Nigella's gorgeous gluten-free chocolate orange cake is smothered in a rich chocolate ganache and decorated with mouthwatering chocolate orange segments.
Chocolate Orange Cake....what is there not to love?
According to one study, melting chocolate in your mouth is results in more of an increase in heart rate and brain activity than passionate kissing.
Other research suggests that it can have a number of positive health effects including lowering blood pressure, can boost your memory and even increase your sex drive. Sign me up!
So, for this fortnight's Cookbook challenge, with the theme of Love, I decided to make Nigella Lawson's Gluten Free Chocolate Orange cake.
Making Chocolate Orange Cake
This chocolate orange cake recipe is deliciously moist, thanks to the almond meal (making it gluten free too), 2 whole oranges (yes, whole oranges) and 6 eggs.
Nigella's flourless chocolate orange cake is also supremely easy to make as it's all done in the food processor. Yay for simple cakes!
I then decorated the cake with a chocolate orange glaze and surrounded the cake with Orange D'Anvers segments. Similar to these - if you want to give it a try!
If this sounds amazing - be sure to check out these chocolate orange cookies too!
One bite of this Chocolate Orange Cake and you will fall in love.
And while I haven't tried to make a vegan version of this cake yet, I bet it would be pretty simple by substituting applesauce and flax eggs for the eggs and coconut cream for the cream.
(If you want to give that a try - be sure to grab a copy of my printable vegan baking cheat sheet. It's packed with handy substitutions for recipes like this!)
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large orange, or 2 small, weighing approximately 375g
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, heaped
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups ground almonds, or almond flour
- 1 cup caster sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder, good quality
CHOCOLATE ORANGE GLAZE
- 6 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon Cointreau
FOR DECORATING (OPTIONAL)
- chocolate orange segment candies
Instructions
- Put the oranges in a saucepan with cold water and bring to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering for 2 hours, or until soft. Drain the water and set aside to cool. When cool, cut the oranges in half and remove any large pips.
- Grease an 8" (20 cm) springform pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (80 Celsius).
- Pulp the orange in a food processor before adding the eggs, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, almonds, sugar and cocoa and processing until you have a smooth batter- but still flecked with orange.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 1 hour. Check the cake after 45 minutes as you may need to cover it with foil to prevent burning before the cake is cooked through.
- Let the cake cool in the tin before removing.
- For the glaze, chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling and then pour over the chocolate pieces. Let it stand for 5 minutes before stirring until smooth. Let it stand for 10 minutes before decorating the cake with the optional chocolate orange slices.
Prerna@IndianSimmer says
Oh gosh, that looks SO good! If I could I would marry Nigella 🙂 Love all her recipes and this ones exceptional!
delicieux says
While I wouldn't go so far as to say I'd marry Nigella 😉 , I do agree her recipes are always fantastic. I definitely wouldn't say no if I was invited to a dinner party she was throwing!
Trudy~Veggie num num says
Oh my!! This looks so chocolaty and so deliciously orange-y!! I love the combo of choc and orange and this beautiful rich cakes looks super amazing!! My recent post A Vegan Sandwich Project and Veggie num num’s Crispy Drunken notChicken Baguette
delicieux says
Thanks Trudy. 😀 The cake was a wonderful combination of chocolate and orange, and not that fake orange flavour. A wonderfully fresh orange. I will definitely make it again, not only because it's amazingly delicious (it would be superb at a dinner party), but because it's super easy too.
Cookie says
OMG this looks soooo amazing. The decoration with the chocolate slices was genius!
delicieux says
Thanks Cookie 😀 I couldn't think of how to decorate the cake and then remembered I had some chocolate orange segments in the pantry. It was a perfect way to use them as I'd almost forgotten about them.
Iron Chef Shellie says
EXCUSE ME!!! How freakin awesome does this cake look!?!? you can send me a slice stat 😛 My recent post Banana & Butterscotch Muffins
delicieux says
Thanks Shellie. 😀 I would send you some, but I think it would get a bit mushed up in the mail. You will just have to make your own. Trust me, it's delicious!
leigh says
Your photography is beautiful and the cake looks gorgeous. I love the orange/chocolate combination.
delicieux says
Thank you so much Leigh. 😀 I love chocolate and orange together too....it's a perfect match.
