Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

I have to apologize for the quality of these images. I made the cake at night (not a preferable time to take pictures) but we had guests over that deemed immediate serving of the cake...hence poor lighting. However, I wanted to share it anyway because it was delectable. Plus it was served warm and with friends. Hard to go wrong there!

Oh yellow evening lighting, how I loathe thee. Anyway, we had some house guests staying with us earlier this month for residency interviews and a baked good that combined the tastes of chocolate and orange was requested. Then, this cake was brought up and a similar rendition was officially requested. As a result - here we are again...at chocolate orange bundt cake land. 

The cake was perfectly citrusy and mm mm moist. I threw on a ganache glaze to add an extra layer of sweetness as the cake itself is not that sweet. This cake was gone within a few days as we enjoyed it for numerous in-between-meal snacks (oops?). Oh also, the original recipe called for orange extract...which I didn't have...and instead of post-poning the cake, I replaced it with some orange juice. It worked out perfectly. 

Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

Adapted from joythebaker

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

zest of 1 large orange

4 tablespoons cocoa powder 

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350F. 

In one large bowl, mix together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another, beat your butter and sugar together until nice and fluffy. Add in your eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Add in your vanilla and sour cream. Finally, add in your flour mixture slowly until everything is just combined and looks even (try not to over-mix!). 

Here comes the fun part. Divide your batter into two bowls. 

Bowl 1: add in your orange zest and orange juice and combine

Bowl 2: add in your cocoa powder and chocolate chips and combine

Now simply pour your orange batter into a buttered and floured Bundt pan and spread it evenly. Then, pour in your chocolate batter on top. You can spread the mixture evenly with the back of the spoon or do the old "slam it onto the counter until the top looks even" technique. I chose to make a lot of noise and slam it onto the counter a few times. 

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the cake springs back at you when you touch it. Let it cool slightly and then flip it upside down onto the serving platter of your choice. Now, while the cake is still warm...

Optional (but I really mean required) Chocolate Ganache

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a double boiler, combine the two ingredients until the chocolate is melted and looks like a vat of something Willy Wonka would be proud of. Remember if you don't have a double boiler (we don't) just put a metal mixing bowl over a small pot filled with water and use an oven mitt to keep the bowl in place while whisking. Someday I will have nice things, I promise. 

Finally, pour the ganache all over the entire cake. We served it warm and I think that was probably the way to go!

Enjoy!

Sam