For the times when we don't want a giant layer cake, using an 8-inch cake pan is the way to go. This is a recipe for Chocolate Orange Cake that makes a single layer cake. Soft, moist chocolate cake with a chocolate orange frosting is the best flavor combination. You can use an 8-inch square brownie pan or an 8-inch round pan--both work great here!
There are so many times in my life when I need a small chocolate cake--is that true for you, too? We should be able to have chocolate cake without making a layer cake! While I do have plenty of small 6-inch cake recipes on this site that are very adorable, I'm sharing a variation of a slightly bigger cake today.
The best news about this recipe is that you can use an 8-inch square pan or an 8-inch round pan! Whatever you have will work for this forgiving, simple chocolate cake. If you only have a 9-inch round pan, that works, but check the cake a few minutes before the suggested time, as it might cook faster.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Orange Cake
- Cake Pans - I don't mean to be so picky, but I notice a big difference between baking with light metal pans versus dark metal pans. I have found that in my electric oven, dark metal pans cook things too quickly! To prevent burning and promote even baking, I reach for these thin aluminum light-metal pans.
- Microplane - This chocolate orange cake relies on lots of orange zest for its flavor. The best way to get zest off of an orange is to use this microplane grater.
The Ingredients
- Butter. We need 6 tablespoons (85 grams) of butter softened at room temperature for the chocolate cake part, and an additional stick of butter (113 grams) for the chocolate orange frosting.
- Brown Sugar. Light or dark brown sugar work equally well here.
- Granulated Sugar. A small amount of white granulated sugar.
- Eggs. We need one whole egg plus one egg yolk for the chocolate orange cake. Reserve the egg white for another recipe (or your morning omelette).
- Orange. One large navel orange is enough for this recipe. We'll use half of the zest in the cake and the other half in the frosting. We'll use 1 tablespoon of the juice in the frosting, too.
- Flour. Standard all-purpose flour that has bee fluffed, scooped into a measuring cup with a spoon and then leveled off with a knife. (Or, use a scale to measure 130 grams of flour).
- Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened, natural cocoa powder that does not contain any sugar.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda. The leaveners for our cake are baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Milk. For baking, I prefer whole milk. I wouldn't substitute a dairy-alternative here, because we need the protein from the milk to make a tender cake. Nut milks lack the same levels of protein as cow's milk. If you have a dairy allergy, check out my vegan chocolate birthday cake.
- Vinegar. Do not skip this! The small amount of vinegar (½ teaspoon) reacts with the baking powder and baking soda to make the cake rise. You can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar. When you stir the vinegar into the milk, it will slightly curdle the milk, and this is fine!
- Powdered Sugar. For the fluffy orange chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Semisweet Chocolate. Entirely optional, but if you want to make the frosting super rich, stir in 2 ounces of melted semisweet chocolate. However, this is optional, and the frosting is delicious even if you don't add it because of the cocoa powder.
The Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F, and spray a 8-inch square or round pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and orange zest, and beat again, just until combined.
Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt evenly over the bowl with the butter mixture. Beat for a few seconds, to start blending it together.
Then, stir the milk and vinegar together in a cup, and then add it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Beat this mixture until no streaks of flour remain, but be careful not to over-mix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, using a toothpick to test for doneness before removing from the oven. If you remove it too early, it will sink as it cools. Let the cake cool completely.
Just before serving, make the frosting: combine the softened butter, orange zest, orange juice, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for a few seconds, and then add the optional melted chocolate. Beat until a soft, creamy frosting forms.
Spread the frosting on the cake. You will enough for the top and the sides, if you like. This is a single layer cake, but if you want to slice it in half and make two layers, you can.
Garnish the cake with orange zest or orange slices and serve.
FAQ: Chocolate Orange Cake
This is a flavor combination that you have to try just once to fall in love. The acidity of the orange is balanced by the acidity in the chocolate, and the sweetness from orange juice rounds out the flavors. Our cake has only orange zest for flavor, but the frosting has orange zest and orange juice.
