In the weeks leading up to winter break, I compiled a list of all the things I wanted to make as soon as I got home to a fully-stocked fridge and functional kitchen. Christmas cookies were a must, and I really wanted to perfect my challah technique, but this Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake was absolutely the first thing I needed to bake.
I initially saw this recipe on an episode of The Barefoot Contessa (Side note: I dream of living Ina’s life in the Hamptons someday), but she made the recipe into six mini cakes for some fabulous soirée she was throwing. I didn’t have the molds required or the funds to acquire yet another baking utensil, so I made a few adjustments to make a single layer cake. It turned out perfectly and I’ve made it many times since.
This cake is soaked in orange syrup before being drenched in ganache, which keeps it moist for days, if you can get it to last that long!
Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
To begin, preheat the oven to 350° F. Collect the ingredients for the cake itself into a common area to make preparation easy and quick.
Combine the stick of butter and 1 cup of sugar in a large bowl.
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and yolk, and beat this mixture until smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of orange zest, and fold in with a spatula.
Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and stir in thoroughly.
Add in 1/2 cup flour, and gently fold until just combined.
Pour in 1/4 cup of orange juice, and mix until there is no longer standing liquid.
Repeat step 7.
Pour in 1/4 cup heavy cream, and stir in as you did with the orange juice.
Add final 1/2 cup of flour, and fold to combine.
Use 1 tablespoon of flour to dust the 8 ounces of the chocolate chunks. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter. After dusting, gently fold in the chocolate until it is evenly distributed.
Pour batter in an even layer into a greased and lined cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the orange syrup.
Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon orange zest is a saucepan, and allow to cook down.
The finished syrup should be reduced by about half.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool for about ten minutes on a wire rack in its pan.
After cooling slightly, remove the cake and place on serving plate. Using a skewer, poke holes to allow the syrup to soak. Then pour syrup over the cake.
While the cake is soaking, make the ganache.
Place remaining chocolate, cream, and instant coffee granules in a double boiler, and mix over heat until smooth.
Pour finished ganache over the cake.
Spread the chocolate in an even layer.
Garnish the cake with a slice of orange and enjoy!
Don’t let the number of steps for this recipe deter you, because after one bite of this orange-chocolaty goodness you’ll want to make it again and again.