Chocolate orange layer cake
Bursting with flavour, this deliciously rich chocolate and orange cake is the perfect dessert to share. Recipe and image courtesy of Marriage’s, flour.co.uk
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Makes 1 x 2-tier 20cm cake
Ingredients
- 400g Unsalted butter, soft (200g cubed), plus extra to grease
- 100g Soft light brown sugar
- 100g Golden caster sugar
- 4 Medium eggs
- Zest of two oranges, plus half the juice of one orange (and extra zest to serve)
- 150g Marriage’s organic self raising flour
- 50g Sieved cocoa powder
- Salt
- 200g Icing sugar
- 200g Dark chocolate (melted and cooled)
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of two 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed sandwich tins with baking paper.
Step 2
Put 200g soft, cubed butter and sugar into a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well in between. Add the zest and half the juice of one orange, flour, cocoa and a pinch of salt. Beat again briefly to make a smooth batter.
Step 3
Scrape into the two tins and smooth over the top with the back of a spoon or spatula. Transfer to the oven (side by side if you can) and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen, it springs back when pressed lightly and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Step 4
For the icing, beat the icing sugar and remaining butter together in a bowl, until light and fluffy. Add the melted and cooled chocolate, and the zest of the remaining orange, and whisk until combined.
Step 5
To assemble, put one of the sponges upside-down on a serving plate and spoon over half of the icing. Smooth evenly with a knife. Add the other cake (upside down), and add the remaining icing, making a few peaks. Scatter with orange zest, to serve.
