Best Chocolate Orange Layer Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE ORANGE POPPY-SEED LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, heavy cream and the granulated sugar (first 3 ingredients), and let the mixture stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 24 hours. In a metal bowel set over barely simmering water melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth and let it cool. Whisk the 8 ounces chocolate, the 2 tsp zest and the Grand Mariner into the cream mixture and chill the filling, covered, for 1 hour.
• Make the cake: Line a buttered jelly roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches x 1 inch with wax paper, butter the paper, and dust the pan with flour, shaking out the excess. In a small bowel, stir together the buttermilk, the poppy seeds, and the zest and into another bowl sift together the flour, the baking soda, and the salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla, beating until just combined. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition until the batter is just combined. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks, stir one fourth of them into the batter to lighten it, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly, and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350F oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and the cake springs back when touched lightly. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack, invert it onto the rack and remove the wax paper carefully. With a serrated knife cut the cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
• Make the glaze: In a heavy saucepan melt the chocolate with the butter and the cream over low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth, and let the glaze cools to room temperature
• Assemble the cake: On a rack set over a jelly-roll pan arrange one of the cake layers, spread it with one third of the filling, and top the filling with another cake layer. Spread the cake with half the remaining filling and top it with the remaining cake layer. Spread the remaining filling onto the top and sides of the cake and chill for 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, smoothing it over the sides, and chill the cake for 30 min or until the glaze is set.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE CHEESECAKE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Fold 2 (16-inch-long) sheets of foil lengthwise in half twice to form 3-inch-wide strips. Place 1 in each of 2 (9-inch) round pans, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray with cooking spray. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix; beat 2 min. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven; flatten tops with back of spatula. Beat 3 pkg. cream cheese, sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Stir in orange peel.
• Pour cheesecake batter evenly over cakes. Return to oven. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until centers of cheesecakes are almost set. Run knife around rims of pans to loosen cakes; cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to remove cakes from pans. Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Microwave marmalade in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 20 sec.; stir. Spread over cake layer on plate; top with remaining cake layer.
• Beat remaining cream cheese, remaining vanilla and marshmallow creme in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add COOL WHIP; beat on low speed just until blended. Spread onto top and side of cake. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.

ORANGE-APRICOT LAYER CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• FOR APRICOT PUREE: Combine dried apricots and orange juice in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat until apricots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add sugar and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and chill.) FOR CAKE: Position rack in bottom third of oven. Preheat oven to 325°F. Using electric mixer, beat ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, oil, orange peel and 1/3 cup apricot puree in large bowl until mixture is very thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in matzo cake meal and potato starch. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add ½ cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into yolk mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites in 3 additions. Transfer batter to ungreased 10-inch diameter springform pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 42 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will sink slightly). FOR FROSTING: Meanwhile, stir chocolate and margarine in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Whisk in 3 Tbsp apricot puree. Remove from heat. Let stand until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours. Cut around cake sides; remove pan rim. Cut cake horizontally in half to form 2 layers, leaving bottom layer on pan bottom. Place top layer, cut side up, on plate. Spread bottom layer with 2/3 cup apricot puree. Spread ½ cup chocolate frosting on cut side of top layer. Place top layer, chocolate side down, on apricot filling. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill until frosting sets, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before serving.) Garnish with apricots and orange peel, if desired.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ORANGE POPPY-SEED LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Filling:.
• 1 day before: In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, heavy cream and sugar and let the mixture stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 24 hours.
• At least 1 hour before: In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water, melt the cocolate, stirring until smooth, and let it cool. Whisk the chocolate, the zest, and the Grand Marnier into the cream mixture and chill the filling, covered, for 1 hour.
• Cake:.
• Line a buttered jelly-roll pan (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch) with wax paper, butter the paper, and dust the pan with flour, shaking out the excess.
• In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, poppy seeds, and the zest.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until the mixture is just combined.
• Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition until the batter is just combined.
• In another bowl with cleaned beaters, beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks; stir 1/4th of them into the batter to lighten it.
• Fold the remaining whites gently but thoroughly into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly, and bake the cake in the middle of a preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cake springs back when touched lightly. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack.
• Invert the cake onto the rack and remove the wax paper carefully. With a serrated knife, cut the cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
• Glaze:.
• In a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate with the butter and cream over low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Let the glaze cool to room temperature.
• Assembly:.
• On a rack set over a jelly-roll pan, arrange one of the cake layers. Spread it with 1/3 of the filling; top the filling with another cake layer. Spread the cake with half of the remaining filling and top it with the remaining cake layer.
• Spread the remaining filling onto the top and sides of the cake and chill the cake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set.
• Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, smoothing it over the sides, and chill the cake for 30 minutes or until the glaze is set.

CHOCOLATE-ORANGE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until blended.
• Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Stack on plate, spreading 3/4 cup frosting between each layer. Frost top and side with remaining frosting.
• Microwave chocolate and COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool 15 min.; spread over top of cake, allowing excess to drizzle down side. Keep refrigerated.

CITRUS LAYER CAKE WITH ORANGE AND CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two nine-inch round pans, line bottoms with parchment paper and grease the paper. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter and grated orange and lemon zests. Sift dry ingredients into creamed butter and add about 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) milk. Mix until flour is dampened then beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Add remaining milk and eggs and beat on low for 1 minute more.
• Divide batter between two pans and smooth the top. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cake rebounds to touch when pressed.
• Cool cake in pans on cooling rack for 10 minutes, and then remove from pan. Discard parchment paper and turn cakes right side up on racks. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Cream butter and gradually add about a third of the confectioners sugar, blending well after each addition. Add pasteurized egg, then remaining sugar and milk, using enough liquid to give a good spreading consistency. Add orange extract and salt and blend thoroughly.
• Remove 1/2 cup of frosting to a small bowl and stir in melted chocolate. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and save for decorating cake. Place one round on cake plate and spread with orange frosting. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate or candy corn, if using. Top with second cake layer. Frost sides from top edge down over the sides. Spread remaining orange frosting on top and spread to edge. Pipe chocolate frosting. Let stand till frosting is dry.