Well I am here just in time for it not to be Valentine's Day with an amazing boozy blood orange chocolate cake. Why did I wait until the day after the biggest chocolate day of the year? Covid - that's why. I have got it, and while I am so very grateful to have an incredibly mild case of it, I still feel cruddy and took last week off from pretty much everything.
But I am back this week, feeling a bit better. And I mean, do you really need a one-day excuse to eat the sh-t out of something as delicious as this blood orange chocolate cake? No you don't. You should have chocolate any day. Hell, every day.
Again with the blood oranges?
That's right more blood orange recipes (cupcakes, creme brulee and sorbet are a few of my faves) . Since there is not a lot in season this time of year, make the most of what you got. Blood oranges everywhere - and orange and chocolate is pretty much a match made in heaven.
About the cake...
This is not some light cake that you want to layer frost and cut a big slice of. This is a rich dense decadent cake that is intensely chocolatey, has a hint of Gran Marnier. Then (as if that wasn't enough) it is soaked in a simple syrup and draped in a chocolate ganache glaze. Ok now pick yourself up off the floor - lol.
This is a dinner party cake or a romantic dinner for two cake (see how I totally missed Valentine's Day with this one - stupid covid).
About the boozy...
Ahhh yes, probably my favorite part. All good cakes need a little booze - or a lot of booze depending on how fun you are. The lovely blood oranges on top are simmered in a simple syrup that is hit with Grand Marnier (glorious orange flavored liqueur). That simple syrup get drizzled over the cake when you pull it out of the oven to really give the cake a luxurious texture. And I mean, extra booze in your cake, nobody is gonna say no to that.
Boozy Blood Orange Chocolate cake
Ingredients
For the simple syrup and candied blood oranges
- 3 blood oranges
- 2 ½ cups or more water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
For the cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped or two cups of chocolate chips
- 2 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 tablespoon of blood orange juice use regular oranges if you don't have blood oranges
- 2 teaspoons finely grated blood orange peel again use regular oranges if you need
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup sour cream
For the chocolate glaze
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped or use ¾ cup of chocolate chips
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the candied blood oranges
- Slice the oranges with peel into 1,2-¾ inch slices. In large saucepan, combine the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil. Add orange slices to the water/sugar mixture and continue to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until orange peel is soft and the syrup has reduced and thickened. Make sure to flip the orange slices over and around a bit in the syrup. This should cook for about 30-35 minutes. Remove from heat and pull out the oranges slices. Stir in orange liqueur and set the syrup aside to soak the cake.
To make the cake
- Heat the oven to 325 and make sure to have a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Grease a 9-inch cake round and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine chocolate and butter in large bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and heat until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and saucepan and add both sugars, Grand Marnier, orange juice and zest. Whisk until blended (mixture will look grainy and that's ok). Add the eggs, and whisk until just blended. Whisk in sour cream. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until incorporated. Pour into the greased pan; spread evenly. Bake about 50 minutes until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and using a tothpick poke a few tiny holes into the cake - do not go all the way through to the bottom, just about mid way through the cake. Spoon some of the simple syrup mixture over the top of the cake - it will soak into the holes.
- Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Then take out of the pan and cool completely.
To make the glaze
- Combine chocolate and butter in small bowl. et bowl over saucepan of simmering water and heat until the chocolate and butter are completely melted. Whisk in the corn syrup and the salt. Cool the glaze for a few minutes until it thicken a but, but you can still pour it.
- Pour the glaze onto the cake and spread around the cake with a spatula. Garnish with the candied blood orange slices.
