Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This decadent chocolate orange loaf cake is brimming with zesty citrus vibes, dark chocolate chunks, a smooth vanilla olive oil batter and sweetened with pure maple syrup. The orange glaze is optional but fabulous for a special occasion especially piled up with fresh orange zest and chocolate shavings. (Vegan + dairy-free recipe).
Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
Easy, fabulous and ready in less than an hour, this is the simple quick bread vegan cake you want to make while oranges are still in season. It checks all the boxes with the exquisite chocolate orange flavor permeating every bite of the moist olive oil loaf but without overpowering.
About the Batter
It’s smooth and luscious made with a floral but light olive oil for both richness and moisture. It compliments the orange and chocolate flavor profile and adds to the luxurious mouthfeel of the final loaf. Use the folding method to combine the wet and dry ingredients to avoid over-mixing and to guarantee a light and fluffy cake that is not dense at all.
Useful Ingredient Notes
- Flour – I used all purpose because I wanted a light and fluffy cake, in a pinch I’ve also made it with some leftover bread flour and it worked out great.
- Baking Powder + Soda – Use a little bit of both for lift and texture. The baking soda reacts with the acid in the wet ingredients helping with browning and flavor while the baking powder creates extra lift for a fluffier cake with a lighter texture.
- Olive Oil – Baking with olive oil is like magic, it always delivers and never disappoints. Use a nice mild and fruity one, extra light is great, no need to use your extra virgin here since we are baking with it.
- Cashew Milk + Lemon Juice – Technically we are making buttermilk and you can use any plain unsweetened plant milk of your choosing. I prefer to blend my own cashew milk without any additives or thickener, just pure creamy goodness.
- Chocolate Bar – I found a 4 oz extra dark chocolate bar here was just right but that amount can very well be doubled if desired. Choose a vegan bar that is 70% or darker for a deep rich and satisfying chocolaty flavor.
- Maple Syrup – My sweetener of choice, it does a fabulous job here and you can feel good about your dessert being refined sugar-free.
- Orange Zest – You’ll need it in both the cake and the icing if making, it’s really where the depth of the orange flavor comes from. Scrub and rinse your oranges well before carefully grating the zest making sure you don’t remove and of the whit pith which has a bitter aftertaste.
- Vanilla extract – for a more complex flavor profile to compliment not overpower.
Orange Glaze
This is totally optional but recommended for a special occasion. Without it your cake is refined sugar free but still super decadent and delicious with both the orange and chocolate notes shining through. If adding the glaze make sure to allow the loaf to cool off completely before drizzling it over the top and sprinkle heavily with both zest and tons of chocolate curls or shavings.
Storage
For the first day store your loaf at room temperature uncovered on the same cooling rack where you iced it. Any leftovers can be wrapped in parchment paper in individual slices or placed straight inside lidded airtight containers for up to a week. You can also freeze the individual slices for up to 4 months and simply bring out to room temperature about an hour or so before serving.
Vegan Desserts
- Best Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
- Lemon Poppyseed Cookies
- Apple Pie Bars
- Vegan Coffee Cake with Walnut Crumb Topping
- Vegan Vanilla Coffee Cupcakes
- Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Date Nut Bread
- Best Black Bean Brownies
- Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Best Almond Cookies.
how to make chocolate orange loaf cake with olive oil
Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 oz dark chocolate bar roughly chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashew milk
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp orange zest + extra for garnish
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
Orange Icing (Optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice + a drop more or less as needed to emulsify
- 1 Tbsp orange zest for garnish
- dark chocolate curls/ shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350”F. Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches of overhang to serve as handles. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together al the wet ingredients and set aside.3/4 cup cashew milk, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup maple syrup, 2 Tbsp orange zest + extra for garnish, 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients including the chocolate chunks.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 4 oz dark chocolate bar
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry and using a spatula fold everything together until combined doing your best not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan. (Run a knife through the center lengthwise if you want your loaf to crack). Bake @350”F for 50 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean with just a few crumbs attached to it.
- Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Remove from the pan using the parchment paper handles and allow to cool further until complexly cooled.
- OPTIONAL ICING: Whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest until silky smooth and creamy. Use a spoon and drizzle it over the loaf then garnish with some chocolate curls /shavings.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 Tbsp orange zest for garnish, dark chocolate curls/ shavings for garnish
- Wrap in parchment paper and store in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Orange Glaze - This is totally optional but recommended for a special occasion. Without it your cake is refined sugar free but still super decadent and delicious with both the orange and chocolate notes shining through. If adding the glaze make sure to allow the loaf to cool off completely before drizzling it over the top and sprinkle heavily with both zest and tons of chocolate curls or shavings.
- Storage - For the first day store your loaf at room temperature uncovered on the same cooling rack where you iced it. Any leftovers can be wrapped in parchment paper in individual slices or placed straight inside lidded airtight containers for up to a week. You can also freeze the individual slices for up to 4 months and simply bring out to room temperature about an hour or so before serving.
- Olive Oil - Baking with olive oil is like magic, it always delivers and never disappoints. Use a nice mild and fruity one, extra light is great, no need to use your extra virgin here since we are baking with it.
- Chocolate Bar - I found a 4 oz extra dark chocolate bar here was just right but that amount can very well be doubled if desired. Choose a vegan bar that is 70% or darker for a deep rich and satisfying chocolaty flavor.
- Maple Syrup - My sweetener of choice, it does a fabulous job here and you can feel good about your dessert being refined sugar-free.
- Orange Zest - You'll need it in both the cake and the icing if making, it's really where the depth of the orange flavor comes from. Scrub and rinse your oranges well before carefully grating the zest making sure you don't remove and of the whit pith which has a bitter aftertaste.
