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.
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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.
- 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
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.
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.
Combine the ingredients
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Mix vigorously with a whisk until combined.
If adding chocolate chips, add them after the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.
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.
- 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
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Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Blood Orange Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan or tarte tatin pan
- Large and small mixing bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup grapeseed oil or fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of one blood orange
- 2 tablespoons plant-based butter for greasing the cake pan
- 1 cup organic cane sugar plus 3 tablespoons divided
- 5 organic blood oranges peeled and cut into slices
- 1 ½ cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup organic Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup coffee or 1 cup water with 1 teaspoon coffee extract, or 1 cup water with 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Mix the grapeseed oil with zest of one blood orange and set aside.
- 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.
- Sift the flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle.
- Mix the coffee, grapeseed oil with orange zest, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- 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.
- 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
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.
Brian
So pretty and delicious!
Emily
Thank you so much, Brian! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Amora
Hi, this looks like an amazing recipe and I can't wait to try it! Do you if using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free flour will change the consistency?
Emily
Hi, thanks so much! Although I haven't tried using a 1:1 gluten-free flour, it's been on my to-do list. It might change the texture. I hope you give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
Kayla
I seriously can't get enough of this blood orange cake! It is so delicious and tart! I love the chocolate in it as well!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Kayla! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this Chocolate Blood Orange Cake. It really is one of my favorite recipes from the blog!
Freya
Such a lovely sounding cake, I can’t wait to try it!
Emily
Hi Freya, thank you so much for your review! I'm glad to hear that you're excited about this cake. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Andrea
Wow, this cake looks amazing! How yummy!
Emily
Thank you for your kind words, Andrea!
Anaiah
This cake turned out absolutely beautiful! I love the combination of flavors and the addition of coffee in it. It tasted amazing!
Emily
Thank you for the kind words Anaiah! I love how coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate!
Chris
Orange and chocolate? Just wow! Who would thought, that this combination is so delicious! Thanks for an amazing recipe! It turned out so good!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Chris. I'm glad to hear that our cake was a hit!
Joshua
I would have never thought to use blood oranges this way. It looks amazing and is edible art!
Emily
Hi Joshua, thanks for your review and kind words!
Natalia
This cake looks really great. I wanted to eat it right now. My family loves oranges, so I will definitely be trying this. Thank you!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Natalia! I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I enjoyed making it!