This Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is the perfect way to celebrate citrus season! It’s deliciously decadent!
Rich and chocolatey and loaded with orange flavor, this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is the perfect, easy recipe for citrus season.
I mean who doesn’t LOVE a bundt? The bundt pan does all the work. The designs are gorgeous and as long as you spray your pan generously with nonstick baking spray with flour (no skimping), you’ll have a showstopper to serve family and friends in no time.
If you guys haven’t noticed from my IG posts, currently I’m down in sunny Naples, Florida. Tom and I decided to head to Naples this winter to get away from the cold. As you probably know if you’re a regular follower here at the BHK, my mother and older sister and her family live in Naples, so it was an easy decision where we’d spend the winter.
And we couldn’t be in a better place to celebrate citrus season this year.
When is orange season in Florida?
The largest quantities of oranges are available in Florida from December to May.
Is Florida known for their oranges?
Yes, oranges are a major part of Florida’s economy. The majority of the citrus fruit grown in the United States comes from Florida.
Of course the first recipe I shared for citrus season had to showcase Florida’s finest, the navel orange.
And this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake will not disappoint my friends! It’s moist and chocolatey and the orange flavor is unmistakable.
I think bundts are the easiest cake to make. It looks like you may have gone to lots of trouble, but in reality most bundts take less than 15 minutes to prep and just about an hour to bake.
The recipe includes some fresh squeezed orange juice as well as some freshly grated orange zest, which lends for a bundt loaded with fabulous orange flavor.
And the chocolate orange combination has always been one of my favorites. If you’ve yet to try it, I suggest you start with this bundt. I bet you’d really love it.
This cake would also be the perfect treat for your special Valentine this year! ♥ Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake Recipe:
I can’t stress enough, spray your bundt pan generously with nonstick baking spray with flour, unless you want to enjoy the cake from the bundt pan.
I used my Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan for today’s recipe. It’s a ten-cup pan and it worked perfectly.
Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tbsp. freshly grated orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously spray a 10-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 separate additions, alternating with the orange juice, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the orange zest.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tapping the bundt pan on the counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted near center of cake comes out mostly clean (just a few crumbs), about 50-55 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let totally cool on a wire rack.
Love making bundt cakes and I especially love the chocolate and orange combo! So delish! Bet a big hunk of this would be amazing with some ice-cream! Pinned :)Have fun in Florida…and blow some warm weather our way, please ;)
Perfect with some ice cream Dawn! I’m sending warm vibes your way!
Oh my goodness!! This is without a doubt, one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. Could not even wait until it was completely cool to eat some. Great recipe.
I am so happy you enjoyed it Carla!! The chocolate orange combination has always been one of my favorites! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Lucky you! There’s nothing better than sunshine, family and fresh citrus! This chocolate orange cake looks divine! I do love that the bundt cake pan makes such and elegant design. This one’s a beauty.
I LOVE this bundt pan Kathy! And that chocolate orange combination has always been a favorite!
I love the design of that bundt pan! And chocolate and orange is one of the best combos ever. I must say, I’m a tad jealous of your time in Florida! I can only dream of warm sunny days with no snow! Enjoy your winter Mary Ann! Pinning!
Isn’t that design just gorgeous Leanne?! I’ll try to send some warm vibes your way Leanne. I know you could use some!
LOL! I absolutely love a good bundt! ;) And great minds must think alike, because I was literally using my bundt pan this past weekend. I’m glad I didn’t tuck it away, because this cake needs to happen in my kitchen! The Mr. would absolutely love this! I mean, is there anything more delicious than chocolate and orange?! Can’t wait to try this!
Aren’t bundts the easiest Chey? Bet Jeremy would love this one! Decadent and refreshing at the same time!
Before we even discuss the cake I have to say OMG that bundt pan! SO BEAUTIFUL! And the cake is pretty dang gorgeous too–it looks delicious! Glad you’re staying warm this winter! Have a great weekend Mary Ann! (Did I use enough exclamation points?!?)
I’m the Queen of !!!!’s. I try to stop, but I can’t. The design of this bundt pan is my favorite Kelsie. It does all the work!
I am all about the citrus right now, so I’ll be sure to add this beautiful bundt to my baking list. Chocolate and orange is always a winning combination in my books :)
Yay! Hope you enjoy it Jennifer.
Orange and chocolate are made for each other! This cake is a thing of beauty (and deliciousness!), Mary Ann.
Thanks so much Marissa! You’re the BEST!
