Chocolate Orange Cake

Method

• step 1

  Preheat the oven to GM6.

• step 2

  Cream the margarine and sugar until light in colour and smooth. Beat the eggs and then add to the mixture (add flour by the tbsp if it curdles).

• step 3

  Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold everything together.

• step 4

  Finely grate the orange peel and add to the mixture along with the juice of the orange (strain it to avoid pips in your sponge!) and mix in well.

• step 5

  Grease and flour two 9" circular tins. Split the mixture evenly and level the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 - 50 mins (a skewer inserted into the middle will come out clean when cooked.)

• step 6

  For icing: Sift the icing sugar into the butter and cream together until smooth. Add the orange essence and a tiny amount of colour paste (judge the amount on desired colour). Once the cake is cool spread a third of the icing on the top of one cake and sandwich the other on top. Smother the top of this one with the remaining icing!