Blood Orange White Chocolate Cake
When blood oranges are in season, we love to use them on this cake, as they counter the sweetness of the white chocolate, and the blush pink and red fruit looks so tempting against the creamy frosting. Any citrus works brilliantly though, so substitute lemons, oranges or limes – just ensure you stick to the volumes of juice in the recipe.
Ingredients (Serves 12):
Cake:
- 240g plain flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 180g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 blood oranges
- 3 large eggs
- 120ml full fat Greek youghurt
- 90ml blood orange juice
For the white chocolate citrus ganache:
- 300g white chocolate
- Chopped remaining orange zest
- 160ml double cream
- 40ml blood orange juice
- Orange segments to decorate
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170oC (fan). Base line and grease two 20cm round cake tins (at least 4cm deep).
- Carefully zest the four blood oranges, then juice two of them, to get approximately 130ml of juice in total. You will use the zest and juice in both the cake and the frosting. The remaining oranges can be used for decoration: cut the peel away from the orange then carefully slice between the membranes to get clean segments.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and half the zest until light and creamy, then add the eggs one at a time and whisk until combined.
- Add a few spoonful’s of flour mixture to your bowl and whisk in – this will stop the mix curdling. Stir through the yoghurt and 90ml of orange juice, then fold in the remaining flour until combined.
- Divide the mix between the tins, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden, risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for five minutes then turn onto a rack.
- For the ganache, put the chocolate and remaining zest in a heatproof bowl. In a small pan, bring the double cream to the boil. Pour this onto the chocolate, allow to stand for five minutes, then stir until melted. Mix in 40ml of orange juice until combined.
- When ready to decorate, whisk the cool ganache until light and fluffy. It should increase in volume by at least fifty percent. Use half the frosting to fill the cake, and the remainder on top. Decorate with segments of orange. Keeps for about four days in the fridge.
The Pennoyer Centre’s volunteer BakeForce make delicious cakes for sale in the café, which is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 3:30pm.
www.pennoyers.org.uk 01379 676660
The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, IP21 4QT.
