You guys clearly loved the look of this when I post it on Instagram, so here’s my gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe! You can even make it dairy free too.
It seems that chocolate and orange are the most underrated flavour combo of this year! Well, you can now satisfy all those cravings thanks to my gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe…
So it turns out that a lot of us have a chocolate orange craving and I bet I can guess why…
It’s because a Terry’s Chocolate Orange – the literal only reason I have ever eaten chocolate and orange together – are NOT gluten free.
Yep, you right that right, a Terry’s Chocolate Orange is not gluten free. Not the mini ones, not the big one, not anything.
The mini popping candy ones used to be gluten free… but they’re not anymore! They all have a ‘may contain gluten’ warning. Booooo.
So that’s where my gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe comes in!
It turns out that there are other sources of that classic flavour combo that don’t originate from chocolate pretending to be an orange. Who knew?
So I got my thinking apron on (it’s a bit like a thinking cap, but it’s an apron) and got baking. And I made this!
But does it live up to the chocolate orange flavour combo?
Erm… yes!
You’ve got a lovely, moist, soft and light sponge infused with orange extract, topped with a sweet, chocolatey icing and a kick of orange.
Then, I topped them with giant milk chocolate buttons and orange zest as a finishing touch. Basically, it tastes exactly like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange… but you can actually eat this!!
So if you’re a chocolate orange addict, my gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe is definitely for you!
So here’s all the ingredients that you’ll need:
For the cake
- 200 g butter, softened, (dairy free alternative if necessary)
- 200 g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 2 tsp orange extract
- 165 g gluten free self raising flour
- 25 g cocoa powder, (ensure it’s dairy free if necessary)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
For the buttercream
- 300 g icing sugar, (for dairy free buttercream, I often find adding a little more icing sugar is a good idea)
- 150 g butter, softened, (dairy free alternative if necessary – hard Stork works well)
- 100 g dark chocolate, melted, (ensure dairy free if necessary)
- 1 tsp orange extract
For the top
- chocolate buttons, (ensure they are gluten free and also dairy free if necessary)
- orange zest
Here’s some tips/FAQs for creating the perfect gluten free chocolate orange cake…
Can I make this recipe gluten free?
It is gluten free!
Can I make your gluten free chocolate orange cake dairy free?
Of course you can! All you need to do is ensure a few things are dairy free – the dark chocolate, the cocoa powder, any buttons etc you put on top of the cake.
Also, you’ll need to use Stork hard margarine instead of butter. Then you’re good to go.
Is your gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe nut free?
Yep, this is a nut-free recipe. But of course, make sure you check the ingredients label on all the products you use to bake this cake.
Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.
You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first!
Can I make your gluten free chocolate orange cake in a food processor or standing mixer?
Of course you can – and it’ll save you on elbow grease! I don’t use a standing mixer or food processor to make the cake mixture personally – I use an electric whisk. Just because I’m used to it!
(here’s a link to the electric whisk I use)
You can of course, bake this without any assistance from any appliance – just a good ol’ fashioned wooden spoon will do. Just make sure you give it a lot of welly, otherwise your mixture won’t be consistent and might not bake properly.
I do actually use a standing mixer to make the buttercream however – I just find it the easiest way to cream the butter and sugar as my electric whisk can sometimes fling it about a bit!
Do I need any special equipment to bake your gluten free chocolate orange cake?
Certainly not! As I mentioned, a food processor, standing mixer or electric whisk will cut down on prep time, but they’re not mandatory.
You will need a good quality 2lb loaf tin though, so here’s a link to the one I use.
Do I need weighing scales to bake your gluten free chocolate orange cake?
In short… yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them. One of the worst things you can do in any baking recipe is alter the quantities by mistake or on purpose.
(unless you know what you’re doing of course)
Why? Well, you’re sort of just gambling with the recipe and praying that it turns out ok. And I’ve generally already done the hard work there for you!
A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities so I wouldn’t mess around with them unless you really know your stuff.
What chocolate buttons should I use to bake your gluten free chocolate orange cake?
Any, as long as they’re gluten free! Watch out for ‘may contain’ warnings too.
(if you’re dairy free, I’d recommend these from Asda as they’re actually chocolate orange flavoured!)
Can I bake your gluten free chocolate orange cake with less sugar?
I can definitely understand the need to reduce sugar in our foods, but this is one of the recipes where I wouldn’t advise it at all!
Of course, the sugar isn’t just for sweetness – it’s an integral part of the structure of the cake.
If you’re conscious about this, you can always reduce the amount of icing you put on top of the cake, or skip topping it with buttons.
How long can I keep your gluten free chocolate orange cake for?
I’ve kept my gluten free chocolate orange cake for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. We usually eat it well before then to be honest!!
If it’s any longer than that then I’d highly recommend reading the next question…
Can I freeze your gluten free chocolate orange cake?
Of course! I’ve frozen it for up to a month and after allowing it to fully thaw, you’d never know it was frozen.
Just make sure that you slice it up before freezing though – possibly even separating them out into separate bags. That way, you don’t need to defrost the entire cake and waste any.
Plus, it’ll defrost much quicker that way!
Can I make your gluten free chocolate orange cake vegan?
Yep! If you follow the instructions above to make this cake dairy free, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the eggs.
Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.
- 3 tablespoons of aquafaba – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
- Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
- 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- 3 tablespoons of applesauce.
So use one of those egg replacement options and you’ve got gluten free AND vegan cake! I haven’t tried all of these egg-replacement options with this cake, but if you do, please comment below with how it goes.
How can I tell when my gluten free chocolate orange cake is done?
Grab a skewer and give it a poke in the centre. If it comes out clean, then it’s done!
If the skewer comes out moist and cake-like, it’s best to pop it back in for a bit longer.
Can I print your gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe?
Of course! Just hit the print button located on the recipe below ?? (otherwise you might end up printing this entire post which would probably make your printer go into early retirement)
Ok, so here’s my gluten free chocolate orange cake recipe…
My Gluten Free Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe (dairy free option)
Ingredients
For the cake
- 200 g butter softened, (dairy free alternative if necessary)
- 200 g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 2 tsp orange extract
- 165 g gluten free self raising flour
- 25 g cocoa powder (ensure it's dairy free if necessary)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
For the buttercream
- 300 g icing sugar (for dairy free buttercream, I often find adding a little more icing sugar is a good idea)
- 150 g butter softened, (dairy free alternative if necessary - hard Stork works well)
- 100 g dark chocolate melted, (ensure dairy free if necessary)
- 1 tsp orange extract
For the top
- chocolate buttons (ensure they are gluten free and also dairy free if necessary)
- orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C (160C Fan) and prepare a 2lb loaf tin with baking/parchment paper.
- Cream together your softened butter and sugar using an electric hand whisk. Do so until lighter in colour and fluffier in texture.
- Gradually add your eggs (I whisk briefly in between each addition), mix in alongside your orange extract.
- Sift your gluten free flour, cocoa, baking powder and xanthan gum and then mix with your electric hand whisk until combined.
- Spoon your mixture into your prepared loaf tin and place in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
- After 50 minutes, remove from the oven (check with a skewer it's fully cooked) and leave to cool in the tin. Remove from the tin and put to one side on a cooling rack whilst you make the buttercream.
- Whilst your cake cools you can make the chocolate orange buttercream. Place your butter in a stand mixer (or electric hand whisk if you don't have a stand mixer), mix on its own on a high speed for about 5 minutes. The butter should change from a more yellow colour to being a lot more pale.
- Melt your dark chocolate (I do this is the microwave), put to one side to cool whilst making the rest of the buttercream.
- Add your icing sugar gradually to the butter (I do this in two stages), I mix each addition of icing sugar for around 3-5 minutes before adding the second half.
- Now add in your melted dark chocolate and orange extract and mix briefly to combine. It should be the right consistency at this point. If you think it's too thick you can add a tsp of milk. If too thin you can add more icing sugar. I've never needed to do either though.
- Spread your icing all over the top of your cake and then place chocolate buttons and orange zest on top to finish.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- When making buttercream dairy free I always find that you need a little extra icing sugar as dairy free alternatives to butter just aren't as firm. It still works perfectly, but a little extra icing sugar is always handy. Additionally I often like to put dairy free buttercream in the fridge to firm up if it's too soft.
Nutrition
Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo!
Thanks for reading,
Becky xxx
Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!
