I have always been a summer fruit girl. Mangos in particular.
I remember my mom begging me to eat oranges in the winter time. I’d first turn up my nose, running from room to room, having her chase me down. And, IF she did catch up with me, I’d eat them only if she peeled the skin off the orange slices! What a brat I was!
So when Charlize went to visit India as a baby and when my mom was still able, she in her grandma moments, taught her too not to eat the oranges with the skin on! See me sitting here for half hour peeling the skin off. Grrrr.
So oranges were not my favourite fruit and actually chocolate was never my go to either. But as I grow older I am becoming more and more adventurous. Which is really an oxymoron because old + adventurous doesn’t really go together. But either I’m going backwards or I’m a late bloomer. I’ve always believed I’m the latter. And I’ve never resisted it. I kind of like that I go at my own pace.
One could also argue that eating oranges is hardly adventurous. But, I do mean it in general! And where food is concerned I have been the opposite of adventurous. And, my taste palate is changing. And I love that.
This chocolate blood orange cake is beyond delicious. The combination is hardly surprising or new but nevertheless this cake is the bomb. I soaked every layer of the cake with the blood orange syrup. Then also added orange chocolate chips to the ganache. Topped with some candied blood orange slices, this is pure orange love folks!
- For the Cake
- ¾ cup brewed coffee
- 4 blood oranges (1 cup blood orange juice plus zest of two blood oranges)
- ¼ cup orange liquor
- 230 grams unsalted butter
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus for dusting your pan
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ tsps baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Blood Orange Syrup
- 1 blood orange
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsps sugar
- Chocolate Frosting
- 100 grams dark chocolate
- 150 grams softened butter
- 175 ml powdered sugar
- 75 grams ml cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolate Ganache
- 45 grams butter
- 50 grams dark chocolate (75%)
- 20 grams dark chocolate (99%)
- 20 grams dark orange chocolate
- For the cake, preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Butter your cake pans (I used a 7 inch) and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
- Heat coffee, orange juice, zest, orange liquor, vanilla, butter, in a medium heavy saucepan over moderate heat, whisking, until the butter is melted, then whisk in cup of cocoa powder. Remove from heat, then add both kinds of sugar and whisk until dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool.
- While chocolate mixture cools, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, then, temper the eggs by pouring a little of the melted cocoa butter mixture to the eggs, whisking, a tablespoon at a time, to gradually warm them. After about 4 tablespoons, add this into cooling chocolate mixture and mix well.
- Add the chocolate-egg mixutre to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into the greased and cocoa dusted pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out clean, around 35-40 minutes.
- Cool layers completely in pan on a rack and keep aside.
- To make the blood orange syrup, pour the blood orange juice in a pan with the water and sugar. Simmer 20 minutes, until water has reduced. Let this cool. Keep aside.
- For the chocolate frosting, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and leave to cool.
- Whip the butter till light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix well with the butter. Now add the cocoa powder and mix well until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and whip until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- For the chocolate ganache, in a small saucepan mix all ingredients. Bring pan over medium heat until both ingredients dissolves completely. Let cool and use at room temperature. In this way the chocolate will not melt the frosting.
- To put the cake together, place one cake layer on a plate or your cake stand. With a brush, cover the surface of the layer with the blood orange syrup, liberally, almost soaking it.
- Wait for 3-4 minutes for the liquid to be soaked up by the layer.
- Now add a layer of the chocolate frosting and spread over the layer.
- Repeat this process with the other 2 layers.
- Cover the cake with the frosting. I chose to cover mine minimally therefore forming a naked cake but you could completely cover yours.
- Once you're done with the frosting and your ganache is a bit cool pour on top of the cake and let drip on all aides.
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Stunning!!! I absolutely love your photography Rakhee and the recipe sounds delicious too!
Thank you so much!
I us d t be just “ok” with oranges but! when paired with chocolate I was head over heels!!!!i feel like it brings some strong,powerful memory and sensation somewhere in my subconscious of when I was little, and it’s in a good way. What a lovely recipe, Rakhee!
Thank you so much Ellie! I agree I am also just kind of ok with oranges but with chocolate… omg so good!
It’s a stunning cake Rakhee! And the colourful visuals makes me think of the tea party in Alice in Wonderland. You’re such a good photographer!
That is such an amazing compliment seeing that it is one of my most favourite tales! Thank you Nina!
I LOVE your compositions and that cake stand is to gorgeous!
It’s really silly that I enjoy your pictures on instagram but never had a chance to visit your blog before. Glad I did now.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Kimberly! It is silly that I hadn’t visited your site either. I think we are becoming such instant people that we don’t want to stop and read most of the times. I do intend to change that. Thank you for stopping by!