Chococlate Orange Cake – Burgthetertorte
Chocolate and orange fusion accented with red currant glaze.
Servings Prep Time
12servings 1hour
Cook Time Passive Time
1hour 1hour
Servings Prep Time
12servings 1hour
Cook Time Passive Time
1hour 1hour
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge Cake (for chocolate cake crumbs)
Candied Orange Peel
Red Currant Glaze
Chocolate-Orange Cake Biscuit
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge Cake
  1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 177°C (350°F).
  2. Butter a 230 mm (9″) spring-form pan and line the bottom with round of parchment paper. Dust the sides with the flour and tap out the excess.
  3. In a medium size mixer metal or glass bowl combine together sugar and eggs.
  4. Place the bowl over the medium sized sauce pan with simmering water over medium heat (5 out of 10). The water should not touch the bowl. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and eggs are very warm to touch. Try to rub egg mixture between your fingers to check for grains of sugar.
  5. Mix at medium high speed until the mixture is tripled in volume and is very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
  6. In a small sauce pan, heat the milk and vegetable oil until hot to touch or about 50ºC (120ºF). Stir in the vanilla extract.
  7. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt. Add half of the sifted mixture to the egg mixture and using a large balloon whisk gently fold it in. Add the remaining cocoa mixture and fold it in.
  8. Whisk a large dollop of the batter into the milk mixture. Fold this mixture back into the batter.
  9. Pour the batter into the baking pan and smooth the top.
  10. Bake until the top springs back when gently pressed in the middle, about 50 minutes.
  11. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run the knife around the inside of the pan to release the cake. Remove the pan side, invert on the rack, remove the pan bottom and the paper. Re-invert the biscuit on the rack, right side up and let it cool completely.
  12. The cake can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Candied Orange Peel
  1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the oranges. This way you will not cut too deep into white part that is bitter.
  2. Put the orange peel into sauce pan with cold water and bring the water to boil over high heat. Keep it at a strong boil for about 30 seconds, drain the water and then repeat the process once again, starting with the cold water.
  3. Over medium heat (5 out of 10) add sugar and water to the shallow pan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  4. Add blanched and drained orange peels to the pan. Spread the peel into a single layer and let it cook until almost all water has evaporated and they almost started to crystallize. Stir frequently.
  5. Spread a cup of granular sugar into a wide baking pan. Transfer hot sugary orange peel and toss, coating them in the sugar. Leave the orange peel on a cooling rack for about 5 minutes. The peel will cool off fast. Do not leave it out for too long on a cooling rack or it will turn hard and brittle. Instead keep the peel in the sealed container and it will remain soft and chewy.
Chocolate-Orange Cake Biscuit
  1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 177°C (350°F).
  2. Butter a 230 mm (9″) spring-form pan and line the bottom with round of parchment paper. Dust the sides with the flour and tap out the excess.
  3. In a food processor, grind together almonds, cocoa and 1/4 cup of confectioner’s sugar. The almonds need to be ground very fine, flour like.
  4. In a medium size bowl at high speed, cream softened butter for about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of confectioner’s sugar. Once it is combined, return the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  5. Reduce the speed and very slowly mix in the eggs, one egg at the time.
  6. Mix in the cinnamon.
  7. Using a large balloon whisk, fold in almond mixture following with the cake crumbs and then diced candied orange peel.
  8. Spread evenly into the baking pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  9. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run the knife around the inside of the pan to release the cake. Remove the pan side, invert on the rack, remove the pan bottom and the paper. Re-invert the biscuit on the rack, right side up and let it cool completely.
Assembly
  1. Using a cake cutting wire or a long serrated knife , cut the cake in half horizontally.
  2. Add the red currant preserve and rum in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until glaze is very sticky. Strain the glaze through a wire sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on solids using the back of the spoon. Spread the warm glaze evenly on bottom half of the cake. Top it up with the top cake layer.
  3. Sift the top of the cake generously with confectioner’s sugar. Using a sharp knife create a crosshatch pattern on the top.
  4. Let cake stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. Store it tightly wrapped at room temperature.