Chocolate Gingerbread Cake with Candied Orange
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups Lyle's Golden Syrup
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 recipe shiny chocolate icing, see below
- candied orange peels, for decorating optional - or substitute with candied ginger.
Heat oven to 350. Line a 8 inch cake pan with parchment. Butter and flour sides and set aside. Place butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Set over low heat and melt together. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, ginger and cardamom in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix. Add butter mixture to dry ingredients and stir well. Stir in egg, milk and orange extract to form a nice smooth batter. Fold in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until cake is set - cake tester should come out with a few crumbs as cake is best moist. Remove from oven and let stand about 30 minutes. Invert cake and cool completely before icing.
Shiny Chocolate Icing
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
Combine chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler. Set over simmering water and let stand until completely melted. Add corn syrup and stir until shiny and smooth. Remove from heat and immediately pour over cooled cake. Garnish with candied orange peels if desired.