Christmas Chocolate Orange Cake

Serves: 10-12

Time: 1 hour , plus cooling

Difficulty: Intermediate

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For the Chocolate Cake

300g Ivy’s Reserve Farmhouse Salted Butter, plus extra for greasing

200g Caster Sugar

100g Light Soft Brown Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

6 Free-range Eggs, Medium

2 tbsp Natural Yogurt

250g Self-Raising Flour

50g Dark Cocoa Powder

100g Dark Chocolate, Melted

For the Orange Buttercream

250g Ivy's Reserve Salted Farmhouse Butter, Softened

500g Icing Sugar, Sifted

Orange, Zest and Juice or 1 tsp Orange Extract

You will need

Baking sheet, lined with baking parchment

Three 20cm sandwich cake tins, greased and lined with baking parchment

Piping bags with a small and large star nozzle

Green food colour gel

Christmas Sprinkles, to decorate

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To make the cake layers

Step 1 – Using a free-standing mixer or electric hand whisk, cream together the butter, light brown sugar and caster sugar until light and creamy.

Step 2 - Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well, scraping down the bowl in between each egg. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract and mix again.

Step 3 – Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold until incorporated. Then pour in the melted chocolate (reserving two table spoons) and gently mix until silky smooth.

Step 4 – Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas 4.Grease 3 x 20cm sandwich cake tins and line the bases. Divide the cake batter between the cake tins, then place them in the middle of the oven and bake for 20to 25 minutes, until cooked through and a skewer comes out clean.

Step 5 – Leave the cake layers to cool in the tins for 10minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the buttercream

Step 6 – While the cake layers are cooling, use a free-standing mixer or electric hand whisk to beat the butter for 4-5 minutes until pale and cream.

Step 7 – Add the icing sugar and orange zest to the butter, then gently beat together. Add the orange juice, a tablespoon at a time, and mix well between each addition, until the buttercream is light, airy and smooth.

Step 8 – Add one-quarter of the buttercream to a bowl and mix in a few drops of green food colouring. Transfer the icing to a piping bag with a small nozzle and keep to one side until needed.

To assemble the cake

Step 9 – When the cake layers are completely cooled, discard the baking parchment and assemble the cake. Use a sharp bread knife to level the cake layer, if required, and place on a cake board or stand.

Step 10 – Spread or pipe on a third of the butter cream, then top with the second cake layer. Spread or pipe another third of the buttercream, before topping with the last cake layer.

Step 11 – Spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake to crumb coat. Chill for 20 minutes, then spread and smooth the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake making sure to save enough to decorate the top of the cake.

Step 12 – Transfer the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe swirls of buttercream around the top of the cake. To finish, use the green buttercream to pipe small Christmas trees around the cake, and finish off with gold Christmas sprinkles. Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Top tips

·       Swap the orange juice and zest in the buttercream for 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract to create a chocolate peppermint cake. Decorate with crushed candy canes for a festive touch.

·       For a classic flavour, replace the orange juice and zest in the buttercream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. This creates a timeless chocolate and vanilla flavour combination.

·       Before adding the final buttercream later, chill the cake the fridge for20–30 minutes. This makes it firmer and easier to apply the final layer of buttercream, resulting in a clean and polished finish.

·       Use a warm palette knife or cake scraper for smoothing the butter cream. Dip the tool into hot water, dry it, and then glide it across the frosting for a silky, professional look.

·       For an alternative festive charm, decorate the cake with chocolate shavings, candied orange slices or edible gold leaf for a luxurious finish.

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