Chocolate Orange Syrup Loaf Cake Recipe

I am a big fan of Nigella Lawson's no nonsense if sometimes a little over-indulgent attitude to cooking. Her 'How to be a Domestic Goddess' is my go-to book when I am looking for something yummy to bake just for the hell of it, and the Lemon Syrup Loaf cake is a definite favourite in our house!
Sometimes, however, only chocolate will do so a few weeks back I had a play with the Lemon Syrup Loaf recipe and came up with a gorgeous chocolate orange version...

 

 

Chocolate Orange Syrup Loaf  

Ingredients

for the cake
125g butter or margarine
175g caster sugar
2 large (or 3 medium) eggs
zest of one large orange
150g self-raising flour
25g cocoa powder
Juice from half the orange (approx 4 tbsp)

for the syrup
juice from half the orange (approx 4 tbsp)
100g icing sugar
1tbsp cocoa powder (optional)

loaf tin with liner

 I would highly recommend using a paper cake tin liner for this cake - it helps to catch all the syrup so it soaks into the cake properly. You can use a 2lb loaf tin and liner or an 8" deep sided round or square tin, also with liners -  Lakeland do a good range of both baking tins AND liners - their 'My Kitchen' bakewear range is brilliant!

Prepare your tin and pre-heat the oven to 180/GAS4.

Cream together butter/marg and sugar than add the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest beating well. Mix in the flour, cocoa and a pinch of salt.  Squeeze the juice of your large orange and reserve half of it for the syrup. Add the rest to the cake batter, mix it well then pour into your prepared cake tin.

Pop into the oven, on the middle shelf, and bake for approx 45 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Whilst the cake is baking prepare the syrup by mixing the icing sugar, cocoa and orange juice together. The cocoa is optional and makes a thicker more icing-y syrup that tends to sit on the surface of the cake more. I prefer the version with no cocoa but the boys liked the gooey icing better...

As soon as cake is out of the oven puncture the cake all over the top with a knife or skewer and pour the syrup over, making sure that it doesn't all run down the sides! You may have to go slowly to give it chance to sink in.

Leave the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin and serving. We found it a little rich on it's own but just perfect with some pouring cream or ice-cream.

serves 8 ish

gooey choccy syrup... mmmm

adapted from Nigella's original Lemon Syrup Loaf Cake recipe from How to be a Domestic Goddess

ps - this is a deceptively simple tea-time loaf cake, if you would like something a bit more special try this Chocolate Orange Cake recipe.