Orange Chocolate Pound Cake

Name: Orange Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients: 250 g flour; 150 g sugar; 100 g butter; 100 g sour cream; 70 ml orange juice; 70 g chocolate (I used 56%); 2 eggs; zest of 2 oranges; 1 tsp baking powder; pinch of salt; 100 ml orange juice; 20 g sugar; 1/2 tsp starch

I've mentioned before how much I love the combination of oranges and chocolate, and today I'm sharing a cake that's got exactly that flavor. The proportions are simple and straightforward — I've already used them in the Berry Swirl Pound Cake, and this time I made an orange version. I love pound cakes made with sour cream because they turn out softer and more tender than ones made with butter alone. To make the cake even more moist — though it's already quite tender and moist on its own — I added an orange soaking syrup, which was the perfect use for the freshly squeezed juice I had left over. It turned out absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:

250 g flour
150 g sugar
100 g butter
100 g sour cream
70 ml orange juice
70 g chocolate (I used 56%)
2 eggs
zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
Soaking Syrup:
100 ml orange juice
20 g sugar
1/2 tsp starch

How to cook orange chocolate pound cake

Zest both oranges using a fine grater, taking only the orange outer layer. If you're not sure whether you like a bold orange flavor, you can use the zest of just one orange (especially if your oranges are large). I love a pronounced orange taste, so I used the zest of two medium oranges.

Juice the oranges (70 ml goes into the cake, 100 ml goes into the soaking syrup, and you can drink the rest :)

Chop the chocolate with a knife, but not too finely.

Beat the softened butter together with the sugar and salt briefly.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add the sour cream and orange zest, and beat to combine.

Mix the flour with the baking powder. Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, no longer.

Pour in the orange juice and mix just briefly.

Add the chocolate and fold in with a spatula.

Grease a pan with butter — I used a 24x10 cm loaf pan. For pound cakes, a loaf pan or a round Bundt-style pan with a center tube works best. Pour in the batter and smooth the top. Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for approximately 1–1.2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Prepare the soaking syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium, stirring, until slightly thickened.

Remove the finished cake from the oven.

While still warm, poke holes all over the top with a toothpick and pour the soaking syrup evenly over the cake. Let the cake cool completely — ideally overnight.