CHOCOLATE ORANGE RASPBERRY CAKE

As many of you know, I’m not the baker in the family. My husband is the one that toils away with the flour and sugar…and chocolate, of course. This is his latest triumph. The cake is moist and the orange and raspberry give it a great zesty flavor. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan, but this one has changed my mind. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE

2/3 cup canola oil

¾ cup whole milk

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 cup cocoa powder

1 2/3 cups all purpose flower

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 oranges, zested

½ cup fresh orange juice

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1/2 cup butter (4 ounces), softened

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

28 ounces powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Zest of one orange

½ cup raspberry jam

PREPARATION

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, milk, and sugars together.

In a separate bowl, sift cocoa powder, flour and baking powder, then add in the orange zest and whisk all together.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until combined.

Add the orange juice into the cake batter.

Grease two 8” baking pans and line with parchment paper. Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for at least ten minutes. Move to a wire rack and cool for an additional twenty minutes.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla with a stand or hand mixer until creamy, about two to three minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and orange zest. Slowly add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy—about two minutes.

FOR ASSEMBLY

Place a 9” cardboard cake round on a cake turntable. Place one of the cake layers on the board. Using a pastry bag with a ¼” tip, pipe a boarder around the top of the cake layer. This serves as a barrier to keep the jam from spreading over the sides.

Spread the raspberry jam as evenly as possible on top of the cake layer within the piped border.

Place the second cake layer on top of the first.

Frost the cake with the remaining frosting. For decoration, use a jagged scraper along the sides and pipe small flowers on top.