Autumn Baking Begins | Chocolate and Blood Orange Tea Loaf

I think it can officially be said that it is now autumn, the darkening evenings, the colder weather and the leaves starting to fall off the trees is a perfect sign. As the seasons change, the type of baking changes; i begin to favour dark and heavier flavours over the lighter cakes. This Chocolate and Blood Orange cake recipe has been a favourite for many years at this time of year. Its a very bitter cake as the chocolate used is dark cooking chocolate but the flavour of the blood orange takes the edge off making it a tasty cake.

An added bonus to the cake flavour it that it goes great with a cup of tea. One or two slices is more than enough for one sitting and can be easily washed down with a good cuppa. This loaf usually lasts a few days in my house, because people only eat it in small amounts.

Cake brings people together and as i prepare to move into my university house with friends i know are fellow bakers. I can only assume we will be eating cake and only cake during exam season to cope with the stress… and we will have probably broken the budget on cake ingredients…

Chocolate and Blood Orange Tea Loaf:

Ingredients

100g Dark Cooking Chocolate
200g Caster Sugar
200g Butter, Room Temperature
Zest and Juice of 1 Blood Orange
3 eggs
Zest and Juice of 1/2 Lemon
200g Self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp of hot chocolate powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease 1 Loaf tin with butter and flour. Firmly bang the base of the tin to ensure as much flour is removed as possible.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stir occasionally.
Simultaneously, cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Fold in the chocolate until well combined.
Add the blood orange zest and juice. Before adding one egg and beating slowly.
Add the hot chocolate powder, baking powder, and a quarter of the flour into the mixture and fold well.
Add an egg and half the remain flour and fold again. Repeat with the last of the eggs and flour.
Spoon mixture into loaf tin, smooth the top before baking for 25-30 minutes until firmly baked.

NB: Note that the top of the cake may look slightly burnt, do not worry, the dark chocolate makes the cake darken quickly. If worried, place on a lower shelf when baking.