Introduction:
Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit? I know that might seem a fairly frivolous question but it was the centre of a high profile court case in 1991 (scroll down to find out the answer). All I can say is this recipe is very much a cake - and a delicious one at that! Imagine three tiers of light orange-infused sponge, layered with tangy marmalade buttercream, covered in a rich dark chocolate ganache… this Jaffa Cake Cake is the perfect cake for chocolate orange fans.
Why you'll love this Jaffa Cake Cake
- It replicates that childhood favourite, the humble Jaffa Cake, but in a beautiful cake form.
- The cake looks stunning and makes it a perfect celebration cake for a birthday or party.
- The flavours in this bake are perfectly balanced - the citrus zestiness cuts through the creamy buttercream but pairs beautifully with the chocolate ganache.
You will need the following ingredients
Butter - make sure your butter is softened to ensure it creams together in the first step.
Caster sugar - caster sugar gives the best texture but you can also use granulated if that is what you have in your larder.
Orange zest - by using the orange zest you get a more intense orange flavour than orange juice.
Eggs - use free-range eggs stamped with the British Lion mark if you can.
Self-raising flour - this ensures a light and airy texture, you can make your own using plain (all purpose) flour and baking powder.
Baking powder - not to be confused with bicarbonate of soda - they do different things!
Icing sugar - this adds sweetness and stability to the zesty marmalade buttercream.
Marmalade - this adds a tangy flavour to the buttercream which balances out the sweetness. You can choose whichever brand you like, I recommend one that isn’t too bitter.
Dark chocolate - opt for a good quality variety with at least 70% cocoa solids.
Double cream - this helps make a luxuriously rich and creamy ganache.
Curls of orange peel - this looks like pretty ribbons of orange on top, but is entirely optional. See below for more decoration ideas.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Orange Jelly: Whilst a key feature of traditional Jaffa Cakes, here there isn’t one - but hear me out… whilst I LOVE it, I wanted this recipe to be as accessible as possible and felt it would overcomplicate things by including a layer of jelly that requires gelatine and setting times. This creamy, zesty orange buttercream is the ideal solution. Trust me, if you are a fan of Jaffa Cakes, this chocolate orange cake won’t disappoint!
Self-Raising Flour: You can make your own by mixing 200g plain flour with 1–2 teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Marmalade: Obviously, this is a recipe for a Jaffa Cake-inspired cake, so marmalade makes the most sense. However, if you wanted to mix it up but still have a sponge cake with chocolate ganache, you could swap the marmalade for raspberry jam or apricot jam, it would be delicious.
Here's how to make Jaffa Cake Cake
The full recipe is down below for more detailed instructions but these few pictures make up a step-by-step guide, that will help you when making the Jaffa Cake Cake.
ONE: For the sponge: using an electric whisk, whisk together the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy.
TWO: Whisk in the eggs, flour and baking powder until you have a smooth batter.
THREE: Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 15cm / 6 inch loose-bottomed cake tins with non-stick baking paper.
FOUR: Divide amongst the three tins, ready to pop in the oven at 170c fan around 20 minutes or until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
FIVE: Meanwhile, make the buttercream by beating butter and sugar and then adding a dollop of marmalade. Then make the chocolate ganache by adding the chocolate in a heatproof bowl then pouring over hot cream and stirring until melted. Leave to stand until thickened slightly - but still runny enough that you can pour and spread it over the cake.
SIX: To assemble: place the first cake on a flat serving plate and spread evenly with a layer of the marmalade buttercream. Add the second cake and another layer of buttercream. Top with the final cake, then pour over the chocolate ganache and use a palette knife to spread it down the sides in a smooth and even layer. Decorate with curls of orange zest.
Cooking Tips
Fixing a split chocolate ganache: Chocolate can be temperamental to work with and the chocolate ganache might split if it gets too hot. To prevent this, make sure you bring the cream just to a simmer, and stir constantly as you pour it over the chocolate. It is also best to avoid using the microwave as this can cause the chocolate to overheat and split too. If it has already split (and looks grainy or oily), there are several things you can try including whisking or blending with a handheld whisk/blender on high-speed to re-emulsify. Or gradually whisking in a little more steaming cream (1-2 tbsp) until you have a smooth and glossy ganache.
