ORANGE OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Ingredients
Serves 36 bite-sized cakes
CAKE:
1 tbsp (15 ml) orange zest
1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) orange juice
½ cup (125 ml) buttermilk
3 large eggs
⅔ cup (150 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1¾ cups (425 ml) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7 ml) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
CHOCOLATE FILLING:
2 cups (500 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) Frangelico liqueur (optional)
1 pinch salt
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
1 cup (250 ml) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) Frangelico liqueur (optional)
1 pinch salt
flaked sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter an 8-in (20 cm) square cake pan and line with parchment paper before setting aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, using your fingers, rub together orange zest and sugar. Add orange juice, buttermilk, eggs and oil and whisk until well combined.
- In another medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Tip dry ingredients into buttermilk mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, well wrapped in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container.
- While cake cools, make CHOCOLATE FILLING: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Add whipping cream and butter to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until starting to simmer. Pour warm cream mixture over chocolate and allow to sit for 4 minutes. Add liqueur (if using) and a pinch of salt, then stir with a rubber spatula until well combined and smooth. Set aside, allowing filling to reach room temperature.
- Trim edges of cake and cut in half horizontally. Spread a generous layer of filling over bottom half of cake before topping with other cake half. Reserve any remaining filling for another use. Refrigerate for 1 hour, allowing cake and filling to harden. Using a knife that has been warmed in hot water and wiped dry with a paper towel, cut chilled cake into 36 small squares. Repeat, running knife under hot water and wiping with a paper towel between cuts, to ensure cleanly cut squares. Return to refrigerator while making Chocolate Glaze.
- To make CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, warm whipping cream and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to simmer. Pour warm cream mixture over chocolate and allow to sit for 4 minutes. Add liqueur (if using) and a pinch of salt, then stir with a rubber spatula until well combined and smooth. Allow to cool for 10 to 20 minutes at room temperature. Glaze should be thick, but still pourable.
- Place chilled squares of cake on a wire rack over top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour a heaping tablespoon of warm chocolate glaze onto top of each cake and let run down sides. Garnish top of each with a pinch of flaked sea salt. Let Chocolate Glaze harden for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature before transferring cakes to a platter and serving.