A rich, chocolate orange poppy seed cake, featuring sponge studded with poppy seeds, layered with velvety orange-infused cream, and finished with a glossy citrus syrup. This isn’t just a cake—it’s your next celebration’s showstopper. Perfect for Christmas mornings, birthday surprises, or when you simply deserve something extraordinary.
Time for another show-stopping cake! If you love citrus desserts, this sponge cake with poppy seeds and chocolate-orange cream is a total winner. It’s light, moist, and layered with a creamy chocolate-orange filling that just melts in your mouth. For other celebration-worthy treats, don’t miss my Classic Italian Tiramisu Cake.
If you want more cake inspiration, try my lemon drizzle cake with cheese frosting. It’s got just the right mix of tangy lemon and smooth creaminess. Or, for something with a bit of spice, the easy carrot cake recipe from scratch with rich cream cheese frosting is always a crowd-pleaser. You can also check out the indulgent chocolate berry mousse cake or whip up an apple cake with Nutella and whipped cream—all sure to steal the show on any dessert table! Which one will you try next?
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💗 Why You’ll Love This
- Unique Combination: The poppy seeds add a fun crunch to the cake, while the orange and chocolate combo is always a winner.
- Holiday-Ready: It’s fancy enough for special occasions but simple enough to make at home.
- Customizable: You can tweak the flavours with different liqueurs, chocolates, or syrups.
🎂 Ingredients
For the Sponge Cake
For the cream filling
For the syrup
For the meringues
♻️ Substitutions
- Use chia seeds instead of poppy seeds.
- Replace orange liqueur with vanilla extract for a non-alcoholic version.
- Opt for gluten-free flour to make it gluten-friendly.
📋 Variations
- Berry Lovers: Swap orange juice for raspberry puree and use white chocolate.
- Nutty Crunch: Add finely chopped nuts to the cream for extra texture.
- Coffee Kick: Use coffee liqueur instead of orange liqueur in the cream.
👩🍳 How To Make Decadent Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe
Get all your ingredients ready before baking—eggs, sugar, sifted flour, cornstarch, and poppy seeds. Line your pan early to keep things smooth and stress-free. You’ll thank yourself later!
Step 1: Line a pan with parchment, whip eggs and sugar until fluffy, fold in dry ingredients, then bake until golden.
Step 2: Let the cake cool completely, then carefully cut it into three equal layers using a serrated knife.
Step 3: Simmer water and sugar, then mix in liqueur and coffee off the heat and cool.
Step 4: Whip egg whites and sugar, pipe onto sheet, then bake low and slow until crisp.
Step 5: Soak and dissolve gelatin in warmed orange juice mixed with zest and liqueur. Beat eggs over a gentle heat until fluffy.
Step 6: Melt chocolate and combine with the eggs and gelatin mix.
Step 7: Whip heavy cream to soft peaks and fold the chocolate mixture.
Step 8: Layer cake with syrup and cream, chill, then frost and decorate.
A full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
💭 Tips and Tricks
- Always sift your dry ingredients to avoid lumps in the batter.
- Whip cream just until soft peaks form—overwhipping can ruin the texture.
- Use a heavy plate or lid to weigh down the meringues for even cooking.
For easy, everyday treats, I’m sure you’ll love my apple crumble bars or the apple cake packed with more apples than dough. Don’t miss the flourless yoghurt cake or a simple lemon dessert made with just one egg. These are reader favourites for a reason!
If fruity cakes are your thing, check out this Morello Cherry Sponge Cake or the Raspberry and Coconut dessert. And if you’re in the mood for crumble, my plum crumble recipe is super simple and delicious.
❓ Dark Chocolate Orange Cake FAQs
You can substitute gelatin with agar-agar, which is plant-based and sets similarly. Use about half the amount of agar-agar compared to gelatin (e.g., 2.5 grams of agar-agar for every 5 grams of gelatin) and dissolve it in the orange juice while it's warm. Remember that agar-agar sets faster, so work quickly when incorporating it into the cream.
For this cake, the eggs need to be whipped until they’re very light and fluffy, which gives the sponge its airy structure. Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer at high speed, beating the eggs and sugar together for at least 7–8 minutes. The mixture should triple in volume and leave a ribbon-like trail when you lift the whisk. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature to help them whip better.
The sponge layers can be baked a day in advance. Once cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature. This helps retain moisture and makes assembly quicker when you're ready to layer and frost the cake.
While poppy seeds are not technically nuts, if you want to avoid any seed texture, you can substitute them with finely ground oats or omit them entirely. The cake will still have a soft, fluffy structure without the seeds.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap slices in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 1 month.
If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Will Love These Too
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Chocolate Orange Poppy Seed Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan (23 cm)
- Hand mixer or a stand mixer (for whipping the cream and egg whites)
- Bain-marie setup – One pot that goes directly on the flame with simmering water and a smaller glass or metal bowl that sits inside it, used for melting chocolate and eggs gently.
