These days I can’t let a birthday pass without baking something festive. Something homemade and tailored to the birthday girl/boy’s specific taste. If there is ever a time to bust out a layer cake and sprinkles, it’s on a birthday.
I thought about Sean’s birthday cake for months–chocolate is always a given, and the orange was added because the dude loves the zesty-ness of oranges juxtaposed against deep, dark chocolate. I made this cake for my guy because it’s his favorite. Because he is the best guy who makes me laugh every single day, and he doesn’t even get annoyed by my constant stream-of-consciousness singing…seriously, I’m pretty sure it’s like living in a really bad musical about the minutiae of life…and in my book that’s more than enough to deserve a birthday cake.
The cake is easy to put together, with a nice crumb and perfect tenderness. Lots of orange zest makes it bright and flavorful. The chocolate frosting has sour cream that brings a bit of tang to cut the dark richness–it spreads across the cake like a dream and takes on a fudgey quality once it’s set. A heavy dose of sprinkles make it the perfect party cake. Candles and tall glasses of milk are optional, but highly recommended.
Orange Cake
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
2 3/4 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange zest (I used 6 oranges)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350*F. Line two 8inch round cake pans with parchment circles, grease the pans and the parchment, set aside.
In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large measuring cup whisk together the vanilla, orange juice, and sour cream. Set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer, rub the orange zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add the melted butter and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Add half of the dry ingredients, mix gently to combine, followed by the orange-sour cream mixture to combine, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans on a cooling rack about 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Adapted slightly from Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes
I subbed the corn syrup for golden syrup and added extra sour cream where the recipe called from half and half.
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped or in chips
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons golden syrup
pinch of salt
3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
Melt the chocolate, butter, golden syrup, and salt over a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream. Continue to whisk until spreadable, but still soft–use to frost the cake immediately. The frosting will set up to a fudge-like consistency at room temperature.
danguole
Oh my gosh. This cake is the stuff of my dreams! Perfect!
cindy
yes! I’m glad I could actualize your cake dreamz.
Megan
This is my dream cake. I need it soon for realz.
cindy
yeah you do!
Madeline
This looks and sounds amazing!
cindy
Thanks Madeline!
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
That hubby of yours is a very lucky dude. This cake looks fabulous!
cindy
haha, thanks Amanda!
sean rahe
He sure is. ๐
jenny
gorgeous! I can’t wait ’til one of my friends has a birthday so I have an excuse to make this!!
cindy
yes! thanks Jenny!
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
This cake is gorgeous! I’ve always loved chocolate and orange together!
cindy
thanks Maggie, it’s definitely a winner!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
The cake looks and sounds incredible! Even without the orange added, looks like it could be a killer yellow cake and I’m in need of a great go-to recipe for that!
cindy
I’m sure you could adapt it. Thanks Averie!
Sarah
Layer cakes – they always put a smile on my dial! there is something defiantly celebratory about a layer cake. I love it!
cindy
yes! thanks!
Whitney (Jewhungry.wordpress.com)
This is just so so so beautiful! One question: What is “golden syrup”. Thanks! Love your blog.
cindy
thanks! Golden Syrup is a golden sugar syrup–kind of like a really light molasses–that I like to use in place of corn syrup (I like the flavor better). I used Lyle’s brand.
Bernadette @ Now Stir It Up
Great combo. Sounds and looks great.
cindy
Thanks!
Jessica
I would like to come live with you. Please prepare a room. That is all.
cindy
done. cake for breakfast everyday!
Katie @ Blonde Ambition
I love the orange-chocolate combo ๐ Reminds me of that chocolate they used to have with a foil orange wrapper outside and orange-shaped slices of chocolate inside…they were so good! I think I said it before, but Sean is definitely a lucky guy.
cindy
yes! I always call them smash-oranges ๐
Laura Dembowski
Putting sour cream in the frosting is so interesting. That looks like a great birthday cake. It’s my birthday tomorrow and I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to make for months too, but I just decided the other day.
cindy
Happy Birthday!!
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen
Swoon.com! The prettiest.
Meghan
I have no words… except… yum. Just yum.
Ulrica
Wow! It looks really yummy. Love the confetti sprinkles. I must get me some of those.
Love your blog by the way.
/Ulrica
cindy
Thanks Ulrica!
jasmina
Wow, these looks like the best birthday cake ever! I can almost taste the fudgy frosting now!
Brittany
Orange and chocolate are so awesome together. But then combined with sour cream and chocolate?! Swoon.
Billy
I need this cake like ASAP. Unbirthday cake!
And I totally do that consciousness singing. To the dog. and the bf.
cindy
Oh, Happy UnBirthday!! I’m pretty sure our dogs live for my singing, ha!
Alison Cohen
This looks delicious- and perfect for my son’s birthday cake. Any suggestions as to how to make this in a 12X18X2 sheet pan? Double the recipe maybe?
cindy
I would start with doubling it, there might be a little extra batter. Sorry, I’m not the best at knowing until I do it. I hope it works out!
Alison Cohen
I did double the recipe (I made the batter separately and then combined before putting in the pan.) It came out super moist and really delicious. Everyone was raving about the cake. Thank you so much for the recipe!
cindy
awesome! I’m glad it was a hit!
Hannah
Hi There!
Can the cake flour be substituted for all-purpose plain flour? If so will the measurements stay the same when addeding the all-purpose flour?
Thank you ๐
cindy
Hi hannah! I hope the cake worked out!
Hannah
Hi Cindy!
I’m getting ready now to make the cake! I’m super excited to see how it turns out. Thank you again for all you’re help ๐
Kate
Hi Cindy, is this plain flour of self raising flour?
cindy
It’s plain, all-purpose flour.