Baking

Orange and Chocolate Chiffon Cake

This cake, guys, needs to be made. I baked it the other day, served it to my mom, my biggest critic, and one bite and she was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. When she gives it a go in the first bite without any criticism I know its a recipe that is worth sharing. Orange and chocolate are a classic combination and if you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely must try it in this orange and chocolate chiffon cake.

Chiffon cakes are light, airy cakes that get their light texture from whipped egg whites. The oil in the cake lends moisture to the cake, making them more tender than sponge cakes. The recipe I have used is one from a cookbook I own and have baked from before, Sarabeth’s Bakery. All the recipes in this book have been great successes. In case you are interested you can check it out on amazon here.

According to the cookbook, chiffon cake was a well guarded secret recipe of a Los Angeles caterer, who for the right price sold the formula and now many have developed their own variations and spins to this lovely cake.

While orange provides a fresh citrus flavor to this cake, the chocolate brings a little bit of decadence. The ganache on top is a must.

I baked the cake in an angel food cake pan, which is what is recommended. Do not use a fluted pan. Since the pan is not greased, getting the cake out will be a task.

Next week I will be on a vacation with one of my best friends. You might remember her from her slow cooker tater tot casserole recipe that I have shared here. It is her first trip to India, and I am taking her to Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Delhi and Agra. I am looking forward to the trip and spending some quality time with her, but since its her first trip I have a huge responsibility that it goes well and that is kind of making me nervous.

If any one of you is planning to do these cities in the near future do hit me up with any questions you have and I can help you out. I will be sharing details about my trip on instagram stories, and if you are interested, do follow me there.

For now, go and make this cake, you can thank me later. Happy weekend!

Orange and Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 1 10 inch cake

Ingredients

For the cake
2¼ cups cake flour (I make my own by substituting 1 tbsp of flour with corn starch for every 1 cup flour)
1½ cups caster sugar
11/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ cup vegetable oil
5 large eggs, separated, plus 3 large egg whites
zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup finely grated bittersweet chocolate
For the orange ganache
140 gm bittersweet chocolate
½ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp Grand Marnier (or orange juice)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180°C
Sift the dry ingredients- flour, sugar, baking powder, salt together into a bowl of mixer.
Make a well in the centre and carefully pour (in the same order) the oil, egg yolks, ½ cup orange juice, zest and water. Beat using a paddle attachment on low speed until just mixed.
In a clean, grease free bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Then carefully stir one-quarter into the egg yolk batter to lighten it. Fold in the rest with a spatula until batter is streaky.
Add the grated chocolate and fold into the mixture until just combined.
Transfer the mixture into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan. Smooth the top with an angled spatula and cook in the oven for about 50 mins until the cake springs back when gently pressed.
When ready, put the cake on a rack upside down and set aside to completely cool.
Once cool, run a spatula or thin knife around to loosen the cake and unmould. Place the cake smooth side up on the rack over a tray.
Make ganache.

For the ganache:

Bring the cream to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Pour cream over the chopped chocolate. Add liqueur. Let stand for 3 minutes, then stir well until chocolate melts and the ganache is smooth.
Pour the ganache over the cake and smooth with a spatula. Let set before serving.
The cake can be stored at room temperature for 2 days, wrapped in plastic wrap

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