Dairy-free chocolate cake with candied orange peel. A soft and fluffy chocolate cake topped with a creamy chocolate topping, all made without milk, butter, or cream. To make it even better, this dairy-free chocolate cake is topped with delicious candied orange peels for a special touch! I recommend you try this recipe if you never tried the combination of chocolate and orange. It’s definitely one of the best combinations of flavors!
Prep time: 45mins | Cook time: 20mins | Yield: 9-12 servings
Step-by-Step Video Recipe:
Written Recipe:
Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake with Candied Orange Peel
Yield:
9-12 servings
Prep Time:
45 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
A soft and fluffy chocolate cake topped with a creamy chocolate topping, all made without milk, butter, or cream. To make it even better, this dairy-free chocolate cake is topped with delicious candied orange peels for a special touch!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup (120g) All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (22g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup (135g) Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (55g) Vegetable oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240g) Freshly Squeezed orange juice (no water or sugar added)
- 1 Tbsp Orange zest (only the orange peel, not the white pith)
For the Chocolate Topping:
- 150g (about 1 cup) Semi-sweet chocolate (you can use dairy-free chocolate)
- 2 to 4 Tbsp of Orange juice at room temperature
Candied Orange Peels:
- 3 large oranges
- 2/3 cup (135g) Granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for approximately 5-10 minutes before baking the cake.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Mix well and create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add the egg, vegetable oil, vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest. The flavor will be milder if you use only the juice (without the zest).
- Gently mix with a wire whisk until smooth. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool at room temperature.
For the Chocolate Topping:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and stir. If the mixture is too thick, add more orange juice, one tablespoon at a time, stirring well until a smooth and creamy chocolate ganache forms. The amount of juice may vary depending on the chocolate used.
- Refrigerate for 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it reaches a thicker texture.
- Unmold the cake, remove the parchment paper, and spread the chocolate topping over the cake.
For the Candied Orange Peels:
- Use a knife or a vegetable peeler and carefully peel the orange from top to bottom.
- Try to cut as little white pith as possible, but it's okay if some remains, as the peels will go through a process that removes any bitter taste.
- After peeling the oranges into wide strips, cut them diagonally into thinner strips about 1/4 inch (0.6cm) wide.
- Place the orange peel strips in a saucepan with 2 cups of water at room temperature and heat over high heat. Let it boil for 1 minute, then drain the water using a large sieve.
- Repeat this process two more times. This will remove the bitterness from the orange peel.
- After draining the water the last time, place the peels on a paper towel to dry quickly.
- Place them back in the saucepan and sprinkle the sugar on top. Stir constantly over medium-low heat. We don't want to burn the sugar, so don't use medium or medium-high heat.
- Continue stirring for 7 to 15 minutes (time may vary depending on the saucepan). The sugar will melt, thicken slightly after a few minutes, and finally, it will crystallize right before your eyes like magic!
- Store the candied orange peels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can use this delicious treat on cakes, ice creams, puddings, you name it.
- Place some candied orange peels on the cake and serve.
