Sunday Night® Champion Chocolate Orange Cake
Eileen’s love of orange and chocolate kept her testing and tweaking this cake until it was absolutely the best. Every time she has entered it in a competition, it has won Best of Show. Every time.
Category
Dessert
Servings
1 cake (12 to 16 servings)
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
45
Author:
Eileen Gannon
Ingredients
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1¾ cups (375 grams) granulated sugar, divided
¾ cup (1½ sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (229 grams) sour cream, room temperature
4 tablespoons (56 milliliters) orange liqueur (we prefer Grand Marnier®), divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cans (each 11 ounces/311 grams) mandarin oranges, drained well and coarsely chopped
Zest of 1 orange, finely chopped
½ cup (119 milliliters) orange juice
1 jar (10 ounces/284 grams) Sunday Night® Chocolate Sauce, any variety
Made with
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup or 12-cup Bundt® pan (see note below for tips on preparing the pan*).
In a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat 1¼ cups of the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add sour cream, 1 tablespoon of the liqueur, and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes more. Add the sifted dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in mandarin oranges and orange zest by hand. Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing with spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with a few moist crumbs still clinging. Do not overbake.
Transfer cake in the pan to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes. Loosen the cake by jiggling it side to side until it moves slightly. Place a piece of parchment paper over a wire rack. Invert cake onto the parchment paper (which will catch any drips from the glaze).
Meanwhile, to make the glaze, in a small saucepan combine orange juice, the remaining ½ cup sugar, and the remaining 3 tablespoons orange liqueur. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until sugar has dissolved. While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake with a toothpick. Use a pastry brush to cover the cake with glaze, applying a fourth of the glaze at a time and letting it soak into the cake between additions. Allow the cake to cool completely.
To serve, place the cake on a large platter. Heat the Sunday Night® Chocolate Sauce in a microwave oven on high for 30 seconds. Pour sauce over cake. Cut into slices.
Tips From Eileen
*To prepare the pan (including the center), use a pastry brush and vegetable shortening (butter can burn and cause the cake to stick), and coat the entire interior surface of the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and turn the pan in all directions so the flour coats the shortening completely. Tap out excess flour over a sink or trash can.
Store cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days. This cake also freezes well if wrapped tightly, unfrosted, for 2 months. Thaw before glazing.
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