Orange and Almond Cake

Ingredients

• 200g butter
• 275g sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 5ml lemon zest
• Zest of 1 orange
• Pinch of salt
• 270g ground almonds
• 100ml orange juice
• 100g cake flour
• 7,5ml baking powder
• Orange sauce
• 120ml orange juice
• 45ml lemon juice
• 30g sugar
• Chocolate topping
  • 150g dark chocolate
  • 100g butter
  • 15ml honey
  • Gold leaf, to garnish

Method

1. Cream the butter in a free standing mixer and gradually add sugar.
2. Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add the orange zest.
3. Pour the orange juice into the creamed butter.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time with a teaspoon of flour, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
5. Add the lemon zest, orange zest and salt.
6. Stir in half the ground almonds and mix gently.
7. Pour the orange juice into the creamed mixture.
8. Add the remaining ground almond, cake flour and baking powder.
9. Mix well to work the ingredients together.
10. Pour the batter into a 10 inch loose bottomed cake tin and use a spatula to spread evenly.
11. Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven 160 degrees celsius for 50 – 60 minutes.
12. The cake should be light golden and a skewer should come out clean when the cake is tested Leave to cool slightly and remove from the tin.
13. Method – Chocolate topping :
    1. Dissolve the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a 24cm AMC pot.
    2. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
    3. For the chocolate topping
    4. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a double boiler over low heat.
    5. Once the chocolate melts, stir in the butter.
    6. Stir the chocolate until glossy and smooth.
    7. Lastly add the honey and stir through.
    8. Leave the chocolate to cool and thicken.
    9. Use the skewer to poke a few holes in the cake.
    10. Pour the hot orange sauce over the warm cake, use the back of the spoon to spread the orange sauce.
    11. Once the cake has cooled, pour the chocolate over and use a a spatula to spread.
    12. Garnish with edible gold leaf.