Decoration ideas: I opted for a super glossy decadent dark chocolate ganache and shreds or orange zest. You could use candied orange peel or get creative with chocolate orange slices (we all know the brand), chocolate orange truffles or chocolate-dipped satsuma segments.
Frequently Asked Questions: Jaffa Cakes
A Jaffa Cake is a small round cake (more on that below!) first made by the Scottish biscuit maker ‘McVitie and Price’ (now known as ‘McVities’) in 1927. Named after Jaffa oranges, they consist of a Genoise sponge base, topped with an orange jelly disc, covered in a thin dark chocolate coating.
Despite often being found in the biscuit aisle in supermarkets and in biscuit tins in homes up and down the country, Jaffa Cakes are officially a cake (I suppose the clue really is in the name!). Why does it matter? In the UK, VAT (value added tax) is payable on chocolate-coated biscuits but not chocolate-coated cakes. This resulted in the now infamous 1991 court case where McVities defended their classification of Jaffa Cakes as cakes (thus meaning they would avoid paying VAT), against claims that their size, shape and the fact they were often eaten in place of biscuits, meant they were actually a biscuit.
However, the court found in favour of McVities and ruled that, whilst Jaffa Cakes had characteristics of cakes and biscuits, they should be considered a cake (meaning that VAT is not paid on them in the UK). Do you agree? Let me know whether you think Jaffa Cakes are a cake or a biscuit in the comments…
Frequently Asked Questions: baking
I have tested this recipe as a 3-tiered 15cm / 6-inch cake but do understand that it is a fairly unusual tin size that not everyone has. It should work if you divide between 2 greased and lined 20cm / 8-inch round tins and bake for 25-30 minutes in a 160C Fan oven.
Chocolate ganache is a smooth and shiny mix of chocolate and cream which is use in various desserts, pastries and cakes. Sometimes it will have just two ingredients, but often you may see the addition of a little butter or sugar. In this recipe, I have used icing sugar to add sweetness. You could use caster sugar, glucose syrup or golden syrup - the latter gives an even glossier ganache.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you love orange in a cake but are looking for something simpler, this Tunisian Orange Cake is the simplest cake you'll ever make. You don't even need to preheat the oven for it. A celebration cake that I love to make is this White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake with gorgeous piping (optional!) and I love this Simple Chocolate Cake too, which stands so thick and tall but is really rather easy. For something more bite-sized, try these Double Chocolate Chip Muffins or these Triple Chocolate Brownies inspired by Nigella - they are so chocolatey and SO good.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintJaffa Jaffa Cake
A jaffa cake, the UK's loved biscuit (or cake?!), turned into a full chocolate and orange cake. It's so delicious and simple too, as far as cakes go.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes + time for cakes to cool and decorate
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: British
Ingredients
For the sponge:
- 200g butter, softened
- 200g caster sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 3 large eggs
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the marmalade buttercream:
- 400g icing sugar
- 200g butter, softened
- 3 tbsp marmalade
For the dark chocolate ganache:
- 200g good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 300ml double cream
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
To decorate:
- Curls of orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 Fan. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 15cm / 6 inch loose-bottomed cake tins with non-stick baking paper. Set aside.
For the sponge:
- Using an electric whisk, whisk together the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs, flour and baking powder until you have a smooth batter.
- Divide the mix equally between the prepared tins and smooth over the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for around 20 minutes or until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tins and placing on wire racks to finish cooling completely.
Meanwhile, make the buttercream:
- Beat the softened butter until smooth, then gradually beat in the icing sugar (if you add it all at once it will spray everywhere, covering you in a sweet cloud of icing sugar). Add the marmalade and continue beating until smooth. Set aside.
- Next, make the chocolate ganache: put the chopped chocolate into a large heatproof bowl and set aside. Pour the cream into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth and glossy. Leave to stand until thickened slightly - but still runny enough that you can pour and spread it over the cake.
To assemble:
- Place the first cake on a flat serving plate and spread evenly with a layer of the marmalade buttercream. Add the second cake and another layer of buttercream. Top with the final cake, then pour over the chocolate ganache and use a palette knife to spread it down the sides in a smooth and even layer. Decorate with curls of orange zest.
Notes
Scroll up to cooking tips if your ganache splits. Don't panic, it's fixable!
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