Dark Chocolate and Orange Cake

Here's a classic combination - dark chocolate and orange. Since this is a flour free recipe the results are a yummy fudge- like cake. Which makes this cake one of my all time faves.

You could use store bought orange juice, or squeeze it and use fresh orange juice which is what I did. It's Orange season now so there's no shortage of them anywhere. Serve with espresso or coffee, my husband enjoyed it with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Dark Chocolate and Orange Cake

Makes 6-8 slices

*You will need an 8-inch spring form pan.

3/4 cup of powdered sugar (or 1 cup of coconut tree sap sugar)

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

*1 tablespoon Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur) - optional

1 tablespoon of hot water

Dash of salt

2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Coat an 8-inch spring form with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with parchment or wax paper and wrap outside of pan with aluminum foil. 

Place sugar and and eggs in a bowl and beat with mixer at high speed for 7 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cocoa in a small bowl; set aside. Place juice, liqueur*, water, salt and chocolate in a small glass bowl; melt with double broiler or microwave for one minute. Stir and make sure chocolate is melted. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth.

Slowly combine egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Scrape batter into the prepared spring form pan, and then place that pan into a 13x9 inch baking pan; adding hot water to the larger pan, about 1 inch of water. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until top is set. *The water in the pan allows the cake to rise and remain moisture as it bakes.

Remove cake pan from water; cool for 5 minutes and loosen cake, let cool before removing it from the spring form pan. I usually let it chill for 4 hours in the fridge so it can set.

I used powdered sugar for decor.

Enjoy GFFs!