I really, really wish I was in Florida right now too!!! Although I can’t complain TOO much, we’ve only had one cold snap of winter. This bundt is beautiful! Orange and chocolate is such a good combination! Pinning for sure!
Hope you give it a try Katherine! Perfect easy chocolate dessert for citrus season and upcoming Valentine’s Day!
This combination of flavors is such a classic and yet so decadent but seems like it took a lot of work to complete! And using the fresh oranges from Florida, even better!
The oranges here are fabulous Kevin!
Have managed to return home after so many airports’ troubles… feels like home to be here, in your kitchen :-)
Yay! Welcome home Davorka!
This bundt cake looks wonderful, Mary Ann – love the pattern/textured top – so pretty. Chocolate and orange flavor combo is the best – this will be a good cake to make and bring to work! Hope you are having fun in Florida!
Thanks so much Geraldine!
This is a true stunner! Beyond the look of this bundt (wow!), the flavor combination is one of my favorites!! Just delicious! Pinned!
Thanks so much Annie!
Firstly, jealous you are in Florida. Secondly, what a delicious sounding cake. Thirdly, what a beautiful bundt pan!
Thanks Matt! I have to say, I’m really enjoying the Florida weather!
SO much love for bundts, Mare, and this one is absolutely fabulous! I love chocolate and orange… such a treat! You’re so right about bundt pan prep…. nothing like whipping up a beauty only to have half of it stick to the pan when unmolding! Thank you for sharing Mare!
I’m always careful to make sure my bundt pan is generously greased for easy removal! Years past I wasn’t as diligent and I’ve learned from my mistakes!
Think I’m definitely going to make this as mini bundtlets!! So excited :)
Share a photo on IG if you can! Enjoy!
Can i make this in a regular cake pan if i dont have a bundt pan?
Hi Jane. I’ve made this recipe just in a bundt pan, but you can definitely use other size pans. Here is something that should help! https://www.thekitchn.com/can-you-bake-a-bundt-pan-recipe-in-a-regular-pan-236652
Can I make this in a convection oven? I’m in the middle of a kitchen remodel and have no kitchen, BUT I do have a counter-top convection toaster oven that is large enough.
Hi Mary. I haven’t tried it in a convection oven, but here is a link regarding adjusting the time when baking. Hope it helps. https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/convection-cooking-adjustments
I just made this cake and the flavors are divine! I omitted the cinnamon (I wanted the flavor of the orange to shine on its own, but next time I’m going to try it), reduced just a touch of sugar (1 and 3/4 cup), and also added a tsp of espresso powder to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. I also started checking for doneness at 45 min since my oven runs hot. The resulting cake was moist, rich, and intense in flavor without being too sweet. The orange chocolate combo is just so luxurious. Thank you for this recipe! Highly recommend!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Diana! I love the chocolate orange flavor combination too! I’ve got a chocolate chunk orange shortbread cookie on the blog too. You should give the recipe a go! Thanks so much for following the BHK!
I made this cake for a “tea party” with my grandsons today as we have some long-awaited lockdown ease in the Western Cape, South Africa. It was SO delicious! I must add that the bundt pan I have is not a 10-cup pan and perhaps this should be in BIG BOLD letters. Also we use Celsius, so I did the calculation and it seemed a bit cool as normally cakes are baked at 180 degrees C, but after 45 minutes I turned the oven up a bit and it cooked through nicely. OVER the top, which I had to cut off, but upside-down it looked perfect and tasted as my 6-year old grandson Aaron said “delicious”! I made a caramel/orange sauce over the top which was a good match. I used an olive-based spray and cook in the teflon bundt pan, and sprinkled with cocoa.
So happy you gave the recipe a try Jeanne! Glad your grandson approved! That caramel orange sauce sounds heavenly. I may need that recipe!
My 10 year old granddaughter requested a chocolate orange cake for the family birthday dinner. I decided to make this one cause it seemed very simple. The cake was made by my 10 year old granddaughter, 7 year old grandson and myself. It was simple to make, the combination of chocolate and orange was really good. Will be making this again, but was wondering what your thoughts are with making cupcakes with your recipe. We made a chocolate ganache and decorated with orange peel plus the number 10 for her birthday. Thanks for another great recipe.
So happy you and the grandkids made it together Linda! And that you all enjoyed it. I think it could work as cupcakes. I would experiment and fill a few just 1/2 full and bake at about 350 until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let me know if you give it a try! I’d love to share your results.
