Orange Sunset Cake With Buttercream Frosting And Chocolate Boats

Anyone who has experienced a sunset by the sea knows how magical a moment it is. It might be wintertime, but we always like to take the time to reflect on peaceful memories – like sitting on the beach with loved ones and watching a glowing red sun set on the horizon. That feeling might seem far away these days, so we baked a cake to bring those memories back in a delicious way. This orange chocolate chip cake is decorated with an elegant orange buttercream frosting and chocolate boats topped with fresh fruit, plus we've used a unique cake decorating technique to give the setting sun all of its stunning colors. Not only does this cake look magical, it tastes magical too!

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

You'll Need:

For the orange cake:

  • 5 egg whites 
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • zest of 2 oranges
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1½ cups flour
  • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the orange buttercream frosting:

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp orange syrup
  • orange food coloring
  • red food coloring

For the chocolate boats:

  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, melted
  • 6 chocolate Pocky Sticks
  • mixed berries

Extra:

  • 7-inch springform pan 
  • oval cookie cutter
  • pastry bag

Here's How:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. For the orange cake, beat together the egg whites, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl until combined. Gradually add in the sugar and continue beating for about 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Stir in the vegetable oil, milk, and orange zest, then sift in the flour. Pour the orange cake batter into the 7-inch springform pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Lightly tap the springform pan on your work surface so that the air bubbles escape from the batter and it's evenly distributed in the springform pan. Transfer the springform pan to the oven and bake the orange cake at 325°F for 40 minutes. Once the cake has baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 1 hour.

2. Cut the orange cake in half, making 2 semicircles, and set 1 half aside for later. Cut the other semicircular piece in half horizontally, then position the 2 semicircular halves next to each other so that they make a full circle again.

3. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate over a double boiler and cut ovals out of the orange cake using the cookie cutter. Pour the melted semi-sweet chocolate over the pieces of cake. Decorate the chocolate-covered pieces of cake with fresh berries and insert 1 Pocky Stick into each piece. Let the chocolate set for 30 minutes.

4. For the orange buttercream frosting, beat the butter, then pass the powdered sugar through a fine sieve directly into the same bowl. Beat the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, then add in the cream cheese, orange syrup, and food coloring. Place the half of the cake you set aside earlier upright on a glass plate or cutting board. Transfer the orange buttercream frosting to a pastry bag and cover the cake with frosting. Pipe some additional frosting in a zig-zag pattern onto the glass plate or cutting board in front of the orange cake so that it looks like a reflection.

6. Drip small amounts of red food coloring onto different places in the buttercream frosting and use a spoon to spread the colored frosting around so that it looks like a sunset. Use the spoon to shape the orange buttercream frosting into small peaks around the outer edge of the cake so that they look like the rays of the sun. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and let it chill for 30 minutes. Position the chocolate boats on the glass plate or cutting board so that they look like boats floating around in the sea.

This cake is truly a sight to behold between its vibrant buttercream frosting and gorgeous design. 1 bite and your tastebuds will be transported to the relaxing, but delicious seaside!

Get the recipe for the Tropical Island Cake featured in the bonus video.

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