The best way to keep a chocolate cake moist is to not over-bake it. Beyond that, check your recipe. Look for a recipe that has plenty of sugar (for moisture) and a tenderizing agent, like milk. An extra egg yolk in a cake will also make it more moist. Luckily, my chocolate orange cake recipe has all of these things, so you won't be left with a dry cake.
If a cake has butter in the frosting, then technically, it needs to be stored in the fridge. It can be left out at cool room temperature for up to 3 hours, but overnight storage requires refrigerations. I put toothpicks all over the top of the cake, followed by a layer of plastic wrap on top and slide it in the fridge. For long term storage, slice the cake into serving-size pieces, lay it flat on a piece of wax or parchment paper and freeze until firm. Once the cake pieces are frozen solid, they can be stacked in a freezer bag for longer storage in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Whether you use an 8-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch square pan, you will get about 9 slices of cake out of this recipe. While this serves more than 2 people, it's still much smaller than a traditional 3-layer chocolate birthday cake!
Speaking of birthday cakes, don't miss these:
Chocolate Orange Cake
Easy chocolate orange cake that is moist and single-layer. Use an 8-inch round or square pan!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (145 grams) brown sugar
- 2 TB (25 grams) white sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- Zest of half a large navel orange (~1 teaspoon)
- 1 cup (130 grams) flour
- ½ cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
Chocolate Orange Frosting:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick; 113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon fresh navel orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- ½ cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (168 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a 8-inch square or round pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and orange zest, and beat again until combined.
- Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt evenly over the bowl. Beat for a few seconds, to start blending it together.
- Then, stir the milk and vinegar together in a cup, and then add it to the bowl. Beat just until everything is combined.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, using a toothpick to test for doneness before removing from the oven. If you remove it too early, it will sink as it cools. Let the cake cool completely.
- Just before serving, make the frosting: combine the softened butter, orange zest, orange juice, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer for a few seconds, and then add the melted chocolate.Beat until a soft, creamy frosting forms.
Spread the frosting on the cake, garnish with extra orange zest and serve.
Notes
Cake Pans: You can use an 8-inch round or 8-inch square pan for this recipe. If you only have a 9-inch round pan, it will work, but it will bake a few minutes faster.
Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar work equally well here.
Eggs: We need one whole egg plus one egg yolk for the chocolate orange cake. Reserve the remaining egg white for another recipe.
Orange: One large navel orange is enough for this recipe. We'll use half of the zest in the cake and the other half in the frosting. We'll use about 1 tablespoon of the juice in the frosting, too.
Milk: For baking, I prefer whole milk. I wouldn't substitute a dairy-alternative here, because we need the protein from the milk to make a tender cake. Nut milks lack the same levels of protein as cow's milk. If you have a dairy allergy, check out my vegan chocolate birthday cake.
Vinegar: Do not skip this! The small amount of vinegar (½ teaspoon) reacts with the baking powder and baking soda to make the cake rise. You can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar.
Semisweet Chocolate: To make the frosting super rich, stir in 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate that has been melted and cooled slightly. However, this is entirely optional, and the frosting is delicious even if you don't add it!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
Steve says
I have two concerns here:
1) An 8 inch square pan is roughly the same size as a 9 inch round pan, 25% larger than an 8 inch round pan. Baking time should be adjusted accordingly, as you suggest.
2) Everywhere that I've seen an instruction to add vinegar to milk, it is explicitly stated that you are creating a substitute for buttermilk, and that you should allow it to sit for 10 minutes for the vinegar (or lemon juice) to work it's magic, before it is added to the recipe.
Having said that, I can't wait to try this recipe. (I'll take the extra egg white and make macaroons.)
Christina Lane says
Eh, Steve, I've never waited the 10 minutes for the vinegar.
Also, my baking times are in a range. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
rose says
Would this work in 2 6-inch pans? Baking time?