I have been in a bit of a chocolate orange phase recently. I have had to stop myself from buying everything chocolate orange flavoured that I see. I don’t know where it has come from, but I think that I may be nearing the end of it. Maybe.
This cake certainly helped quell the craving.
Flavoured with orange zest and a little bit of orange extract, the texture is dense and truffle-like (hence the name) from the chocolate and the fact that it contains no flour, only ground almonds.
The roasted orange segments on the top are easy to make and also provide a little bit of fruit to nibble on either before or after you eat the cake, which helps alleviate a little of the guilt, because, fruit, right?
The topping is more of a glaze than a frosting – just a little something to make it shiny and help the orange segments stick to the cake. It will look as if there is nowhere near enough to cover the cake, but you’ll be surprised how far it will go.
Chocolate Orange Truffle Cake
Ingredients:
For the roasted orange segments:
- 1/2 orange, sliced horizontally and then cut into segments
- 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp orange juice
For the cake:
- 75g butter
- 100g dark chocolate
- 200g milk chocolate
- 3 eggs
- 150g ground almonds
- zest of 1/2 an orange
- 1 tsp orange extract
For the chocolate glaze:
- 25g dark chocolate
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 Celsius / 160 fan / 350 Fahrenheit.
- Start with the roasted orange segments – mix together the sugar and orange juice. Arrange the orange segments on a piece of non-stick baking paper on a baking sheet and drizzle the sugar/juice mixture over them. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- While the orange segments are cooking, make the cake. Grease and line an 8 inch round cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
- In a bowl placed over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together.
- Place the eggs in a separate bowl along with the ground almonds, zest and extract. Mix to combine.
- Add the melted butter and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. It will thicken as it cools.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the surface springs back when pressed gently and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- Once the cake and orange segments are cold, make the glaze by melting the chocolate and olive oil together. Pour over the cake and spread to cover. Decorate with the roasted orange segments.
- Store in an air-tight container.
Notes:
You can, if you wish, use 300g of milk chocolate rather than the dark / milk mix mentioned above. What I wouldn’t do is use all dark chocolate or even the majority dark and the rest milk. It will make the cake too dense and heavy.
© The Pink Rose Bakery 2015
Recipe adapted from Honeybuns.
The Pink Rose Bakery 
Omg that cake. I love it! Orange and chocolate really are some of the best ingredients together..
LikeLike
It’s a classic combination that really works, isn’t it?! đŸ™‚
LikeLike
Wow. Just wow.
LikeLike
Aw, thanks! đŸ™‚
LikeLike
I’m with you. There’s very little on earth to beat the flavour of dark chocolate and orange. And as you say, healthy because, well, fruit… I also want to make a dark chocolate and white peppermint fondant cake, but the Husband doesn’t like the mint/chocolate combo. Well, he has so few other defects, I suppose I can forgive him for this lapse in taste!
LikeLike
He doesn’t like chocolate mint???!!! It is just as well he is so perfect in other regards or else his days would be numbered! I only like dark chocolate and mint, not interested in that sickly sweet milk chocolate / mint combo that sometimes makes an appearance.
LikeLike
I just don’t get it, myself… But as you say, he’s worth keeping for the rest of it! And dark chocolate and mint, absolutely!
LikeLike