“This is the best cake I have EVER had!!” 

That was my reaction when my Dad baked me my first chocolate orange loaf cake. Terry’s chocolate was and still is my favourite ever chocolate and I never get bored of receiving one each birthday and Christmas  (okay, I may purchase one for myself every other week too). Which is why I was surpised  I hadn’t uploaded this recipe sooner. Oh wait, I know why I hadn’t, because my Dad forgot his recipe and so I’ve spent the last few weeks attempting to replicate it…

A super soft and crumbly chocolate orange sponge with a rich, creamy buttercream is just how I remembered this bake to be and so  I have fallen in love with this recipe all over again! Hope you do too.

Ingredients: 

• 40g cocoa powder 
• 2 large eggs 
• 4 1/2 tbsp boiling water 
• 35ml full fat milk
• 125g self raising flour 
• 1tsp baking powder 
• 75g unsalted butter, at room temp 
• 170g caster sugar 
• 125g chocolate orange (we used Terry’s) 
• 1 large orange (zest only) 

For the icing:

• 100g unsalted butter, at room temp 
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 75g Terry’s chocolate orange 
• 50g dark chocolate 

Method: 

1. Grease a 2lbs loaf tin and preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Pour the cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and then add the boiling water. Cream together until you have  a thick paste 
2. Place the sugar and butter into the same bowl, and mix all the ingredients until smooth and well combined. Then, add the orange zest followed by the milk and cracked eggs, mixing together until fully combined. Add a sprinkle of flour to prevent the eggs from curdling  
3. Next gradually add the sifted baking powder, flour and grated chocolate orange into the bowl and fold into the cocoa/egg mixture until full incorporated 
4. Pour your chocolate mixture into the prepared loaf tin and place into the oven for 35-40 minutes, checking regularly 
5. If your cake tester/knife comes out clean and the cake is baked through, take out of the oven and set aside to cool 
6. In the meantime, begin to make your icing. Melt both chocolates in a microwave or over a saucepan in a glass bowl, and set aside
7. At this point, you can also remove your cake from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool. Next step for the icing, cream together the butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy with no lumps 
8. Gradually add the melted chocolate, stirring continuously until you have a smooth and creamy buttercream. Place your cake onto a serving plate and top with a generous amount of icing and some leftover chocolate orange segments (if you haven’t scoffed them)

Enjoy!  
Nic x