Dark Chocolate and Orange Cake

A heavenly marriage of dark chocolate and orange - a combination you can't really go wrong with - I stumbled upon this recipe by pure chance on the internet. I have made my own modifications to it and this is the final recipe. A real stunner if you enjoy these two flavours.

Dark Chocolate and orange cake

1 Orange

½ orange – juiced (optional – use if you like your cake more orangey!)

A little melted butter , for greasing

100g plain chocolate , broken into pieces

3 eggs

280g caster sugar

120 ml sunflower oil

120 ml olive oil

25g cocoa powder

250g plain flour

1½ tsp baking powder

For the chocolate ganache

180 ml double cream

200 g plain chocolate

25 g butter

Method

1. Pierce the orange with a skewer (right through). Cook in boiling water for 30 minutes until soft. Whizz the whole orange in a food processor until smooth and let cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C.Grease and line the base of a 23cm round cake tin.
3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave for 2 minutes on High, stirring after 1 minute. Let cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and oil. When well mixed, gradually add in the orange (ensure you discard any pips).
5. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate. Add the juice of ½ orange if using.
6. Sift together the cocoa, flour and baking powder. Fold this into the mixture lightly. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean except for a little melted chocolate. Check after 45 mins and if you feel the top is browning, cover the cake with a foil and bake until done.
7. Allow the cake to cool for 10 – 15 mins in the tin before turning on to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the chocolate ganache, heat the cream and butter together. Pour this hot mixture over the chopped dark chocolate.
9. Stir or blend the mixture until smooth. If desired, you can add a little cointreau to the mixture for a more orangey touch!
10. Spread the mixture onto the cake or create a lattice pattern using a piping bag. Decorate with edible golden baubles and flowers created from sugar paste for a more lovely looking cake or eat just topped with ganache (just as delicious)!

Note: If you are only piping the ganache on to the cake and not spreading it on as a frosting – you can halve the quantity given above.