Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cake

4.91 from 10 votes

, Updated Oct 28, 2026

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This Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cake is a rich, moist chocolate sponge flavored with fresh orange juice and zest. Simply put everything in one bowl, beat and bake, then cover with a glossy chocolate glaze and crown it with Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments.

Terry’s chocolate orange cake covered in glossy chocolate glaze and topped with chocolate orange segments and orange zest.

I have always had a weakness for Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. Growing up in Greece, they were a rare treat brought back from England whenever anyone went on a trip – and cracking one open and fighting over the segments was as much a part of Christmas as presents and gingerbread cookies.

What readers say

“Excellent recipe… the result was absolutely delicious. I’m very much not a baker and this was my first time making a glaze and it came out really well!”

★★★★★ Rosalind

This cake is my homage to that little foil-wrapped ball. The secret is in the glaze: A few segments of the real thing are melted right into it, so every slice tastes unmistakably of Terry’s. If you love the flavor combo as much as I do, you will adore it.

Why You’ll Love It

All in one bowl: Everything goes in together and gets beaten until smooth – no creaming or folding.
Rich and moist: A deep chocolate sponge made with fresh orange juice and plenty of zest.
Glossy glaze: A simple chocolate glaze made with Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments melted right in.
Feeds a crowd: One big 9-inch cake makes 14 generous slices.
Festive favorite: Topped with chocolate orange segments, it is made for Christmas, birthdays and bake sales.

A slice of moist chocolate orange cake with chocolate glaze and Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments.

Here’s What You’ll Need

This cake works as an all-in-one recipe as long as all the ingredients are at room temperature, so take the butter and eggs out of the fridge a few hours ahead. Full quantities are in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour (plain flour) – sifted together with the cocoa for the smoothest batter.
Cocoa powder – use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Green & Black’s.
Baking powder and baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) – make sure both are fresh, especially if you don’t bake often.
Sugar – I like superfine (caster) sugar, ideally golden.
Unsalted butter – softened and cubed. Baking spread (margarine) works too.
Large eggs – at room temperature.
Orange juice and zest – freshly squeezed is best, or use 100% orange juice from a carton (not from concentrate). A drop of orange oil is optional if you want an extra orange kick.

For the Chocolate Glaze

Dark chocolate – chips or a bar chopped small. A chocolate orange bar, such as Lindt, makes it even more orangey.
Terry’s Chocolate Orange – a few segments melted into the glaze, plus the rest to decorate.
Heavy cream (double cream) – for a silky, pourable glaze.
Golden syrup or honey – gives the glaze its shine.

Tall chocolate orange cake with glossy chocolate glaze, Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments and orange zest.

How to Make Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cake

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

You can make this cake with a stand mixer, a hand mixer or a food processor. Just make sure the ingredients are at room temperature and stop to scrape down the bowl at least once so the batter is smooth.

Make the Batter

Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Spray a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with cake release (or grease with butter) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix together with a balloon whisk.
Add the butter, eggs, orange zest and juice.

Flour, cocoa powder, sugar and raising agents in a large mixing bowl.

Butter, eggs, orange zest and orange juice added to the dry ingredients.

Beat on the lowest speed until the ingredients start to come together, then increase the speed gradually until the batter is completely smooth. Stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed in.

Chocolate orange cake ingredients starting to come together in a stand mixer bowl.

Smooth chocolate orange cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Bake

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and level the top. Make a small dip in the center so the cake rises evenly.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the cake has risen, is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. If it is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil after 25 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a cake plate or stand. Let the cake cool completely before glazing.

Make the Chocolate Glaze

Put the chocolate and a few chopped Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, pour it over the chocolate and leave for 2–3 minutes.
Add the golden syrup or honey, then stir slowly with a small whisk, starting in the center and working outward, until the chocolate melts and the glaze is smooth and shiny.

Whisking chocolate and cream into a smooth, shiny chocolate glaze.

Let the glaze cool slightly until it drips slowly off a spoon, then pour it over the cooled cake, letting it run down the sides. You might not need all of it.
Leave the glaze to set slightly, then decorate with Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments and strips of orange zest.

Chocolate glaze dripping down the sides of a chocolate orange cake.

Baker’s tip

Want more orange flavor?

Brush the warm cake with a quick orange drizzle, just as you would for a lemon drizzle cake. Stir equal amounts of orange juice and sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves, prick the cake all over with a skewer while it is still in the pan and pour the syrup over so it soaks in. A splash of Grand Marnier or Cointreau makes it even more grown-up.

