Chocolate and orange is a match made in heaven. I also love the effect of a marble cake, every slice is different as is every cake you make!

As well as adding orange zest to the cake I have also given this cake an orange drizzle. I used granulated sugar in the drizzle which gives the cake a crunchy top. You can of course use caster sugar or icing sugar.

You Will Need:

• 170g Butter
• 170g Caster Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• Zest of One Orange
• 170g Self Raising Flour (sifted)
• 50g Cocoa Powder
• 1tbsp Milk

The Drizzle:

• Juice of one Orange
• 50g Granulated Sugar

Method:

• Line and grease a 1lb loaf tin.
• Pre heat the oven to 180degrees.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time mixing well between each addition.
• Mix in the zest then fold through the sifted flour.
• Dollop half the mixture into the prepared tin (do not spread the cake mix out).
• Sift the cocoa powder and milk into the remaining cake mix.
• Randomly dollop the chocolate mixture into the tin and swirl the two mixes together.

Tip: you don’t want to over mix and blend, you still want two clearly defined colours – so a gently swirl getting to the bottom and edges will be perfect.

• Bake for about 45mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake.

Meanwhile:

• Mix the orange juice and sugar together, you don’t want the sugar to dissolve so you don’t need to stir, just make sure the sugar is well soaked in the juice.
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven and while it is still in the tin spoon the drizzle over the top and allow it to soak in.
• Once cooled or at least cool enough to handle remove from the tin and serve.

This is a very moist cake because of the drizzle so best eaten within 3days and kept in an airtight tin.