Double Chocolate and Orange Cake
- Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 35 min
- Cook time: 1 h 25 min
- Serving: 10
- Cost: Low
- Note + the cooling time of the creams
PRESENTATION
Alright, so the torta doppia cioccolato e arancia—really, this cake is something special. Five layers of moist sponge, both classic white and rich cocoa. It's crafted in traditional Italian style. Super tasty. What sets it apart is the double custard filling: a fresh, aromatic orange custard and a decadent dark chocolate one.
Slice it open, and you see those beautiful layers—seriously good. It's not just any torta cioccolato e arancia. It's the showstopper dessert everyone wants a piece of. I mean, look at that shiny water glaze and curls of candied orange peel.
The flavors? Perfectly balanced. The citrus cuts through the deep chocolate, giving a sweet celebration vibe with each bite. In Italy, there's a real art to making cakes that aren't just sweet but also visually stunning. And look, the way this torta doppia cioccolato e arancia is put together—it's pretty much a masterpiece.
You know, crafting a sponge that's fluffy and custards that are smooth without being too heavy. The bicolore style, with two different cake layers, is incredibly popular. Adding a thick layer of orange custard? It's a little tangy surprise that contrasts beautifully with the rich chocolate.
Plus, the candied orange on top isn’t just decorative. It's slightly chewy and glossy, pairing perfectly with the soft cake beneath. Sometimes, it's called a torta bicolore cioccolato e arancia or a torta al cioccolato fondente e arancia when using extra dark chocolate. No question, this is the kind of ricetta torta cioccolato e arancia that makes everyone pause—admiring its beauty before digging in.
And once you taste it, you’ll really get why this dolce is a favorite. It's both gorgeous and incredibly delicious. For real.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the light sponge cake (for a 9.5-inch mold)
- Sugar ¾ cup (150 g)
- Type 00 flour ½ cup (75 g)
- Potato starch 0.67 cup (75 g)
- Eggs 5
- Orange peel 1
- For the cocoa sponge cake
- Sugar 1 cup (200 g)
- Type 00 flour 1 cup (130 g)
- Potato starch 0.4 cup (50 g)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder 4 tbsp (30 g)
- Honey 3 tsp (15 g)
- Eggs 3
- Egg yolks 8
- For the creams
- Whole milk 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
- Fresh liquid cream ¾ cup (200 ml)
- Sugar 1.4 cups (280 g)
- Dark chocolate 5.25 oz (150 g)
- Cornstarch 1 cup (130 g)
- Egg yolks 12
- Orange peel 1
- For decoration
- Powdered sugar 2 cups (250 g)
- Candied orange to taste
- Water to taste - hot
How to prepare Double Chocolate and Orange Cake
To prepare the double chocolate and orange cake, start with the sponge cake bases. For the white one, carefully separate the yolks from the whites and place the yolks in the food processor along with half the amount of sugar to whip them with the beaters 1. You should get a light and fluffy mixture 2 and transfer it to a bowl. Then whip the egg whites and when they are white, add the remaining sugar to whip them to a glossy consistency 3.
When you have achieved a soft consistency, turn off the processor 4 and add the egg whites to the yolks, gently mixing with a spatula from top to bottom so as not to deflate the mixture 5. Sift the cornstarch and flour into the bowl 6.
Grate the zest of an untreated orange 7 and mix the batter again. Transfer it into a 9.5-inch diameter cake pan lined with parchment paper 8 and bake the sponge cake in a preheated static oven at 356°F (320°F for 30 minutes if using a fan oven) for 35 minutes. While the white sponge cake bakes, prepare the cocoa one: In the food processor, pour the 3 whole eggs, the honey 9
incorporate the sugar 10 and start working the ingredients 11. When the mixture becomes light and airy, add the yolks 12, continue working the mixture with the beaters for a few more minutes, then pour it gently into a bowl.
Add the sifted flour, cornstarch, and cocoa powder 13. Mix with a spatula from the bottom to the top gently without deflating the mixture. Butter and line with parchment paper a 9.5-inch diameter pan, pour the obtained mixture inside 14 and bake it in a static oven at 356°F for 45 minutes (320°F for 40 minutes if using a fan oven). Once cooked, remove the sponge cakes from the oven and let them cool slightly, then unmold them and place them on two racks to cool completely 15.
In the meantime, focus on the cream: pour the eggs and sugar into the food processor bowl and start whipping with the beaters 16 until you obtain a light mixture. Add the sifted cornstarch and gradually add the milk and cream (17-18). When everything is well mixed, change the beater to the rubber beater, set the processor temperature to 212°F, and cook for 6-7 minutes,
until it thickens 19. Pour the still hot cream into two bowls: in one, add the grated zest of an orange 20 and cover with cling film in contact with the surface 21 to let it cool at room temperature.
With the blender, coarsely chop the dark chocolate (22-23) and melt it in the other bowl with the still hot custard 24.
Also cover the chocolate custard with cling film in contact, so you'll have both creams ready for filling 25. From the now-cold sponge cakes, cut out discs: 3 from the dark one 26 and 2 from the light one, to form 5 layers. Place the first dark disc on the serving plate and fill with a layer of custard using a piping bag with a star nozzle 27.
Then place a light sponge cake disc 28 and a layer of chocolate custard using another piping bag with a star nozzle 29. Cover with a layer of chocolate sponge cake 30 and continue layering the creams and sponge until finishing with the dark sponge cake.
In a small bowl, pour the powdered sugar and gradually add hot water, mixing until you get a smooth and fluid consistency 31. Pour the glaze over the cake starting from the center 32 so it gradually drips down the sides. Decorate with candied orange peel 33 and serve your double chocolate and orange cake!