It’s citrus season in the Deep South. All along the highways of southern Louisiana and Mississippi, vendors are setting up stands selling local satsumas and oranges. I noticed them when D, E, and I were driving back from New Orleans at Thanksgiving, but I didn’t need to stop because we were already en route to my parents’ house, where we’re fortunate enough to get to pick our fill of fruit off their trees.
If this all seems familiar to you, it’s because we did the same thing last Thanksgiving and I took photos of it. Invariably we take more fruit than we can actually use, so I’m constantly on the lookout for good citrus recipes.
And I found a great one, in an article all about citrus in a local magazine. The recipe that caught my eye was a decadent-looking dessert containing one of my favorite flavor combinations, chocolate and orange. I love creamy dark chocolate spiked with tangy bits of orange, though it’s far from a fat-free food. But as I looked at the cake recipe, I thought, “I can do this–and make it fat-free and vegan!”
So I took the basic idea for the cake–to add orange juice and peel to a chocolate cake–and used it with my standard chocolate cake recipe, the one I pull out for birthdays and celebrations. In order to keep the cake low-fat, I needed to substitute something for the 3/4 cup of oil that the recipe calls for. Lately I’ve had excellent results using soy yogurt instead of oil, so that’s what I did.
The verdict? Best fat-free cake ever! While it’s not as light as a normal cake, the denseness contributes to the dark chocolate feel. It sparkles throughout with the taste of orange, and because it’s not a super-sweet cake, the icings provide just the right accent without being cloying. I served it to my daughter and her friend without mentioning the lack of fat (or the inclusion of whole wheat flour) and they both loved it. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this cake to guests.
See those orange pieces in the first cake photo? I put them there just for decoration, but my daughter insisted on squeezing some over her cake. I didn’t try it, but she says it tastes great that way. She and her friend ate a whole orange along with their cake. Now that’s one way to get children to eat fruit!
Chocolate-Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup soy yogurt or other non-dairy yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
Chocolate Icing:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/8 tsp. if double strength)
- extra orange juice as needed
Orange Icing:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/8 tsp. if double strength)
- extra orange juice as needed
Instructions
- Spray a Bundt cake pan with non-stick spray and dust it lightly with unsweetened cocoa. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, vanilla, balsamic vinegar, water, and orange juice. Beat by hand or with a mixer on low speed just until well-combined, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the grated orange peel, and pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert it onto a serving platter and cool completely.
- When the cake is cool, make the icings. For each icing, mix the ingredients in separate small bowls. One half teaspoon at a time, stir in enough extra orange juice to make a drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle the chocolate icing over the cake, wait a few minutes for it to set, and then drizzle the orange icing.
Recipe Notes
Cake without icing: 167 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 294mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.
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Megha
Hi Susan, I read all the reviews here. The cake gets an excellent from everyone.
I made it today. I faced 2 problems, one is that the batter came out thick according to the measurements that I given here. So I added little milk to make it right. Was that the right thing to add or oil I can use or you have a third better option ! Secondly, I tasted the batter before putting in the oven and it tasted little bitter(something which an orange can release) so I added sugar to balance it.
The cake has come up well but there s no shine. Oil can be used for shine or other option you have?
Thank you
Jen
I’m just curious about the soy yogurt you used in this recipe. Was it plain soy yogurt or flavored? I’m having a surprisingly difficult time finding unflavored/ plain soy yogurt at my local coops!
Susan Voisin
When I created this recipe, plain soy yogurt was easy to find, but since then, one of the main suppliers has had to pause production. But you can use flavored soy yogurt in this with no problem. I would choose a flavor like vanilla, apricot, or blueberry. I’m also going to be doing some experimentation with other substitutes, so stay tuned.
Kim Fuller
I made this last night for some Omni company and it was excellent! Looks and tastes like the bundt cakes I used to make. Very happy.
Kim Fuller
BTW, I used Coconut Yogurt from Trader Joe’s. Couldn’t find any soy.
Judeen
Thank you so much for your blog. I have made and enjoyed many of your recipes. Have a wonderful holiday season.
Jamie
I made this for Christmas dessert, and it was absolutely delicious! I used vanilla flavored coconut yogurt due to the supply issue mentioned above.
Thank you so much for your site, Susan! I also made your stuffed seitan loaf today (also delicious.) Happy Holidays to you and your family.
2da4est
Just tried this cake. Superb!!! Definitely in my recipes forever.
Thank you!
dina
I have a copy of this recipe from a magazine, it is yours, but it omits the water in the ingredients; how important is the cup and 1/2 to the recipe?
Also, for the balsamic vinegar do you recommend white balsamic or the “regular” redish type?
If i use vanilla yogurt should I omit the vanilla extract?
