As a maker of Decadent Desserts, I paired an ultra-moist dark chocolate cake infused with blood orange juice with blood orange buttercream, glossy dark chocolate ganache and candied orange slices to create a surprising cake that begs a closer look.

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I can’t stop thinking about this Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Cake from Baran Bakery. I can’t help it, the idea of Dutch process cocoa powder meeting bright blood orange juice just won’t leave me alone.

It reads like a Gateaux Cake and borrows a bit from Decadent Desserts, so you’re left guessing if it’s elegantly formal or totally craveable. The thought of that bitter cocoa with a citrus cut makes me want a slice right now, even though I know its meant to be savored.

Maybe thats the point, right? Curiosity wins every time.

Ingredients

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Blood oranges: Bright, tart citrus adds acidity and fragrant oils, vitamin C, floral bitter notes.
Dark chocolate: Deep cocoa richness, some antioxidants, adds bitter sweet flavor and moist texture.
Dutch process cocoa: Processed for smooth, mellow chocolate flavor, less acidic, helps rich color.
Butter: Creates silky rich mouthfeel, provides fat for structure, adds slight dairy sweetness.
Sugar: Sweetens, contributes bulk and tender crumb but offers little nutrition beyond calories.
Eggs: Bind and leaven, add protein, help moisture and structure, makes cake stable.
Flour: Protein gives gluten, builds crumb, provides carbs for energy, can make dense.
Coffee: Hot brewed coffee intensifies chocolate notes, adds bitter depth without sweetening.

Ingredient Quantities

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (for cake)

3/4 cup (75 g) Dutch process cocoa powder

2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp fine salt

2 large eggs

1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup (120 ml) blood orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 tbsp blood orange zest

1/2 cup (120 ml) hot strong brewed coffee

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 oz (115 g) dark chocolate, chopped and melted (for cake)

1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, room temp (for buttercream)

4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar

1/3 cup (80 ml) blood orange juice (for buttercream)

1 tbsp blood orange zest (for buttercream)

pinch fine salt

1-2 tbsp heavy cream, optional (for buttercream)

8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped (for ganache)

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream (for ganache)

1 tbsp unsalted butter, optional (for shine on ganache)

2 large blood oranges, thinly sliced (for candying and garnish)

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar (for candying)

1 cup (240 ml) water (for candying)

flaky sea salt, for finishing, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment, dust lightly with cocoa. In a large bowl sift together 2 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp fine salt.

2. In another bowl whisk 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup fresh blood orange juice, 2 tbsp blood orange zest and 1 tsp vanilla until blended. Stir in 4 oz melted dark chocolate. Pour wet into dry and mix just until combined, dont over mix.

3. Stir in 1/2 cup hot strong brewed coffee to thin the batter a bit, it should be pourable. Divide batter between pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to a rack to cool completely.

4. While cakes bake candy the orange slices. In a wide shallow pan combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water, heat until sugar dissolves. Add thin slices from 2 blood oranges and simmer gently 15 to 20 minutes until slices turn translucent. Transfer slices to a wire rack to dry several hours or dry in a 200°F (95°C) oven for about 1 hour, flip once. Reserve syrup to brush on layers if you want extra moisture.

5. Make blood orange buttercream: beat 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature until pale. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar while mixing on low. Add 1/3 cup blood orange juice, 1 tbsp blood orange zest and a pinch of fine salt, then beat until smooth and fluffy. If it seems too stiff add 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream, if too soft add a little more powdered sugar. Taste and adjust, its okay if its slightly tangy.

6. Make ganache: place 8 oz finely chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream just to a simmer and pour over chocolate, let sit 2 minutes then stir until glossy and smooth. Stir in 1 tbsp unsalted butter for extra shine if you want. Let cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.

7. Level cake tops if needed. If you reserved syrup brush a little on each layer. Place first layer on your cake board, spread a generous layer of buttercream, top with second layer. Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream all over the cake and chill 15 to 20 minutes to set.

8. Apply final coat of buttercream and smooth as best you can, chill briefly so the surface firms. Pour ganache over the center and nudge it toward the edges so it drips down naturally, use a spatula to smooth the top if needed.

