Orange Cake with Easy Chocolate Truffle Frosting

Orange Cake with Chocolate Truffle Frosting

Yes, I am a little obsessed with the combination of chocolate and orange and I think I've figured out why. Baking has always been a part of my family life and some of my earliest memories include sitting in my Nan's kitchen waiting to see what she would bring out of the pantry as a treat for her gaggle of grandchildren. Raisin tea buns, date crumbles, rocky road squares and peanut butter cookies were regular mainstays in Nan's pantry but it seemed there was always an orange cake with chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of coconut for garnish sitting in the fridge. Nan was more prone to use a cake mix than make a scratch cake at the time but this flavor combination became a favorite of mine and you can find quite a few recipes celebrating this taste combination on this blog. If you are a chocolate-orange lover and enjoy those recipes, I think it is Nan Morgan that  you really have to thank for it.

Orange Cake

Sift together and set aside:

• 2 3/4 cups cake flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Cream together until fluffy:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar

Add, one at a time, beating well after every addition;

• 4 eggs at room temperature 

Mix in :

• zest of two medium size oranges, very finely chopped

Beat in:

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Gently fold in the dry ingredients in three equal portions, alternately with

• 1 cup undiluted evaporated milk

When adding dry and wet ingredients alternately in any baking recipe, always begin and end with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter evenly into 2 well greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch it carefully, you will not want to overbake this cake, as soon as the toothpick comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pans for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Truffle Frosting

• 4 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup whipping cream

Stir constantly over a gentle simmer in the double boiler, just until melted and smooth throughout. You do not want this mixture to get hot, it should be just at the melting point and only lukewarm to the touch.

In a separate bowl, whip to firm peaks:

• 3 cups whipping cream

Add the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture in four portions, folding gently after each addition until the whipped cream is completely incorporated into the chocolate. 

At this point you will probably have to chill this frosting for a half hour or so in the fridge if it is too soft to work with. Just give it a quick fold with a rubber spatula every 10 minutes so that it cools evenly in the fridge.

Fill and frost the cake layers with the frosting and garnish with orange slices if desired. Chill the cake for a couple of hours before serving.