Chocolate Orange Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

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This chocolate orange cake is the perfect decadent dessert topped with delicious marshmallow frosting. It’s the perfect combination of chocolate and citrus!

With simple ingredients and only 45 minutes, you can make this chocolate cake recipe. Take one bite of this orange dessert and you’ll be hooked! It’s that dangerous.

I chose to make this chocolate orange cake because of its nostalgic holiday flavors. I loved getting a chocolate orange in my stocking every year on Christmas. I figured if it was a nostalgic holiday flavor for me, it had to be for others as well!

I chose to make this cake gluten-free but honestly, you can’t tell. I make cakes like our drip cake or this gluten-free poppyseed cake, Dr Pepper cake, bento cake and gluten free apple cake plus these cakesicles all the time and nobody knows they’re gluten-free!

This recipe has to be one of my favorite cake recipes because the orange flavor comes from orange extract. No need for fresh orange slices but feel free to drizzle with orange simple syrup or serve with orange juice for more flavor. If you are more of a banana flavor fan, you will love this black bottom pie with banana cream filling.

Do orange and chocolate go together?

Yes! The fresh orange flavor blends perfectly with the rich, intense, and lush chocolate flavor. The combination creates nostalgic holiday flavors that will leave you wanting seconds! It’s one of my favorite guilt-free healthy desserts.

What’s chocolate orange cake made of?

For this yummy chocolate orange cake you need basic ingredients that you might already have in your pantry. There aren’t ingredients like almond flour, apple cider vinegar, or almond meal that you’d typically find in some unique cakes.

Oatmeal

I use gluten-free oats for this recipe but any oats will work so well in this recipe. They are full of fiber and replace much of the flour you traditionally use in cake. We also love using oatmeal for other recipes like our oat flour pancakes, gluten-free meatloaf, gluten-free oatmeal cream pies and gluten-free rhubarb crisp.

Brown Sugar

There’s something about the brown sugar and orange combination that hits the spot! This recipe calls for slightly more brown sugar than white sugar which gives it a smoother taste and texture.

Gluten-free flour

If you’re not gluten-free feel free to swap for all purpose flour. Honestly, nobody can even tell that this cake is gluten-free so swapping the flour makes little difference.

Chocolate

I like to add chocolate to the cake batter as well as on top of the cake before baking. I personally love Guittard milk chocolate and think it is the best for this recipe, but normal chocolate chips will also work.

How do you make chocolate orange cake?

Step 1: With an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar.

Step 2: Add eggs to the wet ingredients and continuing mixing on low speed

Step 3: Add dry ingredients to a large bowl until just mixed

Step 4: Combine oats, orange extract, vanilla extract and water in a separate bowl and let them sit 2 minutes then add them to the mixture

Step 5: Gently stir in one chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips.

Step 6: Pour cake mix into 9×13 cake pans greased with olive oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil

Step 7: Add two more chocolate bars to the top of the cake before baking

Step 8: Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a cooling rack.

Frosting recipe

Step 9: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by combining butter, sugar, heavy cream, milk and orange extract in a pot.

Step 10: Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and add mini marshmallows and remaining chocolate.

Step 11: Stir until smooth then pour immediately over the room temperature cake.

Pro Tip: Add orange zest or a fresh orange peel to the top of the cake for a beautiful garnish!

Expert tips and FAQs

More Christmas dishes

Figuring out what to bring to Christmas can be stressful! My go-to recipes are this candy cane Christmas mocktail and this gluten-free Christmas crack! My family and I love making creative Christmas recipes that everyone can enjoy!

Need an EASY and delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert?
Take a look at my Sheet Pan Meals and More!

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Chocolate Orange Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

5 from 4 votes

This chocolate orange cake is the perfect holiday dessert topped with delicious marshmallow frosting. It's the perfect combination of chocolate and citrus!

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, chocolate, orange

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 506kcal

Author: Chandice Probst

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• ▢ 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup white sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter melted
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular flour if you prefer)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup gluten-free oats (or just regular oats)
• ▢ 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon orange extract
• ▢ 12 ounces milk chocolate chips

Frosting

• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons whole cream
• ▢ 3 tablespoons milk
• ▢ 1 1/3 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
• ▢ 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
• ▢ 6 ounces milk chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• In a stand mixer, cream together butter and 1 1/4 C brown sugar with 3/4 C white sugar
• Add eggs one at a time and continuing mixing
• Add gluten-free flour, salt, baking soda and cacao powder in another bowl then to the wet ingredients until just mixed
• Combine oats, orange extract and water in a bowl and let them sit 2 minutes then add it to the other cake mix ingredients
• Gently stir in 6 ounces milk chocolate chips
• Pour batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan
• Sprinkle 6 more ounces milk chocolate chips to the top of the cake before baking
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or just crumby but not wet
• Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by combining 6 T melted butter, 1 1/3 C sugar, cream, milk and 1/4 tsp. orange extract in a pot and cook over low to medium heat
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and add mini marshmallows and 6 ounces milk chocolate chips
• Stir until smooth then pour immediately over the cooled cake, do not allow the frosting to cool first

Notes

How to store chocolate orange cake

You can store this delicious cake in an airtight container or in plastic wrap at room temperature for 4-6 days. You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months if you’re looking to preserve it for longer.

Pro Tip:

Add orange zest or a fresh orange peel to the top of the cake for a beautiful garnish!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice of cake | Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 60g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3.3mg

*This post was originally December 17, 2017 but it has since been updated with more information and better instructions.