Storage and Freezing

Store: The cake stays lovely and moist for 4–5 days in an airtight cake container at room temperature. The fridge can dry it out.
Freeze: Freeze the cake without the glaze. Wrap well in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, still wrapped, then glaze. Individual slices freeze well too.

Chocolate orange cake on a cake stand decorated with chocolate orange segments and orange zest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use orange juice from a carton?

Yes. Freshly squeezed gives the best flavor, but 100% orange juice from a carton (not from concentrate) works well. You still need fresh oranges for the zest.

What can I use instead of Terry’s Chocolate Orange?

Any chocolate orange bar works in the glaze. Decorate with Lindt chocolate orange truffles, mini chocolate orange segments or candied orange peel.

How do I know when the cake is done?

The top should be springy, the cake should just be pulling away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Can I make this as cupcakes?

Yes. Fill paper liners two-thirds full and start checking after 18 minutes. Decorate with mini chocolate orange segments.

Can I make a chocolate orange layer cake?

Yes. Divide the batter between two 8-inch (20cm) pans and bake for 30–35 minutes at 350°F (180°C), then fill with chocolate frosting.

Can I make it without the orange?

Yes. Leave out the zest, replace the orange juice with whole milk and use plain dark chocolate in the glaze for a classic chocolate cake.

How long does chocolate orange cake keep?

Up to 4–5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Avoid the fridge, which can dry the sponge out.

Can I freeze this cake?

Yes, without the glaze. Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before glazing.

You’ll Also Love…

Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake): Shredded phyllo soaked in orange syrup. It is wonderfully moist and a great one for orange lovers who fancy a change from sponge.
Chocolate Orange Cheesecake: A no-bake cheesecake for Terry’s Chocolate Orange fans. It sets in the fridge, so it is perfect for making ahead.
Sokolatopita: My ultimate moist Greek chocolate cake. If you love a really rich chocolate cake, start here.
Chocolate Traybake: The easiest chocolate cake you will ever make. It bakes in one tin and feeds a crowd.

Please leave a comment and rating if you try this Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cake, follow me on Pinterest for more easy recipes and don’t forget to tag me on @Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations!

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Fix
Cake is dry	Overbaked, or stored in the fridge	Start checking 5 minutes early and store in an airtight container at room temperature
Batter is lumpy	Cold butter or eggs	Bring everything to room temperature; if lumps remain, keep beating on low until smooth
Cake sank in the middle	Underbaked, or the oven door was opened too early	Bake until a skewer comes out clean and avoid opening the oven in the first 30 minutes
Top is browning too fast	Hot oven or cake sitting too high	Tent loosely with foil after 25 minutes, leaving a gap so the cake can still rise
Domed or cracked top	Batter not leveled, or the oven runs hot	Make a small dip in the center before baking and check your oven with a thermometer
Glaze is too runny	Poured while still hot	Let it cool until it drips slowly off a spoon
Glaze is thick or dull	Cooled too long or overheated	Warm gently over a pan of hot water and stir until glossy

4.91 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

4 Comments

Rosalind says:

January 14, 2023 at 9:43 pm

excellent recipe, thankyou. clear instructions (though format could be easier but it’s ok) and the result was absolutely delicious. i made this as cupcakes, used a half qty of the orange drizzle. and one of the cupcakes came out too crumbly so i broke it up into crumbs, mixed in a little malden sea salt flakes and some more sugar snd then used it as part of the decoration.

have to say im both very impressed with the recipe and proud of myself as im very much not a baker and this was my first time making a glaze and it came out really well! flavour was very close to Terry’s chocolate oranges but of course with dark chocolate in the glaze, it was a little different (nicer in my opinion) but still goes very well with chocolate orange.

i used a bag of those mini individual chocolate orange segments rather than breaking up a chocolate orange for decorating as they fit my cupcakes better snd looked better and less messy than the alternative. however, when i opened the bag, they were all a little badhed from being in the bag, not broken, just not shiny and smooth. I’m sure there’s a better technique, but i used a pastry brush with a small amount of unsalted butter which helped them look mucu better for presentation:)

Neha says:

September 20, 2020 at 3:12 am

Hi , if I don’t get fresh oranges what else can I use in place of juice ..will some kind of tetra pack juice help ..and if I want to make orange chocolate marble cake ..what changes do I need to make in the batter …please help

1. Lucy Parissi says:
  
  September 20, 2020 at 11:17 am
  
  You can use juice from a carton (with juicy bits ideally)
  
Trinidad Sanchezova says:

October 23, 2019 at 8:46 am

This cake is absolutely delicious, it is very easy to make, it is very large, tasty and wonderful !!!! Really if you love orange chocolate, you have to make and try this cake !!!! This recipe is perfect !!!!