Bittersweet Chocolate and Orange Sponge Cake
by meike peters
Last week I wrote about one of my numerous phone calls with my Maltese granny who is actually my boyfriend’s granny but over the years, after so many stays on her home island and through our shared passion for food she “adopted” me. That’s how it feels, she became my granny. In our last conversation she gave me a wonderful recipe for the Maltese tea time cookies with vermouth and she also mentioned a cake made with bittersweet chocolate and orange (juice and zest). I love this combination but my boyfriend isn’t so fond of it and I didn’t want to end up eating a whole cake on my own. But she insisted on giving it a try, she knows her grandson after all, and she was right!
We both agreed that this cake is amazing, simple but so aromatic. The texture is very spongy and on top it has a fine sugary crust, a bit flaky. I sprinkled it with some more chocolate when the top was still a bit warm and it melted into the crust. Granny Edith was right, I didn’t have to eat the cake on my own and it didn’t even last for 2 days!
Bittersweet Chocolate and Orange Sponge Cake
For a 20cm / 8″ cake pan you need
butter 180g / 6.5 ounces
sugar 210g / 7.5 ounces
plain flour 180g / 6.5 ounces
baking powder 2 teaspoons
pinch of salt
organic eggs 3
orange juice 2 tablespoons
orange zest 1 1/2 tablespoons
bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarsely, 100g / 3.5 ounces plus 1 tablespoon finely grated for topping
Set the oven to 175°C / 350°F (fan-assisted oven) and butter the cake pan.
Mix the butter with the sugar and orange zest till fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well for a couple minutes. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and orange juice and mix quickly until everything is combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate and scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with finely grated chocolate.
[…] Bittersweet Chocolate and Orange Sponge Cake […]
Yummy! I made this last week and it was absolutely delicious, the flavours combined so well and it was very balanced. This week it was requested by the family again! I just made some changes, my little one wanted it to be all chocolate so I left out the chocolate, put some more sugar and some cocoa and it is also fantastic! Thank you very much for the recipe both!
Thank you Irini! I’m glad you and your family enjoy Edith’ cake so much! xx
[…] of eat in my kitchen‘s hungry followers asked me if it’s possible to turn my Maltese granny Edith’s bittersweet chocolate and orange sponge cake into muffins without loosing any of its scrumptious qualities – and the answer is: yes, it is […]
This cake looks so buttery and incredible! I was wondering if I could use this recipe to make muffins. Is that possible? If yes, what should be the baking time? Respond at your earliest convenience. Can’t wait to try this! Thanks 🙂
Thank you Falguni! If you turn this cake into muffins I would combine the flour, salt, baking powder and stir it roughly into the remaining ingredients once they are mixed, the final mixture should be lumpy with a bit of flour left here and there. Bake at 190°C / 375°F (fan-assisted oven) and check after 12-15 minutes. Enjoy and let me know how it went 🙂 Meike xx
Thanks a ton! Will definitely get back to you after I’ve given them a shot 🙂
Made these for a bake sale! Possibly the best orange cake I’ve ever baked. 🙂
That’s great, thank you! I will tell our granny Edith 🙂 Have a nice Sunday! xx
Good morning!
I turned the cake into muffins, here is the recipe:
https://www.meikepeters.com/bittersweet-chocolate-orange-muffins/
Thank you for the inspiration! xx
Hello,
I’ve tried to make this Orange Sponge cake twice and share with my family and we all love it.. Every time I see a real orange I’ve always thinking of Orange Sponge cake now 🙂 Thank you for the recipe, it is definitely in my cook book now. Thank you.
Thank you Maryana Lungu! I’m happy you love the cake as much as I do! You must like it a lot if the sight of an orange makes you think of it 🙂 Have a nice day! Meike xx
I have a sweet tooth husband :), I have to bake for him more then to cook. He doesn’t like cakes with lots of cream/frosting, but I do bake every other day for him, to make sure he have something for his coffee or tea 🙂 that is why a real organic orange remind me a simple good Orange Sponge Cake for my husband. I am original from Ukraine and your receipe very interesting for me, it is kind of similar to Ukranian food too.. really like your receipes, keep posting and God Bless U.
I understand your husband, I have a sweet tooth too and I love to have homemade cake or cookies for my tea time 🙂 I’m happy that both of you enjoy my recipes, thank you! Take care, Meike xx
sounds so delicious! ich mag mich sofort zu dir an den tisch setzen, meike;) LG daniela
Danke Daniela 🙂 Der Kuchen war eine echte Überraschung! Ich wußte zwar, wenn mir die Oma meines Freundes etwas empfiehlt, wird das auch gut sein, aber der Kuchen was so was von lecker! Ich habe etwas mehr Orange und Schokolade in den Teig gemacht als sie, da ich die Kombie sehr mag!
Ich wünsche dir ein schönes Wochenende!
Meike
Such a beautiful cake and a wonderful combination of flavours!
Thank you Kathryn!
How much baking powder in with the flour?
Oh I missed that, thanks for mentioning, Sofia! It’s 2 teaspoons.
Have a nice Sunday! Meike
Thank you. I’ll give it a try!
Great, please let me know how it turns out, enjoy!
Great photography, Meike! Who doesn’t like chocolate and orange combo…Yummy.
Thanks Marigene! I enjoyed taking them, the light and the colours were just perfect! Meike xx