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Chocolate, orange and almond cake
Makes 1 large loaf Cakes, Bread and Pastries
Ingredients
- 170g plain flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 11⁄4tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1⁄4tsp salt
- 225g butter, softened
- 340g caster sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1⁄2 vanilla pod, seeds scraped (or 1⁄2tsp vanilla paste)
- 160ml buttermilk
For the almond topping
- 50g butter, diced
- 130g soft brown sugar
- zest 1 orange
- 40g honey
- 150g flaked almonds
You will need
- 1 x 9 x 22 x 10cm loaf tin
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease the loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
To prepare the almond topping, melt the butter, sugar, orange zest and honey in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and syrupy.
Pour the syrup into your prepared tin, then sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. With the mixer still running on a slow speed, add the egg to the butter mixture a little at a time, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Alternate between adding a third of the dry ingredients and a third of the buttermilk to the batter, mixing well between each addition, until all the ingredients have been added and the batter has just come together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the batter is completely mixed.
Pour the batter into the tin over the almonds and caramel. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Leave to cool for a few minutes, then set a wire rack over a tray lined with paper. Invert the still- warm cake onto the wire rack, then gently lift off the tin, being careful to avoid the caramel, which will still be very hot. Leave to cool completely before serving, to allow the almond caramel top to set.
If the topping sticks a bit in the tin or falls off when you invert the cake, you can fix it if you act quickly, before the caramel sets. Use a spoon or spatula to stick it back onto the cake, taking care not to touch the hot caramel.
It’s best to use a serrated knife to slice this cake, as the top sets quite firm. Gently saw through the topping to avoid squashing the cake. It will keep well for a few days in an airtight container.
This recipe was taken from the May 2020 issue of Food and Travel.
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