Orange Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe with Orange Essential Oil

Want a luscious moist cake full of flavour, then look no further, this is it! This cake features Young Living orange essential oil. The orange oil combines perfectly with the chocolate and really makes the frosting scrumptious! The frosting is more like a thick glaze and sets when cool. This recipe is by Chef Kate.

Mint Flavour Alternative: For a choc-mint flavour, replace the orange oil with Young Living peppermint essential oil or spearmint essential oil.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Dry Ingredients

1¼ cup gluten-free flour mix or regular flour

1 cup sugar (preferably organic)

½ cup cacao powder

1 tbsp grated orange rind/zest

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp non-aluminium baking powder

Wet Ingredients

1¼ cups coconut milk or almond milk (room temp.)

5 tbsp melted coconut oil

1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice

2 tsp vanilla essence

6 drops Young Living orange essential oil (to taste)

Chocolaty Orange Frosting

1½ cups non-dairy chocolate chips

½ cup coconut cream

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

1 tsp grated orange rind/zest

tiny pinch of sea salt (optional, to taste)

4 to 6 drops Young Living orange essential oil (to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a 20cm round backing tin/pan by rubbing a thin layer of coconut oil around the inside of the pan. (Skip this next step if you plan to leave the cake in the baking dish for serving). Then using the baking pan as a template trace a 20cm circle on baking paper and then cut it out on the inside of the line so it easily fits in the bottom of the pan after first lining the pan with baking paper.

For the Cake Batter

1. Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. Then mix all the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl, right before you are ready to add to the dry ingredients.

2. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and gently pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin/pan. If needed, smooth the surface a little with a spoon or spatula.

3. Bake for approx. 35 – 40 minutes, or until the cake is completely set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with few moist crumbs.

4. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Then using the overhanging paper handles lift the cake out of the pan and place on a cooling rack and allow to cool. Then invert the cake onto a cake stand or platter and remove the baking paper.

4. Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting.

Instructions for Chocolately Orange Frosting

1. Using a double boiler on medium heat with water in the bottom pan or Bain Marie (a pan filled a little over ¼ of the way with simmering water and a metal or heat-proof glass bowl on top) add the chocolate chips, coconut cream, coconut oil, orange zest and salt and gently stir all the ingredients together until the chocolate has melted and there are no lumps (approx. 5 minutes). Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes, then add the orange oil and stir to combine.

2. Let the frosting set for a few minutes then spoon over the top of the cake and gently smooth out over the top, allowing the frosting to spill over the sides then smooth around the sides to cover.

3. Serve with orange slices.

TIP: The method says 20cm round baking tin/pan, however you can use any shape you like and even bake the cake in an oven proof glass dish and leave the cake in the baking dish for serving, if you prefer.

NOTE: For the grated orange rind/zest you’ll need approx. 1 orange, preferably organic. There are a few steps to making this cake, but once you have done it once you’ll be a pro for the next time.

Looking for edible orange essential oil, edible spearmint oil and edible peppermint oil in Australia. Buy food grade orange essential oil here, food grade spearmint oil here and food grade peppermint oil here.

See a full list of 35 food grade essential oils in Australia here.