ages and can mean your cake won't properly rise.
Nutrional information includes the chocolate frosting.

Nutrition