This Kūmara and Chocolate Cake is full of fantastic earthy flavour. It has orange zest, plenty of warm spices, and is speckled with dark chocolate that tingles your taste buds. It’s complemented by a rich dark chocolate buttercream and adorned with decorations from the whenua (land).
So many of you have made it to celebrate Matariki, birthdays and Christmas — and that is something worth celebrating.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE:
I created this Kūmara and Chocolate Cake for Whittakers in celebration of Matariki 2023. I wanted to create an earthy cake that used kūmara (sweet potato) as the base.
I filled the batter with kiri ārani (orange zest), warm spices, and folded through Whittakers mandarin and ginger dark chocolate. I was so delighted by the depth of flavour that came from all of these ingredients working together.
MORE MATARIKI RECIPES TO TRY:
If you're celebrating Matariki, my Chocolate Star Bread and Star Shortbread Biscuits are perfect for sharing with whānau.
For something warm and comforting, try my Light and Fluffy Fry Bread, or treat everyone to my irresistible Chocolate Stuffed Fry Bread for a delicious twist on a classic favourite.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
Ingredient Tips for the Kūmara and Chocolate Cake:
- Kūmara: For anyone who doesn't know, kūmara is a sweet potato and I use the orange variety because it is less starchy than the others.
- Oranges: Use fresh ārani (oranges) in this keke (cake).
- Eggs: I prefer free-range hēki (eggs) but use what you have.
- Sugar: This cake uses huka hāura (brown sugar) and huka one (caster sugar). Swap the caster sugar for brown if need be.
- Oil: Use a neutral flavoured oil in this keke (cake) like olive or rice bran.
- Yogurt: Use unsweetened miraka tepe (yogurt) or the same amount of full fat kirīmi kawa (sour cream).
- Self-raising flour: I definitely prefer self-raising flour in this recipe but you can swap it for the same amount of plain flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Chocolate: I love the flavour of the tiakarete manarini me te tinitia (mandarin and ginger chocolate) but you can swap it for any dark chocolate.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CAKE:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 150 °C bake setting or 140 °C fan bake setting.
Grease two 19 cm or 20 cm spring form cake tins and then line with baking paper.
2. Prepare the Kūmara:
Grate the kūmara ārani (orange kūmara) in to a large bowl.
Add the tote (salt), kiri ārani (orange zest), wai ārani (orange juice) and wanira (vanilla).
Whakaranuhia (stir it together) and leave it to the side.
3. Whisk the Eggs and Sugar:
Add the hēki (eggs), huka hāura (brown sugar) and huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl.
Using a kōrori (whisk), whip the mixture for a minute or so until the mixture is smooth and light in colour.
Continue to whip as you slowly add the noni (oil) and miraka tepe (yogurt).
4. Add the remaining Ingredients:
Sift the puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour), pēkana houra (baking soda), rau kikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona (cinnamon) and tinitia (ginger) on top of the egg and yogurt mixture.
Add the kūmara mixture on top of the sifted ingredients and fold all the ingredients together until roughly incorporated.
Chop the tiakarete manarini me te tinitia (mandarin and ginger chocolate) in to fine pieces (the same size as small chocolate chips) and then fold it in the batter.
5. Bake the Kūmara and Chocolate Cake:
Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and spread out the batter until it is even.
Bake the cakes for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, place a large tray on top of the cake tins and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre.
6. Cool the Cakes:
Tip the cakes onto a cooling tray straight away to help flatten them out. Leave the baking paper on as they cool.
Once cool, the keke (cake) can be stacked on top of each other and stored in a sealed container for around 3 days before decorating. I often cover mine with a reusable bowl cover too.
7. Make the Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
Once you are ready to decorate the cake, make one quantity of my dark chocolate buttercream.
8. Add the Buttercream:
Place one of the cooled keke (cakes) on to a serving platter or cake stand.
Spread half of the pani reka (buttercream) on to the cake and spread it out until smooth and even.
Then place the second keke (cake) on top.
Spread the second half of the pani reka (buttercream) in a swirly pattern or you can get creative and pipe it.
9. Decorate the Top of the Cake:
Arrange the rōpere (strawberries), ārani raki (dried oranges) and rohimere (rosemary) as you want.
Serve the keke (cake) and then sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Store the Cake:
Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.
