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Chocolate orange reindeer cake

Chocolate Orange Reindeer Cake

This Chocolate Orange Reindeer Cake will wow your guests and they'll never know how easy it was to make! This decadent chocolate orange cake has a rich, fudgy sponge without being too dense, with fresh orange juice and orange zest adding a festive zing.

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Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10

Ingredients

Chocolate orange sponge:

  • 300 g White or golden caster sugar
  • 250 g Self-raising flour
  • 50 g Cocoa powder
  • 200 ml Vegetable or sunflower oil
  • 100 ml Whole milk
  • 3 large Eggs at room temperature
  • 1 large Orange

Chocolate orange buttercream:

  • 100 g Dairy Milk Chocolate Orange chopped
  • 100 g Salted butter at room temperature
  • 180 g Icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp Cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp Boiling water

For the reindeer decoration:

  • 7 Dairy Milk Chocolate Orange Buttons
  • 7 Red Smarties
  • 7 Pretzels
  • 14 Edible eyes

Instructions

Start by making the chocolate orange sponge:

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Grease and line the base and sides of a 9-inch round cake tin with baking paper.
  • In a large bowl, stir the sugar, flour and cocoa powder together.
  • Add the vegetable oil, milk and beaten eggs. Mix together until the cake mixture is smooth and combined.
    A top down view of a bowl of cake mix to make a chocolate orange reindeer cake
  • Use a zester to grate the orange zest into the bowl. Now slice the orange in half and squeeze in the juice. Mix until combined.
    A hand squeezing an orange into a bowl of cake mix
  • Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin. Bake for 45-50 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Now make the chocolate orange buttercream:

  • Finely chop the chocolate orange and place in a bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds or until melted. Give the melted chocolate a stir and set aside to cool.
  • Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until the buttercream is smooth. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate.
  • Add the cocoa powder and boiling water. Fold together until the buttercream is smooth, creamy and glossy.
    A top down view of some chocolate orange buttercream
  • Spread the buttercream on top of the cake, using a palette knife to get a smooth finish on top.
    A hand spreading chocolate orange buttercream onto a cake using a palette knife

Add the reindeer decorations:

  • Arrange the chocolate buttons in a circle in the centre of the cake. Use a dab of buttercream to stick the red Smarties on top. Add the edible eyes above the buttons. Break up the pretzels to make antlers and place them above the eyes.

Video

Notes

This cake will keep fresh for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.