We needed a quick recipe for a birthday cake. Rather than do something too basic like just chocolate or a victoria sponge, we did a twist with some orange extract – A chocolate orange cake if you will, a classic combination. This is a very quick & easy bake, great to satisfy a chocolate craving when you don’t have all the time in the world.
When making a cake we like to use a stand mixer with the ‘throw the ingredients in’ method. We don’t bother with sifting the flour or folding the flour into the mix to create air… it makes no difference, our cakes turn out just as light and delicious!
- 175g butter
- 175g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 125g self raising flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 100g softened butter
- 275g icing sugar
- 2 tsp orange extract
- 2 tbsp milk
- 50 g cocoa powder
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Cream together the butter & the caster sugar till fluffy
- Add the eggs one at a time (with a small amount of the weighed out flour if you see the mixture starting to separate)
- Combine the flour & cocoa powder, slowly to prevent a chocolate cloud
- Diving the mixture evenly into 3 greased & lined 8″ sandwich tins
- Bake for 20mins, or until the sponge springs back when gently pressed
- Allow the cakes to cool on a cooling rack whilst you prepare the butter icing
- Whip together the butter, milk & the icing sugar until the mixture is light and airy
- Mix in the cocoa powder & orange extract to taste
- Spread the icing over all three cakes and stack – easy!!
We finished the cake off with a drizzle of melted chocolate to make it look a little more exciting
(sorry about the photos! lets just imagine they were taken by professionals)
