Orange Cake with Dark Chocolate Whipped Ganache

In my opinion, the combination of oranges and dark chocolate is so delicious, especially in winter. It's somehow a very chic and sophisticated pairing, which I believe makes it even more suitable for the holiday season.

So, today I will share my favorite recipe with you, combining the flavors of oranges and dark chocolate: an orange cake with whipped dark chocolate ganache.

The cake dough is a very moist and juicy cake with the juice of a whole fresh orange! Then, we add a rich and creamy dark chocolate ganache, before we decorate the cake with slices of fresh oranges!

As an inspiration, I used a cake batter recipe from one of my favorite Instagram creators, freshbeanbakery. Her recipes are amazing and often small batch versions, which I find a very clever niche!

Creating the first component - how to make a moist and juicy orange cake

The key to a rich and moist cake batter is using lots of orange juice (fresh one, of course!) and yogurt or sour cream. This ingredient specifically adds a really nice moisture. Make sure you don't overmix the batter and sift the flour, to create a fluffy cake batter.

Creating the second component - a rich and creamy whipped ganache

Making whipped ganache is actually not that complicated, the only thing you need to pay attention to is the temperature and the kind of chocolate you are using. Depending on your chocolate type, e.g. white, milk, or dark chocolate, you will need to use less or more heavy cream.

I learned this in the book "Baking Science" by Dikla Levy Frances, where she shares, that you need a ratio of 1:1 if making a stable ganache with dark chocolate (meaning a cocoa percentage of 56-65%).

Once the ganache has cooled to room temperature, you can simply beat it, until it becomes a stable and creamy whipped ganache.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

For the cake batter: 

• 210g flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 125g butter, room temperature
• 175g white sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 135g fresh orange juice (I used one big orange)
• 75g yogurt, room temperature

For the whipped ganache:

• 120g whipping cream
• 27g brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 110g dark chocolate (cocoa percentage above 56%)
• 5g honey, liquid

Instructions:

1. Start by preheating your oven to 180°C and lining a baking tin with parchment paper. I used an 18cm/ 7 inch round baking tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Then, add in the eggs, one at a time, and whisk until fully incorporated.
4. Mix together flour and baking powder, then sift half of your mixture into the butter-sugar-egg mixture and slowly fold it in.
5. Now, add the orange juice, mix, and then the yogurt, before mixing again until everything comes together.
6. Next, sift in the remaining half of the flour mixture and fold it in until you have a lump-free cake batter. It will look quite fluffy because the orange juice reacts with the baking powder.
7. Transfer your batter to the baking tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down.
9. For the ganache, start by chopping your dark chocolate into small pieces.
10. In a small pot, heat up the whipping cream together with the brown sugar and salt. It is important, that the mixture is not boiling! 
11. Pour the cream over your chopped chocolate, cover with a lid, and let the mixture rest for about 4 minutes. Then, stir with a whisk until you receive a glossy and liquid mixture.
12. Let the ganache cool down to room temperature before transferring into a bowl. Now, beat it with your hand mixer until creamy and fluffy.
13. To assemble the final cake, top the orange cake with the ganache, creating little swirls. Then add some sliced oranges if you like.
14. Serve and enjoy!

If you tried this recipe, feel free to tag me on Instagram - @tamarasbakings. For more sweet recipes, click here!