Wedding Cake Recipes Chocolate Wedding Cake Recipe Free Wedding Cake Recipe

Planning a wedding often involves choosing the perfect cake, and for chocolate lovers, this dark chocolate wedding cake with chocolate orange ganache and orange buttercream is an exquisite choice. This recipe provides detailed instructions to create a stunning, multi-tiered cake that will impress your guests and satisfy their sweet cravings. Follow these steps to bake a memorable centerpiece for your special day.

Ingredients for Your Chocolate Orange Wedding Cake

Here's everything you'll need to create this decadent dessert:

For the Cake Layers (Yields two 7-inch and two 9-inch layers)

• 1 ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 ¾ cups boiling water
• 4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (not unsweetened)
• One 8-ounce container sour cream
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 ¾ sticks (1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs

For the Chocolate Orange Ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (not unsweetened)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur

For Cake Assembly Support

• One 8-inch cardboard round
• One 6-inch cardboard round
• Three 8-inch plastic straws

For the Orange Buttercream

For the Orange Curd

• 5 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of salt

For the Buttercream Itself

• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup water
• 5 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 6 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest

For Decoration

• Wild strawberries
• Small roses with leaves attached

Preparing Your Chocolate Orange Wedding Cake

Make the Cake Layers

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 7x2-inch round cake pans and two 9x2-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper, then butter the paper and dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In a bowl, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water, whisking until smooth. Stir in the chopped bittersweet chocolate and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Stir again until smooth and the chocolate is fully melted, then let the mixture cool. Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In the large bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the softened butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Alternately add the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating until the batter is well combined.
6. Pour 2 cups of batter into each 7-inch pan and smooth the tops. Divide the remaining batter evenly between the 9-inch pans (about 3 ¾ cups each) and smooth their tops.
7. Arrange one 9-inch layer and one 7-inch layer on each oven rack (middle and lower thirds), placing the 7-inch layers in the front of the oven.
8. Bake the 7-inch layers for 25 to 30 minutes, and the 9-inch layers for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
9. Run a thin knife around the edges