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A piece for you and a piece for me, oh what joy will come to be.
DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?
It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page.
I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.
Kūmara, Orange and Chocolate Cake - Keke Kūmara, Ārani me te Tiakarete Parauri
Equipment
- 2 x 19 cm or 20 cm spring-form cake tins
Ingredients
Kūmara, Orange and Chocolate Cake - Keke Kūmara, Ārani me te Tiakarete Parauri
- 300 g kūmara ārani (orange kūmara, peeled)
- ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
- kiri ārani (orange zest, of 1 ½ oranges)
- ⅓ C wai ārani (orange juice)
- 1 tablespoon wanira (vanilla)
- 2 hēki (eggs)
- ⅔ C huka hāura (brown sugar)
- ⅔ C huka one (caster sugar)
- ⅔ C noni (oil, neutral)
- ½ C miraka tepe (yogurt, unsweetened)
- 2 ½ C puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour)
- ½ teaspoon pēkana houra (baking soda)
- 1 tablespoon rau kikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
- 1 tablespoon hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
- 2 teaspoon tinitia kuoro (ground ginger)
- 100 g tiakarete manarini me te tinitia (mandarin and ginger chocolate). Note: You can change the chocolate flavour here if need be, though dark chocolate is recommended.
The Dark Chocolate Buttercream - Te Pani Reka Tiakarete
- 1 quantity dark chocolate buttercream
- 180 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate of your choice). I often use 50% - 62%.
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) kirīmi, miraka rānei (cream or milk)
- 190 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ½ C (85 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) wanira (vanilla)
The Decorations - Te Whakarākei
- 8 rōpere (strawberries, cut in half)
- 8 slices ārani raki (dried oranges, cut in half)
- 4 sprigs rohimere (rosemary, cut in to pieces)
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 150 °C bake setting or 140 °C fan bake setting. This low temperature helps keep the cakes flat and locks in the moisture when they are baking.
- Grease two 19 cm or 20 cm spring form cake tins and then line with baking paper.
Prepare the Kūmara:
- Grate the kūmara ārani (orange kūmara) in to a large bowl.
- Add the tote (salt), kiri ārani (orange zest), wai ārani (orange juice) and wanira (vanilla). Whakaranuhia (stir it together) and leave it to the side.
Whisk the Eggs and Sugar:
- Add the hēki (eggs), huka hāura (brown sugar) and huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl.
- Using a kōrori (whisk), whip the mixture for a minute or so until the mixture is smooth and light in colour.
- Continue to whip as you slowly add the noni (oil) and miraka tepe (yogurt).
Add the remaining Ingredients:
- Sift the puehu parāoa whakatipu (self-raising flour), pēkana houra (baking soda), rau kikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), hinamona (cinnamon) and tinitia (ginger) on top of the egg and yogurt mixture.
- Add the kūmara mixture on top of the sifted ingredients and fold all the ingredients together.
- Chop the tiakarete manarini me te tinitia (mandarin and ginger chocolate) in to fine pieces (the same size as small chocolate chips) and fold it in the batter.
Bake the Kūmara and Chocolate Cake:
- Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and smooth out the batter.
- Bake the cakes for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, place a large tray on top of the cake tins and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre. Note: Adding the tray on top helps lock in the moisture in the final part of baking and stops the cakes from over browning. Trust me, you won't regret it.
Cool the Cakes:
- Remove the keke (cakes) from the oven.
- Tip the cakes upside down on to a cooling tray straight away to help flatten them out. Leave the baking paper on as they cool.
- Completely cool the cakes. Once cool, the keke (cake) can be stacked on top of each other and stored in a sealed container for around 3 days before decorating. I often cover mine with a resuable bowl cover too.
Make the Dark Chocolate Buttercream:
- Once you are ready to decorate the cake, make one quantity of my dark chocolate buttercream.
Add the Buttercream:
- Note: I decorate it as a nude cake but it can be covered all over with the buttercream too if you prefer.
- Place one of the cooled keke (cakes) on to a serving platter or cake stand.
- Spread half of the pani reka (buttercream) on to the cake and spread it out.
- Place the second keke (cake) on top. Spread the second half of the pani reka (buttercream) in a swirly pattern or you can get creative and pipe it.
