Fragrant Orange Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Sometimes only a loaf cake will do. Do you know what I mean?

When I'm in the loaf-cake-craving mood I would usually bake a banana bread of some sort, but today that just wouldn't cut it. Don't get me wrong, I love banana bread as much as the next person. But today I felt like trying something a little bit different, so I made this orange cake...I may or may not have been influenced by the dozen oranges that were sat in my kitchen begging to be used.

This cake is fragrant, sweet and citrus-y. 

It is extremely moist and very comforting with a nice cup of tea.

Recipe adapted from here

Makes one large or two small loaves

2C plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

A pinch of salt

1 1/2C fresh orange juice

1C vanilla sugar (regular sugar will do)

1/2C olive oil

Zest of 1 orange

2Tbsp cornflour

Preheat your oven to 180. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a measuring jug mix together the sugar, oil, orange juice & zest. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour into a greased/lined loaf tin and bake for about an hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for about 5mins and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cake cools make the ganache.

10oz vegan dark chocolate

1/2C almond milk

Place the chocolate and milk in a medium pan. Heat on a medium heat, while stirring constantly. Once the chocolate has melted, immediately remove from the heat and whisk as it cools slightly and thickens. Once slightly thickened pour over to cooled loaf and leave to cool and set.

Once the ganache has set, serve a slice with a nice cup of earl grey.

Enjoy xo