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350 says
So smart! I have a couple of those chocolate oranges that were given to me as gifts over Christmas - what a genius idea to use them to decorate a cake. (Especially since I'm not the most skilled froster in the world.) I'll have to try this out!
JohannaGGG says
Oh this looks so decadent - I love orange and chocolate - have made a similar cake without chocolate but doesn't it all taste better with chocolate (and a little tip I discovered when I made the orange almond cake was that you can microwave the oranges in far less time than it takes to boil them) My recent post Earl Grey cupcakes and nutritous ganache
delicieux says
Thanks for the microwave tip Johanna! I'll try that next time 😀
Fitter Than Choc says
This is such a beautiful cake. Orange and chocolate goes so well together, and I love the Orange D’Anvers segments on this cake. it gives the cake such a nice finishing touch:) I was actually trying to read off the words on those little segments. Even though I probably can't eat this, I'd still enjoy admiring this cake! My recent post My Half Marathon Training Plan
delicieux says
Thanks Fitter Than Choc 😀 The words on the segments say 'Truffle D'Anvers'. I love Anvers chocolates. Every time I go home to Tasmania I have to go there, not only for their yummy chocolates, but also for their delicious lunches too.
@fitterthanchoc says
I will keep this in mind, and get some of these if I ever go to Tasmania:) My recent post National Peanut Butter Lovers Day PB & Choc Oatmeal Balls
Ellie says
Beautifully decorated chocolate orange cake. Love the glossy look.
delicieux says
Thanks Ellie. I love the glossiness too.
MaryMoh says
Orange and chocolate is such a great combination. I love this cake. Bookmarking it to try. Thanks very much for sharing. My recent post Classy Indonesian Layer Cake Kek Lapis
Not Quite Nigella says
Jennifer that looks gorgeous! I love how you used chocolates to decorate the sides too! 🙂 My recent post Win 1 of 3 Ecofy Organic Seasonal Fruit & Vegetable Boxes!
Taz says
yum, this sounds delicious. Cakes with oranges cooked this way are always fantastic! My recent post Lemon Madeleines with Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam
delicieux says
Thanks for your comments Taz and thanks for visiting 😀
Kay says
This may be a silly question, but do you peel the oranges before boiling them or leave the peel on? The cake looks lovely and I'm looking forward to trying it!
delicieux says
Hi Kay, it's not a silly question at all. 😀 But yes, you do leave the peel on. The oranges are boiled whole.
Wendi says
Chocolate and orange is such a perfect combination. That's one fine looking cake.
delicieux says
Thank you so much Wendi 😀
delicieux says
Nigella's creations are wonderful. You can tell she is clearly passionate about food.
queenotisblue says
OMG! That looks seriously good. And no wheat flour - bonus! (I can't eat wheat). I am going to try this when I get back home. Classic flavour combination and I love the use of the choc orange segments. Inspiring
delicieux says
Thanks for your comments. 🙂 Let me know what you thought of the cake when you get a chance to make it 😀
Stephanie says
Your cake looks gorgeous! Plus it sounds delicious and so easy to make (not to mention not too unhealthy for a cake). And I will take any excuse to eat more chocolate so I appreciate the research findings 🙂 My recent post Limoncello & Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
rfr says
are these like Terry's orange segments? I love those!!! My recent post Video- Sneaky Macaroni Mac n Cheese Recipe
delicieux says
Yes, they are exactly like Terry's orange segments. They're delicious 😀
pearlsandprose says
Oh my, this looks divine. You've decorated it beautifully too! My recent post Collage
@foodieandchef says
This looks absolutely heavenly, I'm a huge choc-orange fan... I love cakes that use whole oranges. Beautiful photos. My recent post banoffee pie eater discretion advised
Sylvie @ GITK says
I believe it, chocolate does have a strange powerful effect on me! And hey if it's for my health then I'm obligated to indulge right? My recent post string bean and pea pasta with spinach pesto in search of green
delicieux says
Thank you 😀