There are some cakes that look like they took hours to make, but are actually wonderfully simple, and this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is one of them.
With its beautiful shape, rich chocolate flavour and silky orange milk chocolate ganache dripping down the sides, this is the kind of cake that will have everyone asking where you bought it… and then asking for the recipe when you tell them you made it yourself!
The best part? Despite looking like a real showstopper, this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is incredibly easy to make. There’s no stand mixer, no complicated decorating and no fancy equipment required. Just a mixing bowl, a bundt tin and a few simple ingredients.
The cake itself is moist, rich and chocolatey, with a lovely hint of orange running through it. It’s then finished with a silky milk chocolate ganache infused with orange, which takes it from a simple chocolate cake to something really special.
I originally created this recipe as a festive bake for Christmas, but honestly, chocolate and orange is far too good a combination to save for just one time of year! This is a beautiful cake for birthdays, afternoon tea, celebrations, taking to a friend’s house, or simply making because you feel like eating cake.
It slices beautifully, looks incredibly impressive on the table and is pure chocolate orange comfort in every bite.
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake
- It looks impressive but is easy to make. The bundt tin does most of the hard work for you!
- No stand mixer required. Everything can be made with a simple mixing bowl.
- It’s wonderfully moist and indulgent.
- Chocolate and orange are the ultimate flavour combination.
- The silky milk chocolate ganache makes it feel extra special.
- Perfect for any occasion (or no occasion at all)
This is one of those reliable recipes to keep up your sleeve when you want to bring something that looks a little bit fancy without spending all day in the kitchen.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! The coffee helps deepen and enhance the chocolate flavour, but it won’t make the cake taste like coffee. If you’d prefer not to use it, you can replace the coffee with the same amount of hot water.
Absolutely. Mix 2 teaspoons of instant coffee with 240g of boiling water and use this in the recipe. The hot coffee helps bloom the cocoa powder and creates a richer, more intense chocolate flavou
No! The coffee is there to enhance the flavour of the cocoa rather than make the cake taste like coffee. It helps create a deeper, richer chocolate flavour.
I used a 24cm bundt tin (cake ring) for this recipe. Make sure to grease your bundt tin well with butter or oil to help the cake release easily after baking. The bundt tin that I have is this Prestige Heavy Gauge Fluted Cake Ring 24cm from Briscoes
Make sure you grease every part of the bundt tin really well, including all the grooves and details. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for around 15 minutes before carefully flipping it onto a plate or cake stand.
I always use Whittaker’s chocolate in my baking, and it works beautifully in this ganache. I recommend using a good-quality milk chocolate, as the flavour really shines through in the finished ganache.
Yes! This is one of those cakes that tastes just as good (if not better) the next day!
Yes! I recommend freezing the undecorated cake rather than the finished cake. Allow it to cool completely, wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, then make the ganache and decorate before serving.
Storage:
The best way to store this Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake is in an airtight container at room temperature. In particularly hot months of the year, I will store the cake in the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 mins before serving.
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Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- 24cm bundt cake tin (cake ring tin)
Ingredients
Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake
- 100 g cocoa powder
- 240 g hot strong coffee I used 2 double shots of espresso and boiling water but you could mix 2 teaspoons of instant coffee in 240g of boiling water.
- 120 g neutral oil vegetable or canola
- zest of 2 oranges
- 400 g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 200 g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g plain yoghurt
- 1 tsp salt
Chocolate Orange Ganache
- 200 g good quality milk chocolate
- 100 g cream
- zest of half an orange (reserve rest for decorating)
To Assemble
- 50 g good quality milk chocolate
- zest of half an orange
Instructions
Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan bake). Generously grease a 24cm bundt tin (cake ring) with butter or oil.
- In a mixing bowl, start by whisking together the hot coffee and cocoa powder until it is silky and glossy. Allow to cool to room temperature (5-10 mins)
- Whisk in the orange zest, oil, sugar and eggs until combined and glossy.
- Sieve in the baking soda, baking powder, salt and plain flour and mix until just combined. Finally fold in the yogurt and pour the cake batter into the bundt tin. Tap the tin on the side of your bench a few times to allow any air bubbles to release.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is beautifully cooked, it should spring back when you press on the top. Pop a skewer/knife into the middle, if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs it is ready. Allow to cool for 10-20 minutes in the tin then flip the cake out onto a plate or cake stand and allow to cool fully.
Orange Chocolate Ganache
- Roughly chop the chocolate and place into a bowl. The smaller you cut your chocolate the better. Place a sieve over the bowl ready for straining the cream.
- Add the cream and orange zest into a small pot over a medium heat. Heat the orange cream while gently stirring until it is piping hot but not quite boiling. Pour the cream into the chocolate, straining to remove the orange zest. Allow the hot mixture to sit for 2 minutes then stir with a wooden spoon or spatular until all the chocolate has melted and the ganache is glossy and smooth.
- Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature then pour it into a piping bag ready to decorate. If you don’t have a piping bag you could use a zip lock bag or just spoon the ganache onto the cake. A piping bag makes it easier to control the ganache but is in no way crucial for decorating!
To Assemble
- Snip a good 1cm off the end of your piping bag. Using a backwards and forwards motion, pipe the ganache onto the bundt cake to create a drippy effect.
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate shavings all over the cake then finally sprinkle with orange zest. Best enjoyed at room temperature.
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