If you love the pairing of deep chocolate and bright citrus, this chocolate orange cake brings them together in the kind of cozy, fragrant dessert that fills your kitchen with memories. This flourless version is inspired by Nigella’s classic whole-orange method, and the result is a fudgy chocolate orange dessert with a bold citrus aroma and a wonderfully moist crumb.
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Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe
This chocolate orange cake leans on whole simmered oranges for bold citrus flavor and a tender, naturally gluten-free crumb. The orange purée blends seamlessly into the batter, giving you a dense, rich texture that lands somewhere between a flourless torte and a fudgy chocolate cake.
This is a surprisingly simple cake to make and great for the holidays or for gatherings. We love to finish it with a glossy chocolate orange ganache that feels instantly celebratory. If you’re feeling a little anxious about using whole oranges in the cake, you’ll have to trust me (and all the great reviews!). It really adds the most incredible citrus flavor!
If you love a deep cocoa flavor, our Best Chocolate Bundt Cake of Your Life is another reader favorite, and citrus fans have to try our bright Lemon Bundt Cake or this sunny Orange Cake. When we say you’ll love this cake, we mean it!
CourtneyIngredients You’ll Need
- Whole oranges: These are simmered until soft, then blended into a smooth purée that gives the cake its bold citrus flavor and moisture. Using whole oranges also keeps the texture tender.
- Eggs: Help create the cake’s fudgy center. Since this is a flourless batter, the eggs do much of the heavy lifting for the cake’s structure.
- Almond flour or hazelnut flour: Adds body and keeps the cake naturally gluten-free. Hazelnut flour is a great substitute and offers a deeper, nutty aroma.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the bitterness of citrus and cocoa while adding sweetness.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Builds the chocolate base and deepens the overall flavor.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Give the cake a gentle lift so it bakes evenly without feeling heavy.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a subtle warmth that complements the chocolate and citrus.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor and rounds out the chocolate.
- Salt: Essential for balancing sweetness and bringing out the citrus notes.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: Forms the silky ganache topping.
- Heavy cream: Melts into the chocolate to create a smooth, glossy finish.
- Orange zest: Adds a final burst of bright citrus to the ganache.
- Topping: Decorate with candied orange slices on top (though completely optional).
How to Make Chocolate Orange Cake
Step 1: Place whole oranges in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until soft, about 2 hours. Cool slightly, then cut in half and remove any large seeds. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Blend the oranges into a smooth purée. Add eggs and pulse again until combined.
Step 3: Add remaining cake ingredients. Pulse, stir, then pulse again until smooth. (Or whisk everything together in a bowl.)
Step 4: Grease an 8-inch springform pan, pour in the batter, and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Make the ganache: heat the cream with the orange zest.
Step 6: Pour the heated cream mixture over chopped chocolate, rest 4-5 minutes, then stir until glossy.
Step 7: Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes before releasing the springform and cooling completely.
Step 8: Spread the ganache over the cooled cake and let it drip over the sides. Garnish with zest or orange slices.
Tips & Troubleshooting
- My oranges are floating! Is that a problem? Nope, they’ll still soften just fine! I sometimes give mine a flip at the halfway point, but even when I’ve forgotten, they are still nice and soft and juicy.
- Can I use a different type of flour? Most finely ground nut flours (besides coconut) should work well here. This has been tested with almond flour, almond meal, and hazelnut meal with good results.
- What’s the difference between almond meal and almond flour? Almond meal is made with finely ground raw, whole almonds. Almond flour is made with finely ground and peeled raw almonds. Almond flour tends to be a bit finer in texture, but either nut meal or flour can be used in this recipe.
- Can I leave out the oranges? Unfortunately, no! The oranges provide a lot of the flavor and structure of this cake, so I don’t recommend leaving them out. Some people use fresh orange juice and orange extract, but the whole orange approach is what makes this cake magical.
- Can I use a food processor? Yes! A food processor will work great for pureeing the oranges and blending the eggs. I recommend transferring the mixture to a mixing bowl after that and mixing the dry ingredients in by hand.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- The cake keeps well, covered, at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- You can also refrigerate it for up to 5 days, just bring it to room temperature before serving so the texture softens.
- The cake freezes well (without the ganache) for up to 2 months.
Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe FAQs
Make sure the oranges simmer long enough to fully soften, then blend them into a completely smooth purée so no large pieces of pith remain. Using fresh, bright oranges also keeps the flavor balanced.
Yes. This is a fudgy chocolate cake by design, closer to a torte than a sponge. The texture stays soft even when fully baked.
Yes. Since the cake uses almond flour instead of wheat flour, it’s a naturally gluten-free chocolate cake with a tender, moist texture.
Make sure the oranges are fully softened and blended smooth, and avoid underbaking. Letting the cake rest in the pan helps it set.
If you love chocolate and citrus, this flourless chocolate orange cake brings them together in the most satisfying way. It’s simple enough for a weekday treat but elegant enough to share with friends.
Once you’ve tried this whole orange cake approach, you may find yourself returning to it again and again. And if you’re loving the orange notes in this recipe, try our Iced Orange Cookies, Orange Sweet Rolls, or this reader favorite Copycat Orange Julius Recipe.
More Cakes to Try Next
- Ho Ho Cake
- Old Fashioned Pound Cake
- Triple Chocolate Punch Bowl Cake
- Carrot Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Crazy Cake
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Nigella’s Chocolate Orange Cake (Flourless & Fudgy)
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 medium oranges (weight: 12-14 oz.)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups almond flour or meal (or substitute hazelnut flour or meal)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
For the chocolate orange ganache:
- 4 oz. semi sweet chocolate (chopped)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Zest of ½ an orange
Instructions
- Place the oranges in a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until oranges are soft, about 2 hours.
- Once the oranges are cool enough to handle, slice them in half and remove any large seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the oranges in a blender and pulse until smooth. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of puree. Add the eggs, and pulse again until the mixture is well combined.
- Add the remaining cake ingredients to the blender. Stir it into the egg mixture, pulse a few times, stir, and then pulse, repeating until the mixture is well combined. Alternatively: transfer the egg mixture to a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and mix well by hand until smooth.
- Grease an 8 inch round spring form pan. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool at least 20 minutes, then run a knife along the edge, and release from the spring form pan. Cool completely.
- While the cake cools, make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heat proof mixing bowl. Heat the cream and orange zest on the stove top over medium low heat until small bubbles begin to form around the edges. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Let rest for 4-5 minutes, then gently stir until the chocolate melts into the cream to form the ganache.
- Spread the ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit. Decorate with orange zest curls or orange slices, if desired, then serve.
Notes
- My oranges are floating! Is that a problem? Nope, they’ll still soften just fine! I sometimes give mine a flip at the halfway point, but even when I’ve forgotten, they still are nice and soft and juicy.
- Can I use a different type of flour? Most finely ground nut flours (besides coconut) should work well here. This has been tested with almond flour, almond meal, and hazelnut meal with good results.
- What’s the difference between almond meal and almond flour? Almond meal is made with finely ground raw, whole almonds. Almond flour is made with finely ground and peeled raw almonds. Almond flour tends to be a bit finer in texture, but either nut meal or flour can be used in this recipe.
- Can I leave out the oranges? Unfortunately, no! The oranges provide a lot of the flavor and structure of this cake, so I don’t recommend leaving them out. Some people use fresh orange juice and orange extract, but the whole orange approach is what makes this cake magical.
- Can I use a food processor? Yes! A food processor will work great for pureeing the oranges and blending the eggs. I recommend transferring the mixture to a mixing bowl after that and mixing the dry ingredients in by hand.
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson
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