Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake recipe is simple, moist, orange flavored bundt cake, filled with chopped chocolate, covered with glaze, drizzle or ganache. A wonderful dessert that you really have to try to see how delicious this cake really is!

Chocolate Orange Cake

I can’t decide what my favorite part of this cake is. There are just too many things to list! Not only is it easy to make it freeze beautifully too and cakes don’t get better than that!

This is a beautiful, moist orange flavored cake, filled with chopped chocolate and covered in an orange drizzle, chocolate ganache, cream cheese or vanilla glaze. As always, the choice is up to you.

For the record, the cake pictured is covered in an orange icing or drizzle, just the way grandma used to make it.

My grandmother used to switch between white or dark chopped semi-sweet chocolate inside this amazing cake. The white chocolate looks better I think but they both taste exactly the same and that is the important part!

Orange Bundt Cake Recipe

The icing or drizzle on my Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake is divine. I love the orange flavor and so will you. It finishes off this cake in such a fabulous way.

That being said, for those of you that follow this blog you know I will always include other glaze options! Just in case you want to switch things up once and awhile!

My grandmother used to make this cake regularly, mostly because I enjoyed it so much I am sure! I think this chocolate orange cake is perfect for any time of the year, especially holidays or special occasions!

Orange Cake with Chocolate Glaze

I remember these chocolate orange treats that she used to buy around Christmas time. This came in a box and the chocolate was shaped and looked like an orange, peel and all.

These chocolate orange slices were wonderful and are still available today. I still purchase one every once and a while but more often than not I just make this orange chocolate cake.

Same flavors in cake form with any glaze I feel like at the time, even though I usually make the thin orange glaze she used to. This chocolate orange bundt cake recipe is a definite keeper!

Moist Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

Our chocolate orange drizzle cake is supermoist and perfect for any event, big or small. What would be the point of including a simple orange chocolate cake recipe that was dry?

We make this soft, light cake all year long even though this recipe is most popular over the holidays. Whether you make this orange cake with chocolate ganache, orange drizzle, cream cheese glaze or vanilla or orange glaze you will not be disappointed!

Simple Orange Chocolate Cake Recipe

I think everyone needs an orange chocolate cake recipe in their pocket. This cake is delightfully different and a refreshing dessert to end any type of gathering.

Everyone makes chocolate, vanilla or common flavored cakes but it is nice to have a different kind of cake every once and a while as a surprise of sorts.

No was has ever been able to guess the flavor of this cake until they tried it and it is always a pleasant surprise!

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake is one of my favorite bundt cakes of all time, due to the amazing flavors and for sentimental reasons of course.

Along with our other incredible bundt cakes you will have enough bundt cake recipes for any possible occasion or event that could and will arise.

You can never have too many and wait until you check out all of the different glazes you can use. I am sure you will be like me and love them all in one way or another, depending on your mood or cravings at the time!

Best Bundt Cake Recipes

The Best Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Red Velvet Swirl Bundt Cake

Easy Vanilla Bundt Cake

Grandma’s Cookie Cake

Ingredients in Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake

butter
sugar
eggs
orange juice
orange zest
flour
baking powder
white chocolate

Icing

icing or powdered sugar
orange juice

How to Make Chocolate Orange Drizzle Cake

Using a handheld or stand mixer combine butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.

Next, add orange zest and juice.

Add baking powder and then flour.

Gently fold in your chopped chocolate.

Pour batter into your prepared bundt pan.

Bake until cake is light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in the bundt pan for about 10 minutes.

Next, remove cake from pan and place on a serving plate. I usually sprinkle a little sugar on the plate although this is not necessary.

Now you need to grab a small bowl and combine powdered or icing sugar and orange juice to make your Orange Drizzle.

Whisk until icing is not lumpy.

Drizzle icing over top of the cool cake and serve.

How to Glaze a Bundt Cake

I use a good sized resealable bag, add your glaze mixture to it and press it into one corner. Cut the tip off of that corner leaving an opening of about ¾ of an inch.

