Chocolate and Orange Christmas Cake
Our chocolate orange cake recipe is a decadent twist on a classic - spiced, studded with fruit and finished with a glossy, nutty crown.
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Ingredients
Method
1. Put the raisins and sultanas into a bowl and cover with half of the orange liqueur. Cover the bowl and set aside for 24 hours.
2. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease a 20 cm springform cake tin and double line it.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars using an electric hand mix, until the mixture is light, pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to whisk. If the mixture looks like it is going to split, add a small amount of the measured flour.
4. Put the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl that fits over a pan of gently simmering water (the base must not touch the water), and stir until it melts.
5. Leave to cool slightly. Add the cooled melted chocolate to the egg mixture. Sift in the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and nutmeg and fold in so everything is well combined. Then add the lemon juice and remaining measured orange liqueur and mix together. Finally, mix in the soaked raisins, sultanas, mixed peel, cherries, walnuts and hazelnuts.
6. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin. Level the surface and cover the top loosely with a piece of baking paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 2-2 1/2 hours, depending on your oven. Test to see whether the cake is cooked by inserting a thin metal skewer into the middle; if it comes out clean the cake is done.
7. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack, then remove from the tin, and peel off the lining paper.
8. Feed the cake once a week with orange liqueur. Do this by carefully pouring straight from the bottle, but if you prefer use a small ladle. Wrap the cake in clingfilm until ready to decorate.
9. This cake is best eaten within three weeks. To decorate, warm the apricot jam and, using a pastry brush, glaze the top all over. Arrange the fruit and nuts on top and glaze these too. If you like, highlight with a gold leaf for an extra special touch.
A festive favourite with a zesty chocolate twist.
This chocolate orange cake recipe is one of those cakes that brings together everything we love about a traditional fruit cake, with a citrusy, chocolatey upgrade. The raisins and sultanas are soaked with orange liqueur, the chocolate adds bitterness, and the spices give it that unmistakable festive smell. To complete the dish, the chopped peel, glace cherries and nuts guarantee every slice is packed with flavour. It all bakes together into one of those chocolate orange cake dishes that rewards a little patience and delivers big on flavour.
Next comes the decoration. The cake gets a lovely shine from the apricot jam, while the glace fruits and mixed nuts ensure it’s festive but not fussy! For a twist, you could add more orange zest, swap the nuts to suit your taste, or serve warm with a spoonful of vanilla whipped cream. Of course despite the name, this chocolate orange cake recipe isn’t just for Christmas. It’s just as welcome at a family party, or as a treat with your afternoon cuppa!
Once you’ve mastered this Christmas cracker, we’ve got more chocolate orange cake ideas for you, including chocolate orange cupcakes with limoncello frosting, wonderfully warm chocolate orange tarts, a bitter chocolate and orange liqueur tart with honeycomb dust, or a classic chocolate and orange fondant.
