A delicious cake topped with a dark chocolate shell – this vegan chocolate orange marble loaf is the perfect dinner party treat to impress your guests!

Chocolate and orange is always a winning combination in my eyes, especially in cake form. I’ve taken it a step further and topped my marble loaf with a dark chocolate shell for extra yumminess and decadence! You can’t go wrong with adding more chocolate, can you?

I don’t bake many cakes, but when I do it’s usually in the form of a loaf, like this lemon loaf, chocolate banana bread or chocolate peanut butter banana bread. I find loaf cakes so much more delicious and satisfying. They’re so dense and moist, which is what I look for in a cake. I’d take that over a slice of dry spongy cake any day! I also don’t like frosting, which a lot of spongy cakes need to balance their dry texture.

What’s even better than a loaf cake? A marble loaf cake! My mum used to make the best marble bunt cake for me and my brothers growing up. She only made it every now and then, so it was a real treat that we used to look forward to. That’s why I have such fondness for marble cake. It’s also like having two cakes in ones – vanilla and chocolate!

If you don’t like orange, you can leave out the orange zest and substitute the orange juice for dairy-free milk of choice and add 1 tsp of vanilla to make it a vanilla and chocolate loaf cake. You can also omit the chocolate shell, but I would highly recommend you give it a go!

What you’ll need to make this vegan chocolate orange marble loaf:

Wholegrain/wholemeal spelt flour – which I love using instead of plain white flour. It works just as well in things like cakes and muffins, but is higher in fibre. You’ll be able to find it in most supermarkets. 

Ground almonds – Another ingredient that helps add density and richness to the loaf. 

Sugar – I like to use maple syrup, but any liquid sweetener will work like honey, agave, etc.

Cocoa – to make the rich chocolate swirl.

Orange juice and zest – as a natural way to add a citric/orange flavour.

Oil – I used coconut oil, but any will work. 

Milled flaxseed – this works as a binder and an egg substitute. If you don’t need the recipe to be vegan feel free to use a regular medium egg. Ground chia seeds will also work.

This vegan chocolate orange marble loaf is:

  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Soy-free
  • Dense, moist and rich
  • Made using healthier ingredients
  • And looks stunning!

Vegan Chocolate Orange Marble Loaf

A delicious cake topped with a dark chocolate shell - this vegan chocolate orange marble loaf is the perfect dinner party treat to impress your guests!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 10
Calories 304 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 160g wholemeal spelt flour or plain flour
  • 50g ground almonds
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 5 tbsp warm water
  • 120ml orange juice
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 120ml maple syrup
  • 60ml coconut oil

For the chocolate mixture

  • 4 tbsp cocoa
  • 3 tbsp milk of choice

For the chocolate shell

  • 150 g dark chocolate
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350 F.
  • Add the ground flaxseed to a small dish along with 5 tbsp water. Leave to set for 10 minutes.
  • Mix the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, then fold in the set flaxseed mixture, orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest and melted coconut oil. Mix to form a smooth batter.
  • Divide the batter in half, then add the cocoa and milk to one half.
  • Line a loaf tin (I used a 21×11 cm loaf tin) with baking paper. Spoon large dollops of each mixture into the tin, alternating the flavours, then use a sharp knife to swirl the batter around (but don’t over swirl!).
  • Bake for 50 minutes, then leave to cool completely before adding the chocolate.
  • Break up the dark chocolate into a bowl and add the coconut oil. Melt in the microwave, then pour over the cake. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 0.5mgSodium: 110mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 3mg
Keyword dairy-free, dairy-free dessert, healthier dessert, orange chocolate, vegan cake, vegan chocolate
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