Orange Chocolate Bundt Cake



Have I not learned anything?

4 years ago when I started this food blog, I claimed I did not like to bake, and that I was lousy at it.

Well, things have changed. Practice makes perfect, and if I stuck to simple recipes with easy methods I would be fine.

Cakes were always sticking to the pans and I never had the patience to wait until they cooled completely to frost them or bite into them.

A Nordicware bundt pan and parchment paper renewed my confidence in baking and saved my life.

If I lined a loaf pan with my friend Mr. Parchment, the cake would NEVER stick. Truth.
and if I cooked a cake in a Nordicware (any of their baking pans), I was guaranteed success.

I have always loved mini bundt cakes, individual servings, perfect for one, your own slice of heaven.

So why was I tempted like Adam in the Garden of Eden, to eat the apple?

Those cute, sexy little shapely mini nonstick bundt pans teased me, until I bought them.
I should've known better.


I decided to make Silver Palate's, always delicious orange cake, in which I would add chocolate chips (see, I am a confident baker now!) and instead of my Nordicware friendly bundt pan, I would try these little imposters.

You can see that 3 out of the 4 cakes would not release from the pan and broke in half. I did the best I could to salvage the little cakes, by hiding them behind some pretty pansies (don't we women do that with makeup?).



I don't want to discourage you from baking this cake recipe, because it is DELICIOUS and one of my favorite cakes of all time, just promise me you will bake it in a regular loaf or bundt pan.



Silver Palate's Orange Bundt Cake with Chocolate:

8 tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
grated zest of 2 oranges
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (from the 2 oranges)
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz. of chocolate chunks (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a regular bundt or loaf pan.

Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar, beating until light. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, vanilla and the orange zest.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the batter little by little, alternating with the orange juice.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the batter.

Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sides of the cake shrink away from the edges of the pan and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a rack.

I drizzled my cakes with 1 cup of confectioners sugar mixed with a few tablespoons of orange juice.

Let the icing harden before serving. I decorated mine with pansies from my garden, which are totally edible, if they are free of pesticides.



Next time I won't be tempted by cute little kitchen gadgets!

Enjoy!

PS I just remembered that I also love springform pans, because I know I am going to get the sides off the pan!

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Comments

mil said…
Dil,

Now, THAT'S A CAKE!!! Every morning I read your blog and my mouth waters. Pretty soon I'll be dripping all over myself. I'd love a slice right now!!!!!!!!!
Mil
Faith said…
If you don't mind me asking, how are you prepping the pans? I struggled for the longest time with keeping bread from getting stuck in the loaf pan, and cakes in cake pans. What finally worked for me was butter in the loaf pan (no oil would work, but with butter it slides right out), and butter and flour (or cocoa powder) for cake pans (again, for some reason spray oils wouldn't do the trick for me).

Also, these look incredible!
Stacey Snacks said…
Hi faith
I use parchment paper now or nordicware pans and I never have the sticking problem anymore.

These pans were poor quality and I think that was the problem
Anonymous said…
A light but total smear of butter followed by a light dusting with flour. Tap the pan to make sure any excess flour doesn't stay behind.

A baker since I was a child (my late Mother was a brilliant baker, taught by her Mother), I have never had any luck with oils of any kind, nor have I ever had any faith in "nonstick" pans. Even my nonstick OXO utensils end up with glued on bits of scrambled egg and meat...

It's probably politically incorrect, but I use Release foil for bar cookies and brownies and move effortlessly through these. I can use it to wrap whatever is left.

The cake sounds delicious!
Lulu
Anonymous said…
My mom made one of the few cakes I truly like for Easter dessert, her old school Presto Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Only this year, it turned into Pineapple Crumble. Get the picture? Still delicious, and we used homemade whipped cream as our concealer/decoration. Totally edible, but not as pretty as your pansies!
redleopard2853@yahoo said…
Ahhhhhh -- Know what ya mean. I have the same problem as I can't wait to release the cake from the pan. I also have the same problem when it comes to unmolding a favorite jello-mold. Tupperware had this device where a small cap/sealant ring was on the top side of the mold. When it came to releasing the mold you just unsnap the bottom & top - would loose it suction and viola!! perfect mold every time-wish we had more tupperware molds and more jello recipes--they were part of a generation. Debby in Seattle
Joanne said…
I've definitely had some cakes break apart in front of my eyes and it is NEVER a pretty sight. But these do sound so tasty! Chocolate and orange is such a great combo.
Patsyk said…
I've had similar baking problems, but I just can't help myself from going back again and again if the recipe tastes fabulous! I've been eyeing little bundt pans like those for quite some time... maybe Nordicware makes some, too?
I've been purging my kitchen and only keeping the things I use on a regular basis and I know work good. At the moment I need some really good muffin tins, I wonder if Nordic Ware makes them? I will google! Your cake sounds so good, always loved chocolate with orange.
Dana said…
Nice save! I do the same thing with powdered sugar. I think they look lovely.
Oui, Chef said…
So cute....I love the idea of individual desserts, very special.