Chocolate-Orange and White Layer Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

Happy Weekend Everyone!

It was a busy day and it was go, go, go from the moment I woke up. We got the keys to our new apartment today and have officially started our move. Our leases for the current apartments we are living in are ending on the last day of June, which gives us a good time to move out and clean. I wanted to get a head start, so we are moving my stuff in first because I was better prepared for the move than my new official roommate is.  

As promised, here is the recipe for the three-layer cake that I made for DFJ’s birthday.

This was a citrusy three-layer cake that offered the best of both cake worlds, white and chocolate. The Simple Orange Cake layer is a classic white cake recipe… it embodies its name perfectly: a delicious, simple cake, with hints of all-natural, orange flavor. The Chocolate-Orange Pound Cake is nice and lovely… for the butter content that it has, it is light and elegant with the perfect touch of chocolate and orange.

Now then, let’s talk about the frostings on this cake. Two fantastic frostings! It was a wonderful combination of rich and sweet chocolate goodness from the Chocolate Buttercream and simple but classy Vanilla Whipped Cream.      

I have to admit, this cake required some labor of love, but it’s well worth it. The look of delight and cake bliss on our friends’ faces when they had this cake and DFJ’s never-ceasing approval made me so happy. I would gladly go through all this effort again!

Brace yourselves, it’s a long one!

Chocolate-Orange and White Layer Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting!

Simple Orange Cake (Makes one 9-inch, round cake)

Slightly adapted from Alice Waters’ 1-2-3-4 Cake, The Art of Simple Food

1 ½ cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup ultrafine sugar
¾ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

½ cup milk, (whole, 2%, 1%, nonfat, all are ok… I used 1%)

2 eggs, separated

tad of butter to grease pan

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice and mix well. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom so everything is well incorporated.

Alternately stir in the flour mixture and the milk into the butter mixture, ending with the flour. Stir the last bit of flour into the batter until just combined.

Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites with an electric hand mixer on high. Pour half of it into the batter and mix on low until well combined. Gently fold the other half into the batter using a thin spatula.

Pour the batter into a well-greased, 9 inch, round cake pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Check and see if your cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done. 

Chocolate-Orange Pound Cake (Makes two 9-inch, round cakes)

Slightly adapted from Pascal Rigo’s Chocolate-Orange Pound Cake, The American Boulangerie

1 cup cake flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp Greek yogurt
2 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp agave syrup

4 large eggs

generous 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

2 tbsp cocoa nibs

tad of butter to grease cake pans

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on low for 1 minute, using an electric hand mixer. Add yogurt, orange juice, orange zest, and agave and mix on low for another minute. Scrape the sides and bottom to make sure everything is well-incorporated.

Add a half cup of flour and one egg into the butter mixture and stir until well-combined. Repeat three more times adding a half cup of flour and an egg each time.

Slowly mix in the melted chocolate and cocoa nibs into the batter using a flexible spatula. Let the batter sit for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.    

Pour the batter into 2 well-greased, 9-inch, round cake pans and bake for 48-52 minutes. Make sure to rotate the cake pans midway through baking time. You will know your cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

In a medium size bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer until both are well-combined, light, and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and beat some more. Pour in the melted chocolate and continue beating until you achieve a smooth and thick consistency.

Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

1 tbsp ultrafine sugar

seeds from 1 inch piece of vanilla bean
1 cup cold, heavy cream


Put a stainless-steel mixing bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, rub the vanilla bean seeds into the sugar granules.

Pour the heavy cream and the vanilla-sugar into the cold mixing bowl. Mix with an electric hand mixer on high until the cream holds a soft shape or until stiff peaks form. You can flip the bowl upside down and the cream frosting will not fall out or even move (it’s pretty cool!). 

Assembling the Chocolate-Orange and White Layer Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting:

Place one Chocolate-Orange Pound Cake in the middle of a cake stand or whatever serving plate you have. Spread half of the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting on top with an icing spreader or a small, plastic spatula.

Carefully position the Simple Orange Cake on top. Spread the other half of the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Carefully place the other Chocolate-Orange Pound Cake on top.

Spread the whipped cream frosting on top of the cake and around the sides. When spreading frosting on the cake, put a generous amount on your spatula and use long, single strokes. (Lots of small spreading over and over will cause cake crumbs to come up and you don’t want crumbs showing on top of your cake.)

Recommendations:

Shave some dark chocolate on top of your cake.

If you refrigerate your cake, let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. I found that I liked the texture of the cake better this way, it was softer and spongier and the frosting was nice and soft.

Bake this cake for a special someone or just throw a party so your family and friends (and of course, you too!) can eat cake. This cake will definitely make your party! Everyone who had a piece of this cake at DFJ’s birthday party loved it and I promise that you will too.

 Hope you all enjoy this weekend!