The Barefoot Contessa’s Orange Chocolate Cake, from none other than Ina Garten, melds the texture of the perfect Bundt cake with the tartly sweet taste of citrus and chocolate.
I first made it more than 20 years ago. I was astounded at how moist the cake was and how well the orange and chocolate went together. It reminded me of those marvelous British chocolate oranges from Terry’s—you know, the kind you have to bang on the counter so the chocolate segments can break apart. Since then, people have requested it for birthdays, anniversaries, dinner parties, you name it.
A word of caution: Use a light-colored Bundt pan, if you have one. Black pans can cause the cake to darken too much, as dark metal absorbs heat more than lighter finishes.
And, of course, like most cakes, this is way better the next day. Resist the urge, if you can!
Chow,
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Featured Review
This cake is fantastic! I absolutely love chocolate and orange together and I wanted a chocolate orange cake for my birthday. … When we had it at my birthday party, everyone loved it. I was so pleased and will be making this again and again. The orange flavor really shines through which is what I wanted. The only things I may do differently next time is to add a little orange to the ganache topping as well. It is plenty orange-y but I’ll always take more! And instead of spooning the orange syrup over the top, I will brush it on.
Joanna Burnett
Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
Equipment
- 10-inch (25-cm) Bundt pan
Ingredients
For the orange chocolate cake
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup finely grated orange zest, from about 4 large oranges, preferably organic
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, plus more for the pan
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, either low-fat or full-fat, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks, opt for the good stuff
For the orange syrup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
For the ganache (optional)
- 8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Instructions
Make the orange chocolate cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 2 sticks unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the 5 large eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition. Then stir in the 1/4 cup finely grated orange zest.
- In another bowl, sift together the 3 cups flour, the 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- In another bowl, combine the 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour.
- Toss the 2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks with the 2 tablespoons flour and add it to the batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake the the cake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Make the orange syrup
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the 1/4 cup granulated sugar with the 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon or brush the orange syrup over the cake. Let the cake cool completely.
Make the ganache (optional)
- If making the ganache, melt the 8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I haven’t made many recipes with an orange and chocolate combination, but I’ve tried other Ina Garten recipes that were good, and this one didn’t disappoint. This Bundt cake is easy to prepare, very moist, and the orange flavor produced by the zest and the addition of the orange sugar glaze was just right. Although the cake is good alone, the addition of the ganache makes for a nice presentation and a really decadent dessert.
The recipe calls for “good” semisweet chocolate chips. I used Nestle’s semisweet chips and think it turned out well, but I am sure “good” chocolate would be even better.
I think these would make some cute cupcakes as well, perhaps I’ll try that next time.
I tested this cake to bring to a friends house for a girls-night dinner and it didn’t disappoint! This cake got rave reviews for its moist and tender crumb, fresh orange flavor, and the hits of chocolate. The orange glaze drizzled over the top really does impart a wonderful flavor component as well as adding to the moistness of this cake. Everyone also agreed that the spattering of chocolate chips in the cake and the drizzle of ganache over the top served to accent the cake nicely, while not overpowering it with a chocolate overload. While this cake may have a number of steps to its final completion, it’s well worth the complements you will receive. We all gave this a thumbs up, and for this group of ladies, that’s true praise indeed.
All the instructions were easy to follow and the only issue I had was that the top was getting very brown at 45 minutes, but was still not done. I tented the top with foil to avoid burning until the cake tested done at 54 minutes. I also don’t own a stand mixer, and don’t have a paddle attachment for my electric hand mixer, so I just used the beater attachments to cream the butter and sugar for 9 minutes until it was very light and fully, and then proceeded with the recipe instructions.
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Excellent!
Cindy, you took the word right our of my very cake-filled mouth!
I have large eggs. How many do you suggest I use instead of the extra large eggs? Thank you.
Hi, Laurel. You can substitute five large eggs for four extra-large eggs. I’m going to change that right now. (Sorry, Ina!)