- Piping bag with round nozzle (for meringues)
Ingredients
Sponge Cake with Poppy Seeds
- 6 eggs medium or large
- ¾ cup sugar granulated
- 1 ¼ cups flour all-purpose
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup poppy seeds
Chocolate Orange Cream
- 1 egg whole
- 2 yolks
- 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
- 5 sheets of gelatin or 12.5 grams (or about 0.44 ounces) of granulated gelatin
- 7 oz chocolate I used a mix of 80% dark, orange-infused, and white chocolate. You can use any type.
- 1 ⅓ cups fresh orange juice juice from 3 large oranges
- 1 tablespoon orange zest from 1 orange
- 3 tablespoon orange liqueur Cointreau
Orange Syrup
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon orange liqueur
- 6 to 8 tablespoon brewed coffee
Meringues
- 3 egg whites from large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
To decorate
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut
- Ferrero Rocher or other types of chocolates you prefer
Instructions
- Sponge Cake: Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F) or Gas Mark 3. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper. A pan with detachable sides works well too.
- In a large bowl, beat 6 eggs with ¾ cup sugar until light, fluffy, and tripled in volume.
- Sift together 1 ¼ cups flour and ⅓ cup cornstarch, then gently fold into the egg mixture. Add ¼ cup poppy seeds and fold again to keep the batter airy and well mixed.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 20–25 minutes. Don’t open the oven for the first 15 minutes. The cake is ready when golden and pulling away from the edges.
- Let it cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack. Once fully cooled, slice into 3 even layers using a serrated knife.
- Orange Syrup: In a saucepan, bring 1 ¼ cups water and ⅔ cup sugar to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoon orange liqueur and 6–8 tablespoon brewed coffee. Let it cool.
- Chocolate Orange Cream: Soak 5 gelatin sheets (or 12.5g granulated gelatin in ¼ cup cold water) for about 10 minutes.In a small pan, heat 1 ⅓ cups orange juice with 3 tablespoon orange liqueur and 1 tablespoon zest. Once warm, stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved. Set aside.
- Over a bain-marie, whisk 1 egg and 1–2 yolks until thick and foamy. In another bowl, melt 7 oz chocolate (a mix of dark, orange, and white) over the bain-marie.
- Stir melted chocolate into the egg mixture, then whisk in the warm orange-gelatin mix. Whip 1 ¾ cups heavy cream to soft peaks and gently fold it in.
- Meringues: Whisk 3 egg whites with ½ cup sugar and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add ½ cup powdered sugar and keep whisking until glossy. Pipe small blobs onto a lined baking tray using a round nozzle. Bake at 100°C (212°F) for 30–45 minutes, keeping the meringues pale. Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open to let them cool and dry completely.
- Cake Assembly: Place the first cake layer on a plate or inside a cake ring. Brush with orange syrup, then spread a third of the chocolate-orange cream on top. Repeat with the next two layers.
- Chill the cake for 2–3 hours to help it set. Remove the ring (if using) and cover the top and sides with the remaining cream. Decorate with coconut flakes and meringues or your favourite chocolates—I used Ferrero Rocher.
Video
Notes
Use a double boiler to gently melt chocolate or heat eggs. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot with a bit of simmering water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). Keep the heat low to avoid overheating. Tips Gelatin:
Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes (enough to cover). For granulated gelatin, use 12.5g in 2 tablespoon (30 ml) cold water. Once hydrated, melt it into a warm liquid. Chocolate:
Use good-quality chocolate (like 80% dark, orange-infused, or white). Lower-quality chocolate might not melt smoothly and can affect the cream’s texture. Chilling the Cake:
Refrigerate for 2–3 hours after assembling so the layers firm up and hold their shape. Meringues:
Bake at 100°C (212°F), then leave in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for at least 1 hour to fully dry out.
Claudia Ciorteanu says
My family loved this!
Claudia says
My family loved this!
Swathi says
Dark Chocolate orange cake looks delicious I have tried it I am going to make it again.
swathi says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Elizabeth says
Wow - this cake is incredible! This is my first time baking something like this and it did not disappoint. My family has asked for this treat for Christmas brunch!
Claudia says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Sonja says
Being a big fan of poppy seeds, I love that you included them in the sponge. They add such a lovely crunch factor. And of course chocolate-orange is always a winner in my book!
Liz says
What a gorgeous, delicious cake! It's perfect for the holidays.
Nicole says
This chocolate orange poppy seed cake is so delicious!! Perfect for your next gathering.
Lathiya says
The chocolate orange cake is a must bake for this holiday season. The cake was so moist and the flavor was amazing.
Oscar says
This cake turned out rich and flavorful, with the perfect balance of chocolate and orange. A real treat for any celebration!
Kim says
The perfect dessert for the holidays. The flavour was incredible and it was really easy to make. Can't wait to make it again.
Liz says
Such a gorgeous, tempting cake!!! It's perfect for the holidays!