Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake with a Sticky Orange Glaze
This chocolate orange loaf cake is the kind of treat that makes a gray afternoon feel a little brighter.
It’s tender and deeply chocolatey, with bursts of fresh orange zest in every slice, finished with a shiny orange glaze that crackles when you bite in.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Cake
The crumb is soft and stays moist for days, thanks to a good glug of oil and a little yogurt.
Orange zest works its way through the batter like bright little pinpricks of flavor, so you get that chocolate-orange hit without it tasting like artificial candy.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-processed or natural both work
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs: at room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil: canola or sunflower
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt: Greek or regular, full-fat for the tenderest crumb
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice: from about 1 orange
- 2 tbsp finely grated orange zest: zest the orange before juicing
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar: sifted to remove lumps
- 2 to 3 tbsp fresh orange juice: plus more if needed
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Variations / Substitutions
- Yogurt for buttermilk: swap in an equal amount of buttermilk; it makes the crumb slightly tangier.
- Zest for extract: use orange oil or orange extract instead of zest for a bolder perfume, but cut back to 1/2 tsp extract.
- Oil for butter: melted unsalted butter works in place of oil, giving the cake a slightly nuttier flavor.
- Dairy-free: use a thick dairy-free yogurt and make sure your chocolate and sugar are dairy-free.
- Gluten-free: a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum swaps in directly.
If you enjoy this combination, you might also like my simple lemon drizzle loaf.
How to Make Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper so the cake lifts out easily. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until no streaks of white remain.
The mixture will look like dark sandy powder with tiny flecks of baking powder; it’s ready when you can’t spot a pocket of cocoa.
Step 2: Whisk the Wet Ingredients and Orange Zest
In a large bowl, whisk the 1 cup sugar and 2 large eggs until the mixture turns pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Pour in the 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tbsp zest, and 1 tsp vanilla, and whisk again until smooth. You’ll see the zest suspended evenly in the liquid, and the whole thing will smell intensely of orange.
Step 3: Fold the Batter Together
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two additions, stirring with a spatula just until the last streak of flour disappears. Stop the moment the batter comes together; a few lumps are fine. It will be thick and glossy, almost like chocolate mousse, and pull away from the sides of the bowl cleanly.
Step 4: Bake the Loaf
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The cake will rise into a domed top and start to pull away from the edges, and your kitchen will fill with a dark chocolate orange smell.
Step 5: Pour the Glaze and Slice
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl, whisk in 2 tbsp orange juice and a pinch of salt, adding more juice a few drops at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable. Pour it over the cake so it drips down the sides. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes, then slice and serve. The glaze will crackle under a knife, revealing the dark, moist crumb inside.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- Bring the eggs and yogurt to room temperature while you preheat the oven; cold ingredients can make the batter seize.
- Zesting before juicing the orange makes the job much easier, and a microplane gives the finest zest.
- Check the cake at 50 minutes. Ovens run differently, and even an extra few minutes can dry out the edges.
- For the cleanest slices, wait until the glaze is fully set, about 30 minutes.
Keeping the Cake Fresh
Store the loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days. The glaze will soften slightly as it sits, but the cake stays tender. If you want to crisp the glaze back up, a brief chill in the fridge tightens it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a bundt pan instead?
Yes, a 10-cup bundt pan works. Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes; the thinner ring will bake faster.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely. Swap the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum.
Can I freeze this cake?
Freeze the unglazed loaf wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature, then glaze.
Why is my glaze runny?
You likely added too much liquid. Whisk in more confectioners’ sugar a tablespoon at a time until the glaze is thick but still flows.
Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until pale, then whisk in oil, yogurt, orange juice, zest, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add dry mixture to wet in two additions, stirring just until no floury streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 50 to 55 minutes until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Cool 15 minutes in pan, then lift out and cool completely.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Whisk in orange juice and a pinch of salt, adding juice a drop at a time until thick but pourable. Pour over cooled cake, let set 15 minutes, and slice.
