Eggless Chocolate Orange Cake

This eggless chocolate orange cake with chunks of chocolate, an orange zest flavoured chocolate cake topped with a zesty chocolate drizzle made with fresh orange juice is one of my all time favourite cake. I hope it will become yours too.

From the classic lemon drizzle cake, to the zesty lime drizzle cake, and pumpkin muffins with an orange drizzle, I love adding a citrus syrup over a cake. This chocolate orange drizzle cake is based on a classic chocolate loaf cake that I have been baking for years. I adore the pairing of orange and chocolate, this chocolate orange cake is one of my favourite cakes to bake, and these chocolate orange cupcakes are ideal if you want birthday cupcakes or ones to take to a bake sale.

Why we love this recipe

• This egg free chocolate cake is a simple recipe: melt, mix and bake. It’s one of those cake recipes that is so satisfying to make.
• Being an eggless chocolate cake, like my eggless banana bread it is suitable for those on an egg free diet.
• This chocolate cake stays moist for days in the tin after it is made and freezes well too.
• The classic pairing of chocolate and orange flavour runs throughout the cake, from the chocolate cake made with orange zest, to the orange drizzle made with both fresh orange juice and orange zest that’s drizzled over chunks of chocolate.
• It’s a cake that is a delicious and easy chocolate cake recipe for morning or afternoon tea, but it looks impressive enough to serve as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh berries.
• The cake transports well, making it a useful cake for bake sales, picnics and any other occasion you are asked to take a cake. 

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Flour – plain flour or all purpose flour. See note in the ‘My recipe tips’ section below if wanting to use self raising flour in this recipe.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch cocoa or natural cocoa powder.
• Granulated sugar – white sugar – for both the cake and to make the orange drizzle.
• Fresh orange – you really need a fresh orange to make this drizzle cake recipe. The orange zest is mixed in to the chocolate cake batter, and then the fresh orange juice is used to make the orange syrup which is then poured over the warm cake. Orange essence or extract just wouldn’t be the same.
• Butter – unsalted butter. I have also made this cake with Stork margarine back in the UK as a more budget friendly option.
• Golden syrup – you can use treacle instead of golden syrup, or honey.
• Milk – Full fat or reduced fat milk.
• Bicarbonate of Soda and baking powder help make the cake rise.
• Vanilla extract – or vanilla bean paste. I like using vanilla as I think it enhances the chocolate flavour. If you are not a fan of vanilla and chocolate or don’t have it then leave it out.
• Chocolate – I like to use 70% dark chocolate and roughly chop it for the top of the cake, but you can use milk chocolate, or a mixture of the two, or even some leftover Easter or Christmas chocolate! You can also use chocolate chips instead.

How to make this eggless chocolate cake recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F
2. Line a 23 x 13cm loaf tin with baking parchment. *
3. Mix the flour, salt, cocoa powder, sugar and orange zest together.
4. In a small saucepan over a medium heat, melt the margarine, golden syrup and milk. Once melted, add the bicarbonate of soda and the vanilla essence.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix well.
6. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with the chocolate chunks, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. Just before the cake is ready, make the orange drizzle by placing the sugar and orange juice in a small pan over a low heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved, stirring regularly.
8. Bring the cooked cake out of the oven and prick all over with a skewer or fork.
9. Carefully spoon the hot drizzle all over the top of the cake.
10. Leave to cool in the tin.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• As this is an eggless chocolate cake, it has a slightly heavier texture than a cake made with eggs. 
• Don’t over mix the cake batter as this can cause the cake to go tough.
• Preheat the oven and make sure it is up to temperature. If the oven is too cool when you place the chocolate orange cake in to bake it can become tough and dense.
• Prick the cake all over when it comes out of the oven, either with a wooden or metal skewer or use a fork. This will ensure the orange drizzle is absorbed evenly throughout the cake.
• Cool the cake for a couple of minutes before pouring the orange drizzle over it. If the tin is too hot then the drizzle can catch and taste burnt.
• Using Self Raising Flour instead of plain flour: Use the same weight of self raising flour but leave out the 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Margarine – use margarine instead of butter to make the cake (I have baked this cake with both butter and margarine and there’s not much difference to the cake texture or taste.)
Chocolate – Leave out the chocolate chunks.

Storage

This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

You can freeze this orange chocolate loaf cake, in fact it freezes very well. Wrap the cake well to prevent freezer burn and freeze for up to 1 month.

Serving Ideas

• As part of an afternoon tea spread with cheese and onion scones and Bourbon biscuits (both of which are also egg free recipes).
• As dessert with a scoop of vanilla or passion fruit ice cream (egg free), or drizzle over some berry compote.

Variations

• Chocolate – as mentioned above, you can use dark or milk chocolate, or even white chocolate in this eggless chocolate loaf cake.
• Treacle – for a deeper and richer cake you can use treacle instead of golden syrup.
• If you want a plain eggless chocolate cake, then just leave out the chocolate chunks, and the orange drizzle; it still is a delicious cake.

More egg free baking recipes for you