Gluten Free, Grain Free, Holiday, Kid Friendly, Paleo, Recipes, Sweets

Semi-Homemade Paleo Chocolate Orange Cake

20 November

I love the idea of decadent desserts that can both be simple to make and also be made with nourishing ingredients. this semi-homemade paleo chocolate orange cake is just that. it’s an homage to that classic chocolate and orange flavor combination that is timeless and works perfectly together. this cake is simple to make, decadent and the perfect contribution for a Friendsgiving or holiday party. I hope you try it! your gluten and sugar loving family and friends won’t even know the difference.

the inspiration:

does anyone remember watching those “semi-homemade with Sandra lee” food network episodes in the 90s? after my first semi-homemade cookies & cream cake was a hit, I thought I would try my hand at another. semi-homemade can get a bad rap- especially if the shortcut items are made with tons of ingredients or chemicals. I’m focusing on shortcut desserts that make it easy for busy lifestyles, using shortcuts made from real Whole Foods and nourishing ingredients.

chocolate orange cake ingredients:

simple mills chocolate boxed cake mix: you can find this mix online at thrive market, Whole Foods, central market, target and more! it is a wonderfully moist cake mix made with simple ingredients like cocoa, coconut flour, coconut sugar, arrowroot and sea salt.
fresh orange: and when I say fresh orange I mean lots of it! We are using both the fresh juice and zest in this recipe.
pastured eggs
real vanilla: you can use either pure vanilla bean extract or vanilla bean paste.
almond extract: a match made in heaven with fresh orange- helps deepen the flavor.
liquid coconut oil or avocado oil: makes the cake extra moist.
pastured butter: one of the chocolate orange frosting components. you can also use room temperature solid coconut oil, (not liquid), to keep it dairy-free.
coconut or palm oil shortening: make sure the shortening ingredients only contain coconut, avocado or palm oil– I found mine at central market.
cacao powder: the chocolate component. not the same as cocoa powder.
tapioca flour: helps thicken and bind the frosting.
fine mineral salt: a necessity in the frosting- always add salt to bring out the flavors of sweet things.
honey: naturally sweetens the chocolate orange frosting.
candied orange and chocolate bar shards: I used candied orange slices from trader joes and shards of the Hu Kitchen simple dark chocolate bar to garnish the cake.

how to make:

I made more of a traditional naked layer cake but you could also bake this in a square 9×9 brownie pan and top it with mounds of frosting for more of a low maintenance snacking cake. If you want to go more of the traditional route, you will grease an 8×8 cake or springform pan and line it with parchment paper. the batter is simple to whip up and the cake bakes in about 30 minutes.

while the cake is baking, you will whip up the chocolate orange frosting with a hand mixer or stand mixer. chill both the cake and frosting completely and then it’s ready to ice! I cut my cake evenly horizontally to create two layers and divide the frosting in half. you can then assemble the cake. if your frosting gets a little too chilled, just set it out to room temp for 10-20 minutes and it will warm up a touch to the perfect texture.

make sure to store any leftovers in the refrigerator overnight as the cake doesn’t contain preservatives and could spoil. it’s absolutely delicious cold, too! enjoy.

how to serve:

serve this semi-homemade paleo chocolate orange cake room temperature with an afternoon coffee or some raw milk. you will be having a major moment- pure bliss! I hope you enjoy it and let me know if you make it. x0x0- Callie