9. Arrange candied blood orange slices on top, sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt if you like that contrast. Chill until ganache sets then bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving so the flavors open up.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)

2. Two 8 inch round cake pans, parchment paper and a little extra cocoa for dusting

3. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like to be exact

4. Large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl and a fine mesh sieve or sifter

5. Whisk, rubber spatula and an offset spatula for frosting

6. Electric mixer or stand mixer for the buttercream, or a strong arm and a hand whisk if you want to keep it old school

7. Wide shallow saucepan for candying oranges and a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer slices

8. Heatproof bowl for ganache (or a double boiler set up), small saucepan to warm cream, and a serrated knife plus cooling rack for leveling and cooling

FAQ

Can I swap regular natural cocoa for the Dutch process cocoa called for? Answer: Yes you can, but natural cocoa is acidic so it reacts with baking soda. Cut the baking soda by about 1/4 tsp or the cake might over rise and taste a little off. The color may be lighter too. If you want the exact flavor and color in the recipe stick with Dutch process.

How do I candy the blood orange slices without them falling apart? Answer: Slice evenly about 1 8 inch thick, simmer in a 1 cup sugar plus 1 cup water syrup on very low heat until translucent 30 to 60 minutes, flip occasionally. Dont boil hard, that makes them mushy. Drain on a rack and let dry a few hours, then store airtight on parchment.

My melted chocolate seized, what now? Answer: Stop heating, add a spoon of warm cream or a little melted butter and stir gently until it smooths out. Next time melt slow in a double boiler or microwave in 20 to 30 sec bursts stirring between each. Keep any steam or water away from the chocolate.

Buttercream is too thin or too stiff what should I do? Answer: If its thin chill it 10 to 20 minutes then whip again or add a bit more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. If its too stiff add a teaspoon of blood orange juice or heavy cream at a time and beat until soft. Add liquid slowly so it wont break, and remember room temp butter whips smoother.

Can I make the cake ahead and how do I store it? Answer: Yes. Bake layers up to 2 days ahead and wrap tightly in plastic then keep in fridge. You can freeze wrapped layers up to 3 months. Once frosted with buttercream and ganache keep refrigerated if not serving the same day because of the orange juice in the filling. Bring to room temp before serving so the flavors open.

How do I get a bold blood orange flavor without making the buttercream runny? Answer: Use lots of zest not just juice, zest has the oils and gives the strongest flavor. For the buttercream use the 1 3 cup juice in the recipe but add zest and if you want extra punch simmer the juice down to concentrate it then cool before adding. Add any extra liquid slowly so the buttercream stays stable.

Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Buttermilk → 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, sit 5 minutes till it thickens. Works 1:1, you’ll get the same tang and lift.
Vegetable oil → use equal amount of refined coconut oil or light olive oil, 1:1. You can swap with melted unsalted butter too but cake may be a bit firmer.
Dutch-process cocoa → substitute with natural unsweetened cocoa powder 1:1. Because the batter has buttermilk and baking soda it will still behave, expect a slightly brighter chocolate note.
Heavy cream (ganache) → full fat canned coconut milk 1:1 for dairy free, or use evaporated milk for a lighter ganache though it’ll set softer.

Pro Tips

1. Weigh everything if you can. Cups lie, scales dont. Even a little extra flour makes the cake dry so spoon and level if you dont have a scale.

2. Let melted chocolate cool to just warm before you stir it into the egg mixture, or it can start cooking the eggs and make the batter weird. Same with the hot coffee, add it last and fold gently so you dont overmix.

3. Candy the orange slices thin and keep them in a single layer while they dry, flip once. Save the syrup and reduce a bit on the stove to brush on the layers for extra moistness, not too much or the cake will get soggy.

4. Beat the butter until really pale before adding the powdered sugar for the buttercream, and add the blood orange juice slowly. If the buttercream looks curdled, chill briefly then beat it again, that fixes it most times.

5. Chill the crumb coat before you pour the ganache so the glaze wont run everywhere. Let the ganache cool until just pourable, warm ganache will melt the buttercream and cold ganache wont drip nicely.

Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

720

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)