Chocolate Orange Cake
A deliciously decadent and rich chocolate orange cake covered in a dark Terry's chocolate orange flavoured ganache and topped with segments of Terry's chocolate orange.
Ingredients
For the chocolate orange cake
- 350 g light brown sugar
- 85 g cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 370 g plain flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- .5 tsp salt
- 3 tsp orange extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 250 ml whole milk
- 125 ml vegetable oil
- 250 ml boiling water
For the chocolate orange ganache
- 314 g dark Terry's chocolate orange equates to 2 dark chocolate oranges
- 314 g double cream heavy/whipping cream - US
To decorate
- 157 g Milk Chocolate Terry's Chocolate Orange equates to 1 Terry's chocolate orange
- 2 slices candied orange optional
Instructions
To make the chocolate orange cakes
- Preheat oven to 190ºC/ 170ºC Fan/ 375 F/ Gas 5
- Line two 20cm (8-inch pans) with baking paper.
- Add all the ingredients to a large boil except for the boiling water. Mix well.
- Add the boiling water and mix. You will end up with a very runny batter. This is normal!
- Distribute the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted to the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
To make the chocolate orange ganache
- Chop the dark Terry's chocolate orange into small pieces and add them to a bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream until just below boiling point.
- Pour the cream over the Terry's chocolate and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes.
- Whisk well until all the chocolate has melted and combined with the cream.
- Set the ganache aside in the fridge for about 20 minutes. The ganache will thicken so that you can use it as cake filling. (we will loosen it for dripping over the cake later)
To assemble and decorate
- When the cakes are cool, even the tops of the cakes using a serrated knife.
- Place one cake on a turntable or cake stand, ready for filling.
- By now your ganache should have been in the fridge for 30 minutes or so. It will be stiffer and better consistency for using as the cake layer filling.
- Using a spoon, transfer around a quarter of the chocolate ganache on to the cake on the turntable. Use a palette knife to spread it around. Don't worry if some of the filling drips down the side of the cake.
- Place the other cake on top of the cake on the turntable and press down sandwiching the two cakes together.
- Next, you will need to thin the consistency of the ganache so that it's pourable. You can do this by microwaving it in very short bursts or using the bain-marie/double boiler method.
- When the ganache has melted and thinned (it will look much like it did when you first made it) you can pour it over the top of your cakes. Use a palette knife or spatula to spread it over the sides of the cake. Watch my step by step video below to see how I cover my cake.
- To decorate, add Terry's milk chocolate orange segments around the edge of the cake and a couple of candied oranges in the centre.
Video
Notes
NOTES
- The cake batter will be very runny so make sure that your loose-bottomed cake tins don't have any gaps or the batter will leak and run out.
- You can easily turn this cake into a 4-layered cake by slicing the cakes in half and dividing a quarter of the ganache between each layer.
- To make ahead follow the cake instructions to step 7, then wrap and refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for 3 months.
- You can also make the ganache in advance. Leave it to cool then refrigerate for up to one week. Bring the ganache to room temperature before use.
- Wrap the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The ganache will act as a barrier so your cake won't dry out in the fridge.
- This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.