Chocolate Orange Cake

I’ve missed doing my baking whilst I have been revising for exams so what better way to start the holidays then baking a delicious cake using two of my favourite flavours – chocolate and orange! I also like to think of this cake as providing one of my five a day although that is extremely unlikely – it is always nice to think you’re eating something healthy and delicious! Again, this cake is gluten-free by using different flour but of course you can use regular flour in the same quantities!

Ingredients:

Cake:

175g softened butter

175g caster sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

200g self-raising gluten-free flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

50g orange flavoured chocolate

Buttercream & Topping:

110g softened butter

440g icing sugar

2 tbsps orange juice

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4.  Grease the bases of two cake tins using butter.

2. Beat the sugar and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.

3. . Beat the eggs lightly and gradually add them, beating well after each addition.

4. Sift the flour and cocoa and fold into the creamed mixture.

5. Melt the chocolate over a low heat in a bowl over a saucepan with water. Fold this into the mixture.

6. Divide mixture evenly into two and pour into the prepared tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until springy to the touch.

7. Leave to cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

8. Whilst the cake is cooling, make the buttercream. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and icing sugar.

9. Add the orange juice and vanilla extract and beat until smooth and creamy.

10. Once the cakes have cooled, take one cake and smooth over half of the buttercream to cover.

11. Place the second cake on top and using a piping bag, pipe more buttercream around the edge of the top cake. Fill in the middle of the top cake with orange segments. 

I hope you enjoy this citrus dessert – perfect for the warm summer days to come!

Love Always

xx