Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Emily Miller · This post may contain affiliate links · 18 Comments

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Chocolate cake is an absolute classic. Whether for a birthday, anniversary, special occasion, or just because, nothing quite says celebration like a rich and decadent dessert. But why settle for the same chocolate cake recipe when you can try this Vegan Blood Orange Chocolate Cake?

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (1)

With fresh blood oranges providing a slight citrusy sweetness in this chocolatey cake, this delicious vegan dessert will have your guests raving!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations and Substitutions
  • How to make this Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake
  • How to tell when the cake is done
  • Expert Tip
  • Storage
  • Related
  • Recipe
  • Comments

I'm always excited when blood oranges are in season because I get to make this vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake!

After all, who can resist an orange chocolate cake? Rich and moist, it's topped with a layer of blood orange slices, making it a wonderfully indulgent treat.

Not only is it soy-free and nut-free, but it's also surprisingly easy to make – perfect for when you're looking for something special to whip up for the chocolate lover in your life.

So grab some certified organic two-dollar bags of blood oranges like I did so you can try out this delicious cake yourself!

For more delicious and elegant desserts featuring fruit, try my Vegan Plum Cake, Poached Pears in Red Wine, or Vegan Quince Tarte Tatin.

Want more chocolate? Try my vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie, vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, or Vegan Chocolate Fig Cupcakes.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (2)

Ingredients

This vegan chocolate orange cake is an absolute dream. You'll need vegan pantry staples such as vegan butter, organic cane sugar, and baking cocoa powder to craft this delicious vegan dessert.

With just a few simple ingredients - and the specific amounts located on the recipe cards below - you can whip up this vegan masterpiece in no time at all.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (3)
  • Plant-based buttery stick - Use plant-based buttery sticks for greasing the cake pan, such as Earth Balance, Country Crock, or Miyoko's.
  • Grapeseed oil - Grapeseed oil was chosen due to its mild taste that won't overpower the oranges or chocolate. If olive oil is more your style, it works too!
  • Sea salt - Himalayan or Celtic, as long as it's finely ground.
  • Coffee - This enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
  • Baking soda and apple cider vinegar help the cake rise.
  • Vanilla extract - is essential for most dessert recipes!
  • Organic fresh blood oranges - you can use any variety that is available.
  • Vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips- mini or regular-size chocolate chips (optional)
  • Dutch-process Cocoa or Cacao Powder - I usedGuittard Cocoa Rouge100% Dutch-process cacao.
  • All-purpose flour - I prefer unbleached and organic all-purpose flour.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Blood oranges: feel free totry other types of citrus, such as the various regular oranges that are in season where you live.
  • To make this delicious cakefudgierand evenmore chocolatey, double the cocoa powder and add the chocolate chips.
  • Grapeseed Oil: You can use a quality fruity extra-virgin olive oil instead.
  • Apple cider vinegar: You can use distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
  • Gluten-free: you can try a 1:1 gluten-free flour; I like Bob's Red Mill and I have tried it in this recipe successfully.
  • Fresh coffee: you can instead use one tablespoon ofespresso powderin a cup of hot water, let it cool before mixing it into the cake batter, orone teaspoon ofcoffee extractin one room-temperature cup of water.

How to make this Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake

This cake is simple to make; here is the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the cake pan. Generously with plant-based butter, grease the bottom and sides of an 8 - 9-inch cake pan (or a Cerisetatin panlike the one I have pictured above; I've had it since 2003!). You do not want to skimp on the butter, or the cake might stick to the pan. Next, sprinkle the cane sugar on the bottom of the cake pan for the caramelization of the oranges. Do not sprinkle it on the sides.

Step 2: Cut both ends off each orange and remove the skins with a sharp paring knife. Take care not to remove the flesh of blood oranges; remove the white pith, which is bitter, and the hard skins. Here is a video onhow to cut an orange.

