Perfect for layering, this dark chocolate orange cake is rich and slightly dense. Topped with chocolate orange frosting, it's an excellent winter cake.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Spray two 8-inch (20-cm) round cake tins with baking spray. Line the tins with parchment paper and set aside.
Warm the milk to a low simmer in a small pot set over medium-low heat. While the milk is heating, finely chop the chocolate. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and pour over the hot milk. Let sit for one minute, then whisk smooth. Set aside.
1 cup whole milk, 2 ounces dark chocolate
Add the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the chocolate milk and mix again.
1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest the entire orange directly into a medium mixing bowl, being careful not to include the white pith. Add the cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
1 medium Navel orange, 2 ½ cups cake flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
Add the flour mixture to the bowl. Mix the batter together on low speed until just combined. The batter will be quite lumpy. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake tins.
Place the cakes in the preheated oven and bake for 30-33 minutes at 350ºF (180ºC) or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out of the tins to cool completely. Layer and decorate however you like.
Notes
The layers aren’t tall and fluffy. This is a more dense dark chocolate cake.Brush each cake layer with orange liqueur before decorating for an extra special touch.