Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake

There are some recipes which you know will be great the moment you see them.


That is was the case when I saw the Cinnamon Chocolate Bundt Cake on Deeba's blog sometime back. I think I headed straight to the kitchen after reading it. And ever since, I've been baking this cake regularly. Very regularly, in fact.





Not only is the cake a breeze to make, it tastes absolutely awesome. Intensely chocolatey with a hint of cinnamon, it is a crowd pleaser.


Which is why I take it very often when we go visiting friends. Which why I decided to make it for a dinner that we were invited to. But then, just as I finished measuring the ingredients, panic struck. Three of the guests had already had this cake. Now I didn't want them to assume that I knew only one type of cake, did I?





It was late at night, around 10 I think, and I really wasn't in a mood to contemplate which other cake to make and then start the process all over again. Maybe, I could change the flavour and then it would be okay. Coffee was the obvious choice. But then, just as I was reaching out for the jar of coffee, my eyes fell on a bottle of orange essence. Lying unopened for over 4 months.





And then, I was inspired.......why don't I make...oh if only I have some oranges.......which, almost miraculously, I did and so this Chocolate Orange Bundt cake happened.







Ingredients:
(Adapted from Passionate about Baking who adapted it from The Food Librarian who got the recipe from Vintage Visuals - quite a link list that!)
Water: 1/2 cup
Butter: 1/2 cup or 115 gms
Oil: 1/2 cup
Cocoa: 5 tbsps

Orange juice: 1/2 cup

All purpose flour: 1 1/2 cups
Wholewheat flour: 1/2 cup
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 1 3/4 cup


Buttermilk: 1/2 cup
Baking soda: 1 tsp


Eggs: 2 nos
Orange zest: 1 1/2 tsps
Orange essence: 1 tsp



Method:


Pre-heat the oven to 375deg F or 190 degC


Combine the water, butter, oil and cocoa powder in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the gas and then add the orange juice.


Next, add the sugar in and mix well to combine. Mix both the flours with the salt and add it to the chocolate-sugar mixture. Stir carefully till there are no lumps.


Then add the buttermilk and baking soda.


Finally, whisk together the eggs, orange essence and the zest and add to the batter. Mix well.


Pour the batter into a bundt pan (grease the pan first!) and bake for 35 mins*.
(*original recipe calls for 25 mins, but mine takes between 35 and 40 mins).


Let the cake cool completely in the pan - about 2 hours - before you turn it onto a serving plate.



For the ganache - and this is optional, but adds oodles of flavour to the cake:

100 gms chocolate
75 gms butter
few drops orange essence (skip if you use an orange flavoured chocolate)
zest of an orange


Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Add a few drops of orange essence and stir briskly for a minute. Allow to cool and then pour it over the cake. Sprinkle the orange zest on top.









So now you want to know which tastes better - cinnamon or orange. You do want to know, don't you?




This is where I should be diplomatic and say "depends on your taste, really." Which, to a large extent, it does.




Personally, I preferred the orange flavoured one. For three reasons. One, I love the chocolate - orange combo. Secondly, the flavour of oranges does not overpower the chocolate and still manages to linger on the palate. And yeah, thirdly, this is my twist on the original recipe - sometimes, I do toot my own horn!




Nupur's theme for Blog Bites this month is Adaptation, this is my entry to the event.