Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake

The following wonderful treat of a cake comes from Of Muses and Meringues a fun food blog from Canada

Orange Chocolate Chunk Cake


(adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• zest of two oranges
• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus one tablespoon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 6 Tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup good semisweet chocolate chunks

For the syrup:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

For the ganache:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 6 Tablespoons heavy cream

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 6 cup bundt pan.  Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer for about five minutes, or until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, then the orange zest.
2. Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  In another bowl, combine the orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately in thirds to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour  Toss the chocolate chunks with 1 Tbsp flour and add to the batter.  Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
3. While the cake is baking, make the syrup.  In a small saucepan over medium low heat, cook the sugar with the orange juice until the sugar dissolves.  Remove the cake from the pan as specified at the end of the recipe, set it on a rack over a tray, and spoon the orange syrup over the cake.  Allow it to cool completely.
4. For the ganache, melt the chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.  Drizzle over the top of the cake.