Spiced orange sacher torte

SERVES 12 // PREP + COOK TIME 2 HRS (PLUS COOLING) Chocolate and orange is a no-fail combination, but we’ve taken it up a notch with this aromatic twist on a time-honoured classic.

200 gm dark chocolate

(70% cocoa) 150 gm butter, softened

8 eggs 150 gm (2/3 cup) caster sugar

110 gm (¾ cup) plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

85 gm (¼ cup) orange marmalade, warmed

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

300 gm dark chocolate

(70% cocoa), coarsely chopped

300 ml pouring cream

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm springform tin and line base and side with baking paper (see note).

2 Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the water touch the base of the bowl) and stir until melted and smooth (3 minutes). Cool slightly.

3 Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer until tripled in volume (8 minutes). Sift over flour and spice and gently fold with a whisk to combine.

4 Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Fold in egg mixture in two batches, then pour mixture into tin and smooth the surface. 5 Bake cake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (50 minutes). Stand cake in tin for 20 minutes before transferring, top-side up, to a wire rack to cool.

6 For the chocolate glaze, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place cream in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir until smooth.

7 Trim top of cake to level.

Cut a round of baking paper slightly larger than the cake and place on a wire rack. Turn cake upside-down onto the baking paper. Cut cake in half horizontally, spread base layer with warmed marmalade then top with remaining cake layer. Place cake on a rack over a tray, then pour glaze over, using a palette knife to spread glaze evenly.

Note If you can, lock in the base of your springform tin upside-down, so the base is level. This will make it easier to slide the cake off the base.