Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Recipe

Orange chocolate hazelnut cake is a moist Turkish bake made with fresh orange juice, orange zest, chocolate chips and hazelnuts. A one-bowl cake with a citrus crumb and crunchy nut topping.

The zest is doing more work than you’d think. Grating it straight into the sugar and rubbing them together with your hands releases the oils and turns the sugar fragrant and damp. If you just toss the zest in with everything else, you lose half the orange flavour. That 30 seconds of rubbing is what makes the whole cake smell and taste of real orange rather than something faintly citrusy.

I pour the oil in with the orange juice and whisk them into the eggs together. Oil keeps this cake softer for longer than butter would, and mixing it with the juice means the fat distributes evenly through the batter. The chocolate chips sink a little during baking, so don’t worry if the top layer looks bare. The hazelnuts stay put and give you a good crunch on every slice.

Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 200ml (7fl oz) fresh orange juice
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 175ml (6fl oz) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 310g (11oz) plain flour
• 50g (2oz) chocolate chips (optional)
• Handful of whole hazelnuts, for the top

How To Make Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

1. Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 170°C (340°F/Gas Mark 3) with both top and bottom heat on. Grease a cake tin generously with butter, making sure you cover the sides and base.
2. Infuse the sugar: Put the caster sugar and vanilla sugar in a large bowl. Grate the orange zest directly into the sugar. Rub the zest and sugar together with your fingers for about 30 seconds until the sugar is damp, fragrant and slightly yellow.
3. Add the eggs: Crack the eggs into the bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale, thick and creamy. This takes about 3-4 minutes on high speed.
4. Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the vegetable oil and orange juice. Continue whisking until everything is fully combined and smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients: Mix the baking powder into the flour, then add it to the bowl. Whisk on low speed until just combined with no dry patches. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula if using.
6. Top and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and give it a gentle shake to level it. Scatter the hazelnuts and a few extra chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 45-60 minutes until risen and golden. Start checking with a skewer at 30 minutes. Every oven runs differently, so go by the skewer test, not the clock.
7. Cool and serve: Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Recipe Tips

Rub the zest into the sugar by hand. This breaks down the zest and releases the orange oils directly into the sugar. It’s the single biggest thing you can do for flavour in this cake. A whisk won’t do the same job.

Use freshly squeezed orange juice. Carton juice works but fresh juice has more acidity and a brighter, sharper flavour. One large orange gives you roughly 80-100ml, so you may need two.

Don’t over-mix once the flour goes in. Whisk on low just until the dry streaks disappear. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes the crumb tough instead of soft.

The oil measurement is just under a full cup. The original recipe says “a finger less than one cup.” That’s roughly 175ml. Don’t fill it to the brim.

Check early, bake longer if needed. Start testing with a skewer at 30 minutes. If it comes out with wet batter, give it another 10-15 minutes. A clean skewer with a few moist crumbs is done.

What To Serve With Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

A strong cup of Turkish coffee or black tea is the natural match. The bitterness works against the sweetness of the cake and the chocolate.

For afternoon tea, serve slices alongside a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The orange and chocolate combination holds up well with both.

How To Store Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Fridge

Wrap in clingfilm or store in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The oil in the batter keeps it moist longer than a butter-based cake. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.

Reheat

Warm a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds if you prefer it soft. The oven dries it out unless you wrap the slice in foil first, 5 minutes at 160°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3).

Freeze

Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly in clingfilm, then in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 12): Calories: 310kcal, Protein: 5g, Fat: 16g, Carbohydrates: 38g, Sugar: 18g, Sodium: 65mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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