Great recipe! I followed the recipe exactly except I only had two oranges and was short 1/4 cup of juice. I subbed in 1/4 cup bourbon. Worked great, couldn’t taste the bourbon and the cake’s texture came out perfect. You could totally dust this with powdered sugar, ice, or glaze it, but it really doesn’t need it. I enjoyed the richness of the flavor without it seeming too sweet. Very moist. I have this exact Nordic ware pan too, and this was my first time using it. Perfection! And follow the instructions to use a baking spray with flour and make sure to let it cool ten min before trying to turn it out of the pan. If you do that it should pop right out!
So happy you tried the recipe and enjoyed it Lesie! Thanks for leaving a comment and for following along here at the beach house!
Hi. I’m trying to make this cake at the moment and failing.
The US measurements don’t help (!) but can it really be 2 cups of sugar to one 1 cup of butter?
When I try to mix that I get a thick dough rather than anything resembling light and fluffy!!
Also – is Baking soda what we Iin the UK) call baking powder or is it bicarbonate of soda!!
So many questions…!
It looks amazing though and I really want to make it!
Hi Mark. Yes, it is two cups of sugar and one cup butter and it turns out perfectly. Not overly sweet in my opinion and several readers have made it and loved it. Don’t use baking powder. It’s baking soda/bicarbonate of soda. The batter is a bit thicker, but don’t worry!
Tasty but too dry. How can I moisten it next time?
Hi Carol. I have several people who have made this cake and it’s turned out perfectly, so the only thing I can think of is, to make sure you are measuring your flour and cocoa powder correctly. DO NOT scoop from your jar or bag. Spoon into your measuring cups and level off with a knife. If you don’t measure this way you will be packing your flour and adding over the amount cited and thus have a dry cake. Also make sure you are using large eggs. Give it another go because this one’s a favorite!
Hey, I want to make this for Xmas day as an alternative to Xmas pud. Can I make a couple of days before? Or even freeze in advance? What do u think? I’m in the uk too, so hoping I can convert everything correctly! Looks Delicious can’t wait to give it a go x
Hi Heidi. Yes, you can make the cake ahead. Once the cake has cooled, cover it and refrigerate for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze the cake and then allow to thaw overnight in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
I was just wondering if this cake recipe would work with individual mini Bundt pans? I saw you did a mini gingerbread Bundt cakes recipe a and I thought they looked cute, so I wanted to try it with this recipe. I’m thinking to make the amount I need (which is around 15-20) I would need to double the recipe? or at least make 1 1/2 of this recipe?
This recipe would definitely work in a mini bundt pan Lucy. It all depends on the size of each of the mini bundt wells. The recipe for my gingerbread mini bundts made 12 minis. I use a 10-cup bundt pan to make the Chocolate Orange bundt and you only fill each mini about 3/4 full, so you may have enough for 15 or so without making more. You will also need to cut down your baking time. Let me know!
Thank you for the great recipe. Just wanted to let you know that California out produces Florida in citrus fruits. Also 90% of the nuts grown in the United States come from California. I’m going to give credit to my farmland as do.
You’re welcome Michael!
Love it! It’s a keeper. Thank you
o happy you enjoy it Angela! The chocolate orange combo has always been one of my favorites!
I’ve got a beautiful bundt pad and would like to try this recipe for Christmas. Can a drip frosting or glaze be added? How would you decorate?
Hi Mary Ann. You could either dust with confectioners’ sugar or perhaps do an orange flavored glaze. I would use 1 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice. Enjoy!
I just baked this cake yesterday and I have to admit that the flavor is amazing! However I’m not sure what I did because the cake turned out very dense and I noticed that my batter was almost at the top of my Bundt pan. Maybe my pan wasn’t tall enough? Ok I did overbake by 5 min too. Otherwise I did very carefully measure my ingredients but not sure what I did to produce a hard, dense cake? Any suggestions please?
Hey Tatiana. Just make sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling off with a knife. Definitely make sure you’re using a 10-cup bundt pan also. I test my bundt 5 minutes or so before the time because everyone’s oven is a bit different.
I don’t have a stand mixer but I’m sure I can make my handheld mixer work. I also have a 12 cup Bundt pan so does that mean I need to buy a smaller one?
Hi Christina! A hand held mixer will work fine. No, you don’t need to buy a smaller one. Your cake will just be a smidge less tall. Enjoy!
I’ve had this recipe for ages and finally made it today! Very very delicious and also somehow very light? We love it! Just to mix it up, next time I will add chocolate chips and some kind of orange flavored icing. This cake is do good and so versatile! Great recipe.
So happy to hear that you enjoy it Jill! I’ve always loved the chocolate/orange flavor combination! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!