Rosa’s Chocolate-Orange Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
• 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large, juicy oranges
• 10 tablespoons (5 ounces/141 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for the drizzle syrup
• ¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice, for the drizzle syrup
• 2 ounces (57 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter or spray a 9-inch loaf pan and line the bottom and all four sides with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Put the ¾ cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of one orange over the sugar—about 2 tablespoons—and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant. Halve the oranges, squeeze ¼ cup juice, and reserve it for the syrup.
4. Using the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the orange sugar and softened butter on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. The batter may look slightly curdled; it will come together with the flour.
6. Add the dry ingredients in two additions and mix on low only until the flour disappears. Finish folding gently by hand, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is golden, springs back lightly, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
8. While the cake bakes, stir the ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup orange juice together until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
9. Set the baked cake, still in its pan, on a rack. Immediately prick the top all over with a thin skewer and slowly spoon the orange syrup over the hot cake, allowing each addition to soak in. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the loaf onto the rack and cool completely.
10. Melt the chopped chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water or in short microwave bursts. Drizzle thin, irregular squiggles over the cooled cake. Let the chocolate set before slicing.