Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake

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?

With fresh blood oranges providing a slight citrusy sweetness in this chocolatey cake, this delightful vegan treat will have your guests raving! So get ready to indulge in a delicious plant-based alternative to the standard go-to dessert.

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, Vegan Chocolate Fig Cupcakes, and last but not least, Vegan Quince Tarte Tatin.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Equipment
• How to make this Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake
• Variations and Substitutions
• Expert Tips
• Storage
• More dessert recipes
• Recipe

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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.

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• 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 used Guittard Cocoa Rouge 100% Dutch-process cacao.
• All-purpose flour - I prefer unbleached and organic all-purpose flour.

Equipment

Here is what you will need to make this recipe:

• 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan or tarte tatin pan. If you use an 8-inch pan, the baking time may take a little longer.
• Large bowl and small bowls
• Spatula
• Sifter

How to make this Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake

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

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 Cerise tatin pan like 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.

Prepare the oranges

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 on how to cut an orange.

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!

Prepare the wet and dry ingredients

Combine the ingredients

• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake

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.

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.

Variations and Substitutions

Blood oranges: feel free to try other types of citrus, such as the various regular oranges that are in season where you live.

To make this delicious cake fudgier and even more 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 of espresso powder in a cup of hot water, let it cool before mixing it into the cake batter, or 
• One teaspoon of coffee extract in one room-temperature cup of water.

Expert Tips

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.

Try to obtain a variety of fresh and high-quality blood oranges to get different colors for the top of your cake. Otherwise, you can use whichever oranges are available, such as navel oranges or Cara Cara.

Storage

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

More dessert recipes

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

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