Chocolate Orange Checkerboard Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 250 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the pans
• 250 g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 250 g self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 220 g dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 220 ml double cream
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade, warmed and strained

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 180 C, or 160 C fan. Grease two 20 cm round cake pans and line the bases with baking paper.

2. 2

   Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour and milk.

3. 3

   Divide the batter equally between two bowls. Stir the orange zest and vanilla into one bowl. Mix the cocoa with the hot water, then fold it into the second bowl.

4. 4

   Spread each batter in a prepared pan. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until the centers spring back. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn onto a rack and cool completely.

5. 5

   Level each cake and split it horizontally to make two orange layers and two chocolate layers. Use 7 cm and 14 cm round cutters or paper templates to cut three concentric rings from every layer.

6. 6

   Reassemble each layer by alternating orange and chocolate rings. Brush adjoining edges lightly with marmalade so the rings hold together, then stack the layers with alternating colors and a thin smear of marmalade between them.

7. 7

   Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream until steaming, pour it over the chocolate, and rest for 2 minutes before stirring smooth. Cool until spreadable, then coat the top and sides of the cake.