Decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Cake

I have a confession to make. Sometimes I actually like baking a cake more than I like eating it. I know, there must be something wrong with me, right!? There's just something so satisfying about creating something from scratch. I am always amazed that you can put something into the oven looking like a sloppy mess and when you take it out it's transformed into something completely different. So yes, I really love to bake, and even though I'm not eating sugar at the moment, I still love baking for the people I love.

 

This Decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Cake is so rich, oh so chocolatey but with a fruity zing which is just irresistible. And best of all, it's super simple to whip up!

 

Decadent Dark Chocolate Orange Cake

Serves 8-12

 

For the cake

1 1/2C plain flour

1/2C cocoa powder

1C sugar

1tsp baking soda

1tsp balsamic vinegar

1/3C oil

1/3C water

1tsp vanilla extract

1C freshly squeezed orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

1C dark chocolate chips

 

For the icing

1C icing sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1/2 an orange

 

To decorate

Physalis

(sliced Kumquats would also be good!)

 

Preheat your oven to 175/GM4, grease a large cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients with a whisk. Make a well in the centre and add your wet ingredients and the orange zest. Whisk together until a thick but pourable batter forms. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the cake tin. Bake for an hour, until the cake no longer jiggles when shaken and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out mostly clean (because of the chocolate chips it wont come out completely clean.)

Set aside to cool completely in the tin, once cooled refrigerate for an hour or overnight top make sure that the chocolate is really set.

 

Remove your cake from the fridge and carefully take it out of the tin. Make the icing by combining all the ingredients and mixing thoroughly until you get a thick, spreadable mixture. Pour all the icing onto the middle of the cake and, using a spoon, spread the icing carefully to the edges of the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides (but not too much.)

 

Top with physalis, or whatever you fancy using to decorate it! I think chocolate curls would look beautiful, or thin slices of kumquat.

 

This cake is delicious as it is, but is also really fudgy and comforting when eaten warm (if you want to eat it warm, just pop your slice in the microwave for 20 seconds and enjoy!)

 

Charis xo