Chocolate chip orange cake with soft buttercream
Easter eggs, mini eggs, and other chocolate nibbles make impressive and easy to prepare cake decorations. Pile them generously on top of the cake, the buttercream will hold them in place.
SERVES
12
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
40
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
60
MINUTES
Ingredients
250g soft butter
310g golden caster sugar
the zest of 4 oranges and 175mls fresh orange juice
4 eggs, lightly beaten
300g self-raising flour, sieved
100g dark chocolate, broken into small even-sized pieces
To decorate:
300g icing sugar
150g soft butter
150g dark chocolate, melted
2 tbsp milk chocolate
Mini eggs
Chocolate shavings
Method
Preheat your oven to 170°C and line a 7-inch round tin with parchment. A loose-base or spring-form tin works well.
Beat the butter, sugar and zest until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the eggs, stirring in a large spoon of flour if the mixture begins to separate. Once the eggs have been combined stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre. Once cool enough to handle gently remove from the tin and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Allow the melted chocolate to cool for about five minutes. While it is cooling beat the icing sugar and butter for the icing until they are very pale. Add in the melted chocolate and beat again until light and fluffy. Add in the milk slowly until the icing is smooth and spreadable but not runny. You may not need all of the milk.
Place your cake upside down onto a serving plate. This gives a flatter finish to the top of the cake. If your cake has risen causing it to a bit wobbly at the base you can trim it before turning upside down. Spread the buttercream onto the top and sides of the cake with a pallet knife.
Place your chocolate eggs and chocolate shavings generously on top.
