• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Polka Dotter

Baking a bit of beauty into every day

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Portfolio

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake

August 28, 2018 by Salma 6 Comments

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter
This dark chocolate loaf cake is perfect for blood orange season, with a gorgeous candy-coloured blood orange glaze and slices of syrupy candied blood orange infused with spice. If you’ve been following my blog for a little while now, it probably comes as no surprise that blood orange season is one of my favourites for baking. Sweet, slightly tangy citrus with the prettiest pink hue – what more could you want?

Baking Notes
(1) I used a fluted loaf pan for extra embellishment, but you can certainly use a plain loaf pan if preferred. If using a fluted loaf pan, ensure you grease the pan very well in every crevice to prevent the cake sticking to the pan after baking.
(2) The candied blood orange slices are infused with cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, because I find the combination of citrus and spice heavenly, but you easily omit these spices if preferred.

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter

Print

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Makes one fluted loaf cake (28 x 14.5 x 7cm, 6-cup capacity) and serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Loaf Cake

  • 170g unsalted butter
  • 80g good quality dark chocolate
  • 170ml (2/3 cup) whole milk
  • Zest of 1 blood orange
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 150g (1 cup) plain flour
  • 125g brown sugar
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 80g almond meal
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Blood Orange Glaze

  • 120g icing sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp blood orange juice (approx. juice of 1/2 blood orange)

Candied Blood Orange Slices

  • ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (60ml) water
  • 180g caster sugar
  • 3–4 green cardamom pods, split
  • 1–2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1–2 cloves
  • 1 blood orange, washed and finely sliced (2-3mm), seeds removed

Instructions

Chocolate Loaf Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced) and set aside a 6-cup capacity loaf pan.
  2. Melt butter and dark chocolate in medium saucepan, then add milk, zest and vanilla and stir until smooth. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
  3. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cocoa, then mix with almond meal. Stir into dark chocolate mixture then gently whisk in eggs until smooth.
  4. Heavily grease fluted loaf pan with oil or melted butter, ensuring all crevices of the pan are well greased, then dust with sifted flour. Invert pan over the sink and tap gently to remove excess flour.
  5. Pour batter into pan and bake in preheated oven for 55 -60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  6. Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
  7. If cake is stuck to the pan, placing the entire pan (open side up) in a tray of boiling water for 1-2 minutes expands the metal pan, allowing easier release of the cake.
  8. If cake bakes with a slight dome, you may wish to slice it off the cooled cake to allow it to sit flat when inverted.

Blood Orange Glaze

  1. Add blood orange juice to icing sugar and mix well until the frosting has a pouring consistency. It should be fluid but thick. If too thick, add a little more icing sugar and if too thin, add a little more juice.

Candied Blood Orange Slices

  1. Place lemon juice, water, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves in a wide-based saucepan, stirring on low heat until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Increase the heat to medium and place blood orange slices in the pan. The pan should be wide enough so that all slices are submerged in the syrup and cook evenly.
  3. Simmer until slices are soft and slightly translucent (20-25 minutes) with shape still intact. Place slices on wire rack to cool.

To Serve

  1. Drizzle with blood orange glaze and decorate with candied blood orange slices.

Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @thepolkadotter on Instagram and hashtag it #polkadotbakes

Blood Orange Chocolate Cake | The Polka Dotter
You may also like:
Persian Love Blood Orange Cake
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes + Blood Orange Glaze
Coconut Meringue Cupcakes + Blood Orange Curd

Filed Under: Cakes Tagged With: Blood orange, Chocolate, Citrus, Orange, Spice

Previous Post: « French Earl Grey Bundt Cake
Next Post: Earl Grey + Salted Caramel Brownies »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adrienne

    August 29, 2018 at 7:44 am

    Beautiful photos!

    Reply
    • Salma

      August 29, 2018 at 9:46 am

      Thanks so much Adrienne! I had a bit of fun with my tripod and drizzles with this one. Blood oranges are just divine, aren’t they?

      Kind regards,
      Salma

      Reply
  2. Gail

    August 31, 2018 at 1:26 am

    That beautiful pink glaze is to die for!!

    Reply
    • Salma

      August 31, 2018 at 12:06 pm

      Thanks so much Gail, I love the way blood oranges turn everything candy pink! ☺️

      Reply
  3. Kate

    September 26, 2018 at 5:01 am

    Would this work in a bundt pan? Any adjustments? Also, why the almond meal? Is there an acceptable substitute? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Salma

      November 1, 2018 at 2:21 pm

      Hi Kate, thanks for your query. This cake would certainly work in a bundt pan and I’m sure would look beautiful! Keep in mind that if your bundt pan has a centre metal ring (as most do) then it often allows for a more even bake from the inside of the cake (compared to a loaf cake) so you may need a shorter baking or a slightly lower temperature, and the baking time will also be affected by the pan’s general shape and size. In regards to the almond meal – you can substitute with plain flour if you prefer. I personally love the texture of a chocolate cake with almond meal, and also feel it gives it a greater depth of flavour but if you prefer a lighter texture you can certainly use plain flour. Hope that helps and happy baking!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Salma Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Salma Sabdia | Food Photography

Hi, I’m Salma, and I love creating beautiful images and sweet treats. If you’re looking for a little baking inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.