Thanks!
Susan Voisin
A lot of good questions! But first, I have one for you: can you tell me the name and date of the magazine you saw this in? I don’t remember giving permission for it to be reprinted, but maybe I’ve forgotten.
The water is absolutely necessary. (A problem with people reprinting recipes without permission is that they often get them disastrously wrong.)
I used and recommend dark balsamic vinegar.
I wouldn’t leave out the vanilla but I would reduce the sugar by a tablespoon or two if your yogurt is sweetened.
Bonnie
Hi Susan,
Have you tried this will all whole wheat flour instead of adding the white flour?
I am going to give it a try, and may try using 1/2 ground oats instead of the white flour…
Thanks so much,
Bonnie
Bonnie
Made this tonight as a test for a desert for my daughter’s violin recital. Used all sprouted whole wheat flour, vanilla soy yogurt and 1 cup of sugar instead of 1 1/2 because of the sweetened yogurt. It was delicious and loved by my entire family. My daughter declared it the best chocolate cake in the universe! Thanks Susan for a great recipe!
Franp
I always find something yummy on your site and this chocolate orange cake was no exception. My only sub was coconut yogurt rather than soy . The cake was moist, rich, luscious and we each ate 2 pieces! We try not to use much sugar but today was my daughter’s birthday and it called for this perfect treat. Thank you!
Hope Green
I adore this cake. I McDougall- so my sub was applesauce for the soy yogurt. 2nd time I made it, and I make 1/2 recipe for the 2 of us in a silicone loaf pan {perfection!} I subbed 2/3 cup sugar for the 3/4 cup. Left the icing as it was in whole recipe. It tastes no different to me- just plain awesome!! Can I try 1/2 cup of sugar the next time? because I would like the sugar as low as possible- but don’t want hubby in an uproar that it isn’t as good lol… He cuts the loaf into 10 pieces… and would walk on the ceiling to get a piece… Astounds me that after 5 days in rubbermaid container it is STILL MOIST and super YUMMY!!
Amy
Hi Susan! My daughter signed me up to make a snack for her French club and we decided to make this chocolate-orange cake. I subbed Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour for the other two flours and it turned out great. Now I have to make a second one for my family as I’m sure there will be no leftovers!
Kindra
How much sugar per serving please?
Amber
is this gluten free as well? i want to make it for my birthday because one of my friends is vegan and another is allergic to gluten.
Amanda
Hi Susan!
SOOO excited to bake this cake! Do you think it would be alright to bake a day ahead of the event I’ll be serving it at? I won’t have time the day of! What would be the best method of 24hr storage, if so?
Thanks!
Amanda
Susan Voisin
I think it should be okay stored in a cake box overnight, with the icing added just before serving. But I have to admit I haven’t ever been able to keep from eating it the first day. 🙂
Amanda
That’s another thing I’m afraid of 😉 Hopefully, I’ll be able to restrain myself!
Thanks again!
-A
Crystal
Hi! I do not have a bundt cake pan I was wondering if it is possible to bake this in a normal 6×6 cake tin?
Susan Voisin
6×6 would be too small, I think. You would probably have a better cake if you used 8×8.
Melissa
I was a German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Frosting for my every birthday until my last birthday kind of girl until I tried this cake. So moist, dense, chocolatey, orangey fantastic! The first time I had it I ate for dessert, breakfast and lunch, haha.
Tatjana
Can I replace the icing sugar with something else? I used maple syrup and stevia for the cake itself, but it would be nice to have something really sweet, but sugar and fat-free on top
Tatjana
Also, the batter was very gooey, more like bread dough – is this normal? should I add more orange juice or yogourt next time?
Tatjana
It would also be absolutely awesome if you could maybe post variations of this cake 🙂 thanks so very much for the recipe
Kerstin Decker
So I made this wonderful cake. My hubby likes and it is tasty but it is a little chewy . Did I over process the cake before baking it .
Valerie
I made this gluten free using 1.5 cups Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour Mix and 1.5 cups brown rice flour. It came out a little dry and crumbly. I think when I make it again (and their will be a next time) I’ll add an egg replacer for moisture. And while I made the icing that goes with it, we preferred chocolate hazelnut butter for frosting with this. The flavor was very good overall.
Janet
Could it be made in a 13x 9 pan
Jolyn
I just LOVE your post and recipes!!! You make me want to try harder. My 18 yr old vegan granddaughter said she didn’t want anything for Christmas except me to make food for her. She loves my vegan banana bread. SO…this cake is going with it to Olympia, WA for my college gal.
Take care and keep up the terrific love you have for this.
Jolyn
Jacqueline Bethea
has anyone tried making this with splenda or date sugar? thanks