Step 3: Then thinly slice the blood oranges; refer to the photo above for the end result. As you cut the oranges, put them in a small bowl; the juice will collect at the bottom.Save the juice to drink and get your Vitamin C; it's too precious to discard!

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (4)

Step 4: Make the orange zest and oil mixture.Measure the grapeseed oil—zest one orange and place the orange zest in the oil before preparing the other ingredients.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (5)

Step 5: Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together and make a well in the middle.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (6)

Step 6: Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (7)

Step 7: Mix vigorously with a whisk until combined.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (8)

Step 8: If adding chocolate chips, add them after the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (9)

Step 9: Layer the thinly sliced oranges on the pan's bottom; start in the middle and work your way outwards. Try not to overlap the orange slices. If you have any gaps, you can fill them in with the smaller pieces of blood orange.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (10)

Step 10: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Step 11: Bake immediately in the preheated oven for at least 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.

How to tell when the cake is done

At this point, the cake edges should be pulled away from the pan. If they're not, continue baking and check every five minutes. If the blood oranges are super fresh and juicy, you may need to bake them longer, up to 55 minutes or more.

Let the cake cool for 30 to 45 minutes. Take a plastic or butter knife and cut at the edges of the cake to loosen it before carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack. Serve when it has thoroughly cooled.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (11)

Expert Tip

Sprinkle the cane sugar on the bottom of the cake pan for the caramelization of the oranges, not on the sides, or the cake may stick to the sides of the pan. If it sticks after baking, gently loosen it with a thin sharp knife all around the sides.

Storage

Let the cake cool completely before storing it in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Are you looking for more vegan dessert recipes? Try these:

  • Vegan Plum Almond Cake
  • Vegan Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread
  • Easy Poached Pears in Red Wine
  • Vegan Quince Tarte Tatin Recipe with Pastry Crust

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please take a moment to ★★★★★ star-rate it and leave a comment below. Follow me onInstagramand Facebook, and share your creation with me! Tag me@resplendentkitchenand hashtag#resplendentkitchenrecipes.

Recipe

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (16)

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe

Emily Miller

This Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake is our go-to dessert when blood oranges are in season. It has a rich, velvety texture and tangy blood orange flavor. This cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion.

5 from 155 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 people

Calories 288 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix the grapeseed oil with zest of one blood orange and set aside.

    ⅓ cup grapeseed oil, Zest of one blood orange

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of organic cane sugar on bottom of pan, tilting the pan to get an even coating of sugar, avoiding the sides.Layer the sliced blood oranges on the bottom of the pan.

    2 tablespoons plant-based butter, 1 cup organic cane sugar plus 3 tablespoons, 5 organic blood oranges

  • Sift the all-purpose flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle.

    1 ½ cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour, ¼ cup organic Dutch process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

  • Mix the coffee, grapeseed oil with orange zest, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.

    1 cup coffee, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Pour the wet ingredients into the well of dry ingredients. Mix vigorously by hand with a whisk until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips if desired. Pour batter into the greased cake pan.

    ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with crumbs clinging to it.

  • Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before gently flipping it onto a cooling rack. Loosen the edges first with a butter knife or a plastic knife.

Notes

  • Calorie calculation is done without chocolate chips.
  • If you are using an 8-inch cake pan, the baking time may be slightly longer.
  • Let the cake cool completely before storing it in the fridge. Store in fridge for up to 5 days in a covered container.
  • If your oranges are especially juicy the baking time may take a bit longer than the recommended time. Check for doneness every 5 minutes.
  • To make this cake fudgier and even more chocolatey, double the amount of cocoa powder and add the chocolate chips!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 48.3gProtein: 3.4gFat: 10.3gSaturated Fat: 1.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.3gSodium: 206.3mgPotassium: 175.4mgFiber: 2.8gSugar: 31.9gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 23.4mgIron: 0.5mg

Keyword citrus, fruit, holiday, nut-free, soy-free, spring, winter

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.

Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my vegan cake not fluffy? ›

CAKE NOT RISING

This can be caused by a few things already mentioned such as using the wrong egg replacer or over mixing. I always recommend using fresh raising agents. Generally, baking soda and baking powder only stay active for 3 months after opening.

Why is my vegan cake so dry? ›

Too Much Flour:

Too much flour in the batter can also cause a crumbly cake. Flour is what gives the cake its structure, but too much of it can make the cake dry and crumbly. To avoid this, make sure to measure the flour accurately and add less if necessary.

Why is my vegan cake gummy? ›

Why did my cake come out gummy? This can happen for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that your ingredients weren't room temperature. If your ingredients, even vegan ingredients, aren't all room temperature (i.e. some are cool, some are warm, some are hot), the cake will come out gummy.

Why is my vegan cake chewy? ›

You added extra flour

If you add too much liquid to your cake batter, it may seem like a good idea to thicken it up again by adding extra flour. Usually, this will only make the problem worse and you'll end up with a gummy, dense vegan cake.

What is the secret to a very fluffy cake? ›

Most cakes begin with creaming butter and sugar together. Butter is capable of holding air and the creaming process is when butter traps that air. While baking, that trapped air expands and produces a fluffy cake. No properly creamed butter = no air = no fluffiness.

What ingredient makes cake Fluffy? ›

Cakes and pastries are fluffy and light in nature due to the presence of baking soda in it. When baking soda is combined with both an acidic ingredient and a liquid, it becomes activated. Upon activation, Carbon dioxide is produced, which allows baked products to rise and become light and fluffy.

Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

The reason that you'll see apple cider vinegar or vinegar in a lot of vegan baked goods is because it helps with the leavening. It's an acid and it helps the cakes to rise.

Why don t vegan cakes rise? ›

Vegan Cake Troubleshooting

Reduce sugar content. Increase baking powder and baking soda. Usually caused by batter being too thin or lack of leavening power.

Why does my vegan cake taste bitter? ›

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

Why do vegan cakes crack? ›

The batter contains too much raising agent. Too much baking powder will cause a cake to rise too quickly and too much, making it crack or spill over the sides of the tin. Reducing the amount of raising agent or using a combination of plain and self-raising flours will help produce a more even surface.

Can vegan cake go bad? ›

Storing Unfrosted and Uncut Vegan Cakes

If you have made your sponge with vegan butter it will keep in a good tasting condition for about five days. We recommend only keeping it like this for three to be on the safe side. If you have used oil in your baking this will add about two days to the shelf life.

Does vegan cake taste good? ›

Vegan cakes maintain the flavor and texture of regular cakes; this makes them an excellent alternative to anyone who would usually be inclined to eat unhealthy desserts.

Is vegan baking hard? ›

Many people think making cakes vegan is difficult, but in many cases, it's actually super easy and ends up with a delicious cake just the same. In fact, one of my favourite recipes (avocado brownies) is vegan and makes the smoothest brownies I've ever found!

Why is my eggless cake not fluffy? ›

Why my eggless cake is not coming out fluffy with every combination I try? - Quora. There could be various reasons, like you are not properly sifting the dry ingredients, or mixing the dry and wet ingredients too thoroughly. Or maybe the egg substitute is being too heavy.

Why do vegan cakes not rise? ›

In vegan cakes, the absence of the egg makes it so that it's all about taking advantage of gluten formation to build structure. This means that when you take the egg out of a cake recipe, you're going to be taking out the primary structure builder, which means that the cake is going to fall flat.

Why does my cake not become fluffy? ›

If your oven is too cold, you'll see that your cake will not rise enough. If the oven is too hot, your cake will rise too fast and collapse when you bake it. Check the baking time in your recipe – it usually depends on the size of the cake.

Why is my cake flat and not fluffy? ›

If you end up with a flat cake, there are a few possible causes. Overbeating the flour will overwork its gluten, so fold in dry ingredients with a light hand. Remember to add the raising agent – self-raising flour already contains this, but if you use any other flour you need to mix in baking powder.

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