Chocolate orange curd cake
Chocolate and orange are a match made in heaven. This easy cake makes the most of the combination with a fluffy chocolate orange sponge and zingy orange curd and cream filling.
You will need two 20cm/8in round cake tins and an electric mixer.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 225g/8oz golden caster sugar
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 225g/8oz self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 oranges, finely grated zest
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- pinch salt
For the filling
- 175ml/6fl oz double cream
- 4 tbsp orange curd
For the glacé icing
- 2 tbsp orange curd
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú icing sugar
- few drops of orange juice
To decorate
- dark chocolate, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease two 20cm/8in round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.
Whisk together all the sponge ingredients with an electric mixer until fully combined. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cooked through – the tops should spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the filling, whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks when the whisk is lifted. Add the orange curd and very lightly fold to create a ripple effect through the cream.
Put one sponge on a serving plate and spread with the orange curd cream. Top with the second sponge to sandwich the cakes together.
To make the glacé icing, mix the ingredients together, adding more icing sugar or orange juice until the icing is smooth and thick but easily spreadable. Carefully spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle over the grated chocolate.
