Orange Chocolate Cake

I was in the mood for something rich and chocolaty, yet different and discovered this wonderful cake. I added some orange zest from half an orange and got a tangy taste along with the chocolate that surprisingly goes very well indeed. It was worth making for a gift to some special people as well as for the commercial cakes I put up on consignment at the cafes.

Here's the cake, which I made for some very special people this February, and I would like to say, "thank you and I most appreciate your support"....

Doesn't the cake look so 'wanna eat'... I couldn't wait.

For consignment, I made them into three layers with the chocolate frosting sandwiched in between the layers..... mmm heaven..

Here's the recipe:-
The Cake

• 100 gms semisweet chocolate
• 50 gms dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• grated peel of 1 orange
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup flour, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler over low heat.
In a large bowl, cream butter and half the sugar until light and fluffy. Add salt, cinnamon and orange peel. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, with the melted chocolate. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, fold in remaining sugar. Fold egg white mixture into creamed mixture with flour. Spread batter evenly in prepared cake pan. Bake 20 minutes.
The Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 200 gms semisweet chocolate
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 5 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup cranberry-pomegranate juice

Melt butter, cool slightly. Finely grate chocolate. Mix chocolate, eggs, icing sugar, butter and juice in a double boiler. Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate has melted and all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cool.
Decorate with candied orange slices.
Credits:
Wolter, A. & Teubner, Christian, "Best of Baking". HP Books, Tucson, USA, 1979.