Surprise Cake

Surprise Cake

This is one ofmy favourite cake recipes that combines my two favourite ingredients, orange andchocolate. The recipe is from a cookbook that inspired many a baking adventurein the past, entitled Chocolate byLinda Collister. Importantly, there is a picture for every recipe which makesflipping through the book a tummy rumbling exercise!

Basically, it isa simple butter cake with a serious kick of orange covered in delicious chocolateicing.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

175g unsaltedbutter, at room temperature

175g caster sugar

Grated zest of 2oranges

3 large eggs,beaten

175gself-raising flour, sifted

2 tablespoonsfresh orange juice (from about ½ orange)

Orange Syrup

100ml freshlysqueezed orange juice (from about 1 ½ oranges)

1-2 tablespoonsorange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier

85g caster sugar

Chocolate Icing

150g darkchocolate, finely chopped

55g unsaltedbutter, cut into small pieces

A springform or deep cake tin, 20cm indiameter, buttered and base-lined with baking paper

METHOD

Cake

1. Put the butter into a mixing bowl and,using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat until creamy. I like to chop thebutter into cubes to make it easier (and quicker) to cream.

2.  Add the sugar and orange zest and beatuntil light and fluffy.

3. Gradually beat in the eggs, beating wellafter each addition. The mixture might look like it has curdled but when youadd the flour it will go away.

4. Using a large metal spoon (or a rubberspatula), fold in the flour in 3 batches, adding the orange juice with the lastbatch of flour.

5.  Spoon the batter into the prepared tinand level the surface.

6.  Bake in preheated oven at 180°C (350°F orGas 4) for 35-40 minutes.

7. Make the orange syrup. 

8. As soon as the cake is well risen, goldenbrown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean, remove from the ovenand transfer to a wire rack. Do not remove the cake from the tin.

9. Prick the cake all over with a skewer andslowly spoon the orange syrup over the cake, until it has all been absorbed.Leave until cold before removing from the tin.

10. Make chocolate icing. 

11. Once completely cooled transfer cake toserving platter and spread chocolate icing evenly over the top and sides of thecake and let set.

Orange Syrup

- Put the orangejuice, liqueur and caster sugar into a bowl, and using a large metal spoon stiruntil the sugar dissolves.

Chocolate Icing

- Put thechocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of steaming waterand melt gently (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).

- Remove the bowlfrom the heat, gently stir the chocolate until smooth.

Notes

Store in anairtight container

Best eaten within6 days

The cooled cake,minus the syrup, can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost the cake, then gentlywarm the syrup, pour over the cake and finish as in the main recipe.

Looks like aplain old chocolate cake from the outside...

...but surprise,inside its orange!