Mini Chocolate Orange Cakes
Posted on 19/11/2011

How many would it make: 12 portion

Ingredients list:

CAKE
100g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar (40g extra for the syrup)
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
140g ground almonds
3 medium eggs, beaten
50g vitarium plain flour, sifted
Pinch salt

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
90g unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate
½ tbsp golden syrup
½ tbsp rum


Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-bake). Lightly grease a 12-capacity mini cheesecake tin (or something similar).

Put the butter, sugar and orange/lemon zest in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until everything is combined. Do not work the mix too much. Add half the ground almonds, mix until combined. Gradually add the eggs, then the remaining almonds, flour and salt, beat until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the cake mixture into the tin and level (each one should not be more than ¾ full). Bake for 25 minutes, until they are lightly golden and spring back to touch. While the cakes are in the oven, prepare the syrup – in a pan combine the extra sugar and 50ml of orange/lemon juice and bring to the boil. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, drizzle the syrup evenly over each of the cakes. Leave to cool.

To make the chocolate ganache, put the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Pour the ganache over each of the cakes.

To decorate (optional), make an orange buttercream as follows. Beat 65g icing sugar and 20g unsalted butter (at room temp) together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Add 1 tsp milk and a drop or two of orange essence to the butter mixture. Once it has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Pipe a small flower on top of each cake using a medium sized star piping tip, and top with a silver cachous (edible silver ball) in the middle of the piped flower.

Other tips:

I use the Chicago metallic mini cheesecake tin to bake these cakes, as it makes perfect tall individual cakes.

The recipe mixture makes a little more than required for 12 cakes - if you have more than one tin you will probably be able to make 13/14 cakes, but most people don't. In which case, please don't overfill the cake tins, I find 3/4 full is maximum to prevent them overflowing.

This recipe is generally better the day after it is baked.