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Chocolate and Lime Cake

oracleadminOracle Publications
Chocolate and lime is an old-fashioned flavour combination but works well. I rarely make the candied peel but usually for a special occasion. You can replace the lime with orange if you prefer. A good cake for Easter if you have family or friends coming.
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Course Dessert
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
  

For the sponge:

  • 225 g butter at room temperature plus extra for greasing
  • 225 g light brown soft sugar
  • 4 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 170 g self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 50 g cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 50 ml lime juice about 3-4 limes
  • 25 g caster sugar

For the candied lime zest,optional

  • 3 limes
  • 100 g granulated sugar

For the lime buttercream

  • 100 g unsalted butter
  • 200 g icing sugar
  • 2 limes finely zested
  • For the chocolate & lime icing
  • 50 ml double cream plus 1 tbsp
  • 100 g 70% dark chocolate cut into small pieces
  • 2 ½ tbsp lime marmalade

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line two 20cm cake tins. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add eggs, beating well. Fold in flour, baking powder, and cocoa. If stiff, add milk.
  • Spoon into tins and bake for 20-25 mins until a skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack, removing parchment. Heat lime juice and sugar, stirring to dissolve. While warm, pierce cakes with a skewer and drizzle with syrup. Cool completely.
  • For candied zest, pare lime zest into broad strips, removing white pith. Slice into matchsticks. Boil in water for 1 min, drain, rinse, and dry. Juice limes, add water to make 225ml, and heat with sugar until dissolved. Simmer zest in syrup for about 30 mins until nearly evaporated. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on parchment.
    To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together using an electric mixer or by hand (start off gently or the icing sugar will fly everywhere), until pale and light, but don’t beat for so long that it gets too fluffy. Add the lime zest and beat again until smooth. Chill in the fridge until the buttercream is firm, but spreadable.
  • For the icing, gently heat the cream without boiling, then remove from heat. Add chocolate, stirring until melted. Warm marmalade with 1 tbsp cream until dissolved, then mix into the chocolate. Let cool slightly but not until firm. Pour over one sponge layer, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let set. Spread buttercream on one layer, then top with the chocolate-coated layer. Decorate with candied lime zest.