Decorate the Top of the Cake:
- Arrange the rōpere (strawberries), ārani raki (dried oranges) and rohimere (rosemary) as you want.
- Serve the keke (cake) and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Store the Cake:
- Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place. It will develop in flavour as it sits and in my opinion is even better a few days after it is baked. It will keep well for up 5 days.
- In the hotter months you can store the decorated and uncut cake it in the refrigerator but bring it room temperature before eating. Once it is cut, don't keep it in the fridge as the cake will dry out.
Video
Expert Tips:
Bake the Cakes at a low temperature:
These keke (cakes) are baked at a low temperature, which helps keep the cakes flat and locks in moisture during baking.
Use a tray to stop the cake from browning:
Place a flat tray on top of the cake tins during the final 15 minutes of baking. This helps lock in moisture and prevents over-browning. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Decorate the cake as you want:
I decorate this keke (cake) as a nude cake, but you can fully cover it with buttercream if you prefer.
Make the cake ahead of time:
This keke kūmara (kūmara cake) develops in flavour as it sits and, in my opinion, is even better a few days after baking.
Storage:
Store this keke (cake) in a sealed container in a cool place.
In warmer months, you can store the decorated and uncut cake in the refrigerator, but bring it back to room temperature before serving.
Once cut, it’s best not to keep it in the fridge as the cake can dry out. It will keep well for up to 5 days.
VARIATIONS:
This Kūmara and Chocolate Cake is delicious as it is, but you can easily adapt it to suit different occasions or preferences.
Cover the cake with buttercream:
If you prefer a fully covered cake, spread the buttercream all over the outside instead of leaving it as a semi-nude cake.
Swap the chocolate:
You can also swap the Whittakers mandarin and ginger dark chocolate for another dark chocolate flavour, such as orange or plain dark chocolate, depending on your flavour preference.
Decorate with your own flare:
For a more festive twist, decorate the cake with seasonal fruit, edible flowers, or extra grated chocolate on top.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, this cake is perfect for making ahead. In fact, the flavour improves after a day or two as the spices and kūmara deepen.
Yes, you can freeze the cake (unfrosted is best). Wrap it tightly and store for up to 2–3 months. Defrost completely before decorating or serving.
This cake is naturally moist due to the kūmara. However, overmixing the batter or baking at too high a temperature can make it denser than intended.
Kūmara adds natural sweetness, moisture, and a soft texture to cakes, similar to pumpkin or carrot in baking.
Āe mārika - absolutely. You can bake this cake in a single 23 cm cake tin instead of two smaller tins. Keep the oven temperature the same and allow an extra 10–15 minutes baking time. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Mere
Absolutely yum
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
so wonderful to hear! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback!
Lisa
I made this keke last Matariki, it was delicious, will be making it again this weekend. Ngā mihi 🙂
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Woo hoo! This makes me so happy e hoa, thank you for letting me know!
Rachel
Such a cool recipe. Made it for two different Matariki events and it went down so well. I cooked on reg bake the first time and it took longer but fanbake the second time and it seemed to be closer to suggested cooking time. Thanks for a great Matariki recipe.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Oh that is awesome to hear Rachel and yes, the oven timings can be tricky aye as our ovens are all a little bit different! So stoked that you enjoyed the recipe! Ngā mihi!
Pia
Ngā mihi maioha e hoa. This recipe is AMAZING. Made it for Matariki last night. OMG. Best cake I’ve eaten haha ❤️🖤🤍
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Kia ora Pia, what an amazing review! Yes, I love this cake so much as well. Such a fun one aye.
Lucy Reid
Made this for Matariki lunch at work, was delicious
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Kia ora Lucy - that is so cool to hear. Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
Ngā mihi, Naomi
Aimee Cave
Could I use olive oil as the neutral oil? Thank you
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Yes absolutely you can, I would use a mild tasting one though. 💗
Sana
Soooo reka and easy to make! A perfect celebratory cake 🙂
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Kia ora Sana, so glad that you enjoy this recipe, it is a super special one to me so that is awesome!
Caryl Taucher
Can this cake be made in a single tin. If so, what would the oven setting be and how long to cook it. Thanks in anticipation. Caryl
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Kia ora Caryl! You can bake this cake in a single 23 cm cake tin instead of two smaller tins. Keep the oven temperature the same and allow an extra 10–15 minutes baking time. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.