Chocolate Loaf Cake with Blood Orange Icing

Chocolate Loaf Cake with Blood Orange Icing

Chocolate Cake.

• • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutched cocoa powder

  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup whole milk

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a standard-sized loaf pan with a sheet of parchment paper so that it hangs over two sides of the pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the eggs, milk, sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla, and whisk for 20-30 seconds to combine. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake on the center rack for about 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, or with moist crumbs clinging to it.

Set the pan on a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 1 hour. Lift the bread out using the paper overhang, and let cool completely before icing and serving.

Blood Orange Icing and Candied Orange Peel.

• • 6 blood oranges

  • water

  • 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Note that this recipe makes more juice and candied orange peel than you need for one loaf cake, but if you're going through the effort of making candied orange peel, why not make extra that you can use for other recipes, too?

Cut the oranges in half, and use a juicing tool to juice the oranges. Pour the juice through a fine mesh strainer into a jar, and refrigerate until needed.

Using a sharp knife, carefully slice off thin strips of just the outer orange peel, trying not to cut off too much of the bitter white pith along with it.

Place all the orange peel strips in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Measure 1 cup of clean water into the saucepan and add 2 cups granulated sugar. Over medium heat, bring the syrup to a boil, and continue to boil until the syrup reaches 230 degrees F. Return the orange peel to the syrup, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain. (If you like, you can save and strain the orange-infused syrup to use in cocktails, or other recipes.)

Before the drained orange peels dry, spread them out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, tossing until all the pieces are well coated in sugar. Let cool completely, and then store the candied orange peel in an airtight container.

To make the icing, stir together the powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the blood orange juice, adding more powdered sugar or juice until you have the desired consistency (hint: it should be thicker than you think it needs to be, so that the icing stays on top of the bread and doesn't all drip off the sides). Immediately spread the icing over the top of the bread, nudging it gently to the edges; the icing will set quickly. Top with the candied orange peel.

Yields 1 loaf

Recipe from Curly Girl Kitchen