A Festive Orange Chocolate Cake Recipe For Christmas

What would Christmas be without a delicious chocolate cake? This year, why not try out a new recipe for your family or friends?

Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the calendar. It is celebrated around the world every December 25th. The tradition dates back to ancient times and has become a part of our culture.

Chocolate cakes have always been a favorite dessert at Christmas time. There are so many types of cakes out there, from classic chocolate to fruit-flavored ones. This is hands down one of our most favorite Christmas cakes. It is easy to bake and it tastes great. If you want to impress your loved ones this holiday season, then you should definitely give this recipe a try.

Ingredients:

• 100 g / 3.52 oz Dark Chocolate (e.g. Ritter Sport or Lindt) 
• 100 g / 3.52 oz Rusk
• 200 g / 7.54 oz Whole Almonds with skin
• 200 g / 7.54 oz Dates
• 1 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
• 100 g / 3.52 oz Butter
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Pack Dr. Oetker Orange Peel / 1 tsp. Fresh Orange Peel
• 6 Eggs (medium size)
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• Orange Juice from 1/2 Fresh Orange
• 2 tbsp. Rum (optional)
• 75 g / 2.65 oz Marzipan Mass
• 30 g / 1.05 oz Icing Sugar
• 30 g / 1.105 oz Sliced Hazelnuts or Almonds
• 250 g - 300 g / 8.81 oz - 10.58 oz Dark Chocolate Couverture

Method:

1. Grind almonds, rusk and chocolate separately in a food processor and pour each ingredient one by one in a mixing bowl. It is important to grate the chocolate quickly on high speed to avoid melting. Cut dates into small pieces, place them in a separate bowl and mix them with flour. 

2. Combine butter, sugar, salt and orange peel in a third mixing bowl and stir with a handheld electric mixer. Separate egg whites and add egg yolks one by one to the sugar and butter mass. Gently combine the eggs for a couple minutes. Add egg mixture to the almond, rusk and chocolate mass. Mix all ingredients until all components are fully combined. Beat egg whites until soft peaks emerge. Add dates to dough mixture and fold in the egg whites slowly.

3. Grease a springform cake pan with butter on the side and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour dough into the baking form evenly. Pre-heat oven to 170 C / 338 F and bake for approx. 40 min. You may want to cover the cake with parchment paper after the first 20 minutes.

4. Remove the cake from the oven and poke it on top with a wooden stick. Let the cake cool down. Mix rum with fresh orange juice and pour it over the date chocolate cake. Remove the cake from the baking form and let it dry for a while.

5. Knead marzipan with icing sugar and roll out flat on your kitchen surface. Use tree and star shaped cookie cutters and cut out a few shapes for decoration. Roast sliced almonds or hazelnuts without any butter or oil in a sauce pan over low heat. Let the almonds or hazelnuts cool down.

6. Melt dark chocolate couverture in a bain-marie or in a bowl over hot water. Cover the Christmas cake with the chocolate and place the roasted almonds or hazelnuts around the edge. Decorate the top of the orange date cake with the marzipan tree and star shapes. Let the cake dry completely.

Enjoy this Christmas Cake with family and friends.

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