Hold bag above your totally cooled bundt cake and squeeze all of the thick glaze out slowly, at a steady pace, on to the middle of your cake, going around in a circle, trying not to stop, if possible.

As soon as you get back to where you began just continue on until your bag is empty or you believe you have enough glaze on your cake.

You need your glaze to be thick, yet easily stirred, as you want it to slowly run down the sides of your totally cooled cake while turning your plate or cake stand by hand, especially if you are like me and don't own a turntable.

If you want the glaze to run down a specific side of the cake, depending on your cakes pattern, just stop circling with your glaze for a quick moment, add a bit extra glaze and then keep on going in your circle pattern.

The glaze will be piled up high but do not worry. Next, take the plate or stand supporting your cake and give it a shake up and down to settle the glaze. Lean the cake from one side to the other and the glaze will start to settle and slowly run down the sides of your cake.

Add any decorations you want to at this time while your glaze is still wet. and allow the glaze to set and stiffen for at least an hour before serving.

Orange Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate glaze or sometimes known as ganache is very easy to make.

½ cup heavy cream, heated
1 cup chocolate chips

Make chocolate glaze by whisking together chocolate chips and heated, simmering heavy cream until thick and smooth. Pour over your cake, then add decorations if desired. Let icing set and stiffen, then serve as desired.

Vanilla or Orange Bundt Cake Glaze

In my opinion the perfect glaze for a bundt cake is chocolate but I still have the need to know vanilla because the rest of my family loves vanilla!

1 cup powdered or icing sugar
3-5 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla or orange extract

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine until totally smooth. If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. If the mixture is too thick, add more cream, a tablespoon or two at a time.

Cream Cheese Glaze

4 oz cream cheese
¼ cup butter
2 cups powdered/icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or orange extract
1 tablespoon milk

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, extract, and milk until smooth.

Pour out over your cake, and shake gently from side to side to ensure the glaze drips down.

What's the BEST kind of Bundt Cake pan to buy?

You are always smart to buy a nonstick cake pan of any shape or size, there are so many out there now for you to choose from! You don't have to spend a lot of money on a pan but I wouldn't buy the cheapest out there either! I like this Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Bakeware Fluted Cake Pan and this Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Heritage Bundt Pan I bought recently because I loved the shape. Different and definitely spectacular looking!

There are so many to choose from that are perfect for everything, all holidays and every occasion you can think of. Some are so amazing you hate to start to decorate them!

If you have a minute, have a look at this Nordic Ware Blossom Bundt Pan and this Nordic Ware Brilliance Bundt Pan. Both would create such an amazing looking bundt cake that you might not want to even slice it.

There are so many more different shapes to choose from, it's just amazing. I won't bore you with showing you any more of them. I am sure you can search for them yourself if you are interested in checking them out.

How do you prevent your cake from sticking to the bundt pan?

Bundt cakes have a reputation for sticking to the inside of the pan they were baked in. Non stick pans do work but as they age become much less reliable, even if properly taken care of.

Using shortening and then flour, NOT butter, will reduce the possibility of damaging your cake while attempting to remove it from the pan. Believe it or not but, butter can make the cake stick and sometimes act as an adhesive between the cake and the bundt pan.

Regardless, by thoroughly greasing and then flouring your pan you will eliminate any potential disasters or headaches with your cake.

I love using a pan coating product like Wilton’s Cake Release or if you want to buy 2 at a time like I do, have a look here. This product is incredible and so helpful to have around.

That being said, you can also easily make your own non-stick by using EQUAL parts of all purpose flour, vegetable shortening and vegetable oil. It is shelf stable and works great!

You don't even need to make a big batch. For example, in this recipe, a few tablespoons of each ingredient, blended together and you will likely have only a little leftover, if any.

Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake

Grandma's Chocolate Orange Cake recipe is simple, moist, orange flavored bundt cake, filled with chopped chocolate, covered with glaze, drizzle or ganache.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Equipment

bundt pan