Dark Chocolate Orange Layer Cake

Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°.

Lightly butter 3 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Flour the pans and tap out the excess.

BATTER

To make the batter, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended.

On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula.

Beat in the vanilla, then the orange extract and zest.

Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 30 mins or until a cake tester comes out cleanly with a few crumbs. Allow to cool for 15 mins on a rack and then invert the pans and remove the cake layers to cool completely.

GLAZE

To make the chocolate orange glaze, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large saucepan.

Add in the vanilla and orange extracts to let them cook off a bit.  

Cook on medium low until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.

Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread 1/4 of the glaze, letting the excess run down the sides.

Stack the remaining cakes, icing each layer. It will ooze and run like crazy. But its very rewarding when it does that.

After layering, pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides.

Let stand until the glaze sets, and chill in the fridge for at least one hour (this makes the buttercream go on like… well butter).

BUTTERCREAM

To make the dark chocolate buttercream, cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer. Add the cocoa and vanilla. Add the confectioner’s sugar in small batches and blend on low until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the consistency you desire.

Ice the cake working from the top down and decorate to your hearts desire!