A super moist cake that's delicious on its own and a little more decadent when topped with dark chocolate ganache!
Photographs: Natasha Liviero / Unsplash
Text: Natasha Liviero
Orange Syrup Cake
Orange cake Ingredients:
330g castor sugar
15g orange zest
200g butter, room temperature and cubed
80g cake flour
300g almond flour
2g salt
5 XL eggs
50g fresh orange juice
Orange syrup Ingredients:
110g fresh orange juice
80g sugar
20g orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
Method:
Set oven to 160C.
Grease a 24cm bundt tin or line and grease a spring-form cake tin.
Zest the oranges and place zest in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the castor sugar to the zest, and with your fingers, gently massage the zest into the sugar until it turns orange in colour.
Add the butter and mix with a paddle attachment until light and creamy.
Mix the cake flour, almond flour and salt in a separate bowl.
On low speed, alternate adding the eggs with the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is well combined.
Add the orange juice and mix until just combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth the surface before placing it in the oven.
Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Towards the end of the baking time, prepare the syrup by simmering the orange juice and sugar until the sugar melts. Then, add the liqueur and carefully pour the warm syrup over the surface of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for around 30 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack covered with baking paper (because the cake is a little sticky, the baking paper will make it easier to move later).
This cake can be served plain, decorated with candied orange segments and edible flowers or with a rich chocolate ganache.
Dark Chocolate Ganache (Optional) Ingredients:
150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g cream
50g butter, room temperature, cubed
5g honey
Method:
Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling.
Pour the cream over the chocolate. Leave for a minute before stirring until smooth.
Add the butter and stir until melted and fully incorporated into the chocolate.
Finally, stir in the honey before slowly pouring the ganache over the cooled cake.
Notes:
Due to the cake's moistness, it's imperative to grease the Bundt pan thoroughly to ensure the cake doesn't stick to the tin. If you struggle with this, use a 24cm spring-form cake tin, lining the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper before lightly greasing.
This cake will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.