SaveSave

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Instagram

A friend recently reminded me of these buns, and I A friend recently reminded me of these buns, and I’ve had a craving ever since. Because how can you go wrong with sour cherry and dark chocolate?

If you, too, now have the same craving, the recipe is linked in my profile 🤎
Same cake. Different sizes. Which Earl Grey Laven Same cake. Different sizes.

Which Earl Grey Lavender Cake would you pick - 6” layers for 12 or the teeny tiny 4” version for 2?

Recipe linked in profile 🤎
This is not a celebration cake. It’s a cake of p This is not a celebration cake. It’s a cake of pure comfort.

After a recent baking lull, I put it to you, our Instagram baking community to vote on the flavours you wanted to see in my next recipe.

The results? Rhubarb, almond and cardamom were clear winners, and after sourcing the loveliest bunch of rhubarb at the farmers market, this recipe was born.

May this simple buttery cake warm your kitchen and your heart 🩷

Recipe linked in profile
Chai poached pears - the easiest and most comforti Chai poached pears - the easiest and most comforting dessert you’ll make this autumn. Salted caramel optional, but totally worth it 🤎 

Recipe linked in profile
My fine art photography print series has arrived! My fine art photography print series has arrived!

The perfect gift for the baker in your life, or treat yourself with a stylish addition to your kitchen, bedroom or home office.

This limited edition debut collection symbolises the joy of human connection through food, honouring the notion of blending nature with cake in a vibrant harmony.

Only 25 prints available worldwide | Shop the link in my profile if you’d love to make one yours

#fineartphotographyprints #photographyprints #giftsforthehome #giftsforbakers
🌟 A LOVELY GIVEAWAY 🌟 I’m launching a co 🌟 A LOVELY GIVEAWAY 🌟 

I’m launching a collection of fine art photography prints next week. And to thank you for your support, I’d love to give one away.

These prints are an elegant celebration of the joy of human connection through food, honouring the beauty and stillness of blending nature with cake in a vibrant harmony.

To enter:
1. Like this post 💫
2. Comment below with your favourite image: 1, 2, or 3.
3. Sign up to my mailing list via the link in my profile.

Ensure you’ve completed all 3 steps for a valid entry.

The winner will receive one unframed A3 fine art print, professionally printed in Australia on luxurious gallery-quality paper using archival inks.

Entries close: 11:59pm AEST, April 15
Winner will be notified via email on April 16

Thank you for being part of this launch – I’m so thrilled to share this new creative chapter with you.

Find the full Terms & Conditions in the comments below.
First look at something special I’ve been workin First look at something special I’ve been working on.. a fine art photography print collection!

I know so many of you have loved baking my recipes over the years, and would love the opportunity to add a touch of cake sophistication to your kitchen or home.

So I’m excited to launch a series of art prints next week showcasing your favourite cake images.

Priority access will be given to mailing list subscribers, so if you would love to secure your print before they launch to the general public, please take a moment to join my mailing list.

Find the link in my profile 😊
Sharing one last fig recipe before this glorious s Sharing one last fig recipe before this glorious season comes to a close.

I originally created this recipe for my former baking blog six years ago, albeit in miniature form. This season I’ve reimagined it in a classic rectangular design, but rest assured, the same enticing spiced pomegranate syrup is still there in all its glory.

If you’ve been on the hunt for a celebratory dessert that heroes juicy fresh figs, I hope your search ends here!

Recipe linked in profile
A month of meringue kisses! 🤍 It would appear A month of meringue kisses! 🤍 

It would appear that cardamom + rosewater meringues were the theme of last month, culminating in one last round of this Elegant Mess to celebrate a joyful Eid. 

I would love to know your favourite 😊

1. Pink Passionfruit Curd Cake
2. Fig & Blackberry Pavlova
3. Elegant Mess

And find all the recipes linked in my profile 😊
Follow @thepolkadotter on Instagram

Latest Blog Posts

Blood Orange + Earl Grey Bundt Cake | The Polka Dotter
Sour Cherry & Chocolate Heart Crust Buns
Roasted Plum Swirl Ice Cream | The Polka Dotter
Blackberry & Chocolate Cupcakes | The Polka Dotter
Honey Lavender Ice Cream | The Polka Dotter
Rosewater Panna Cotta + Fresh Figs | The Polka Dotter
Chocolate Macadamia Black Sesame Cake | The Polka Dotter
strawberry-macadamia-mango-ice-cream-terrine
gingerbread-cookies-with-lemon-icing

Copyright © 2025 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework