Orange, almond and chocolate cake recipe

For a celebratory treat you should really try our rich dessert. This moist orange, almond and chocolate cake recipe with lashings of dark chocolate ganache and a little pot of crème fraîche is truly a taste of decadence.

 Ingredients

    2 oranges
    150g plain chocolate
    5 eggs
    400g golden caster sugar
    350g sunflower oil
    125g ground almonds
    25g cocoa powder
    375g plain flour
    1 1/2 tsp baking powder
    3-4 tbsp orange liquer

For the topping

    350g plain chocolate
    225ml double cream
    Crystallised orange peel, to decorate



Method

    1.Put the whole oranges in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove to a food processor with a slotted spoon and whizz to a purée, then allow to cool.
    2.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease and base line a deep 23-24cm round cake tin. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat, stir until smooth, then cool.
    3.In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, sugar and oil. Gradually beat in the orange purée, then the chocolate. Sift the almonds, cocoa, flour and baking powder together and fold into the chocolate orange mixture. Spoon in the tin and level.
    4.Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes (cover with foil if it gets too brown) – it's ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out and cool on a rack. Drizzle the base of the cake with the liquer.
    5.For the topping, melt the chocolate in a large bowl, as above. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream until smooth. Set aside until thick enough to spread, stirring occassionally. Swirl over the cake using a palette knife. Decorate with crystallised orange strips and serve with pots of crème fraîche.
(deliciousmagazine.co.uk)