Tunis Cake: Zesty Orange with Chocolate Ganache
Tunis cake
Tunis cake
Ingredients
- 250g unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing the tin)
- 250g fine granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- zest and juice of 1 orange (see tip)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 250g self-rising flour
- 75g finely ground almonds
- 150g chopped dark milk or dark chocolate (or chocolate chips; see tip)
- 100ml heavy cream
- 25g soft butter
- 50g powdered sugar
- pink and yellow gel food colourings
- marzipan fruits for decoration
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan) or gas mark 3. While it heats, grab a 20cm deep cake tin and line the base with baking parchment or a reusable liner—this makes lifting the cake out easy later. Lightly butter the sides of the tin so the cake doesn’t stick as it rises. The butter should just coat the pan without pooling. In a large mixing bowl, beat 200g softened butter with 200g caster sugar using an electric whisk. Keep beating until the mixture turns pale and fluffy—this should take about 3 minutes. Then, crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to keep the mixture smooth. If the batter looks a little thick after adding the eggs, don’t worry; just give it another quick mix until everything comes together.
Step 2
Now let’s fold in that bright orange zest and a splash of vanilla—just a teaspoon of each will do the trick. Stir them right into the bowl so every bit of your batter gets that citrusy perfume. In a separate small bowl, whisk together your flour and ground almonds, then gently sift them into the wet mix. Give it a few slow turns with your spoon until the batter thickens but stays loose, like a thick ribbon that slides right off the back. If it clings too much, just stir in a quick splash of orange juice—about a tablespoon at a time—until it loosens up just enough to glide.
Step 3
Here’s your expanded Step 3 with all the warmth and clarity you asked for: --- Now comes the moment of truth—pour the batter into your prepared tin and gently smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon so it’s even all the way across. Pop it into the middle rack of a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 55 minutes to an hour, until a skewer poked into the very center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Don’t peek too often—every time you open the door, the temperature dips and the cake might take longer to rise. When it’s done, pull the tin out and let the cake cool completely in the pan, undisturbed; that’s how it sets just right and stays tender all the way through.
Step 4
Here’s your expanded Step 4 for the Tunis cake topping, written in a warm, conversational style with clear instructions: --- **4. Pour on the glossy chocolate blanket.** In a small saucepan, gently warm your chocolate and cream together over low heat, stirring just until the chocolate melts and the mixture turns silky smooth—no need to rush this. Once it’s fully combined, pour it straight over the top of your cake. The warm mixture should naturally settle into any dips or edges, but if it needs a little coaxing, use a palette knife to nudge it into place. Let it cool completely at room temperature so the chocolate firms up with a sleek, snappy finish. The cake’s ready when the topping looks glossy and holds its shape when you press it lightly. ---
Step 5
Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes—this keeps it from sticking while the icing goes on. In a medium bowl, beat 115g softened butter and 225g icing sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and thick enough to hold a peak. Split the mixture evenly into two smaller bowls. Stir a couple of drops of pink food colouring into one and yellow into the other until you get the shades you want. Pop the coloured icings into piping bags fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe little rosettes or swirls all over the cake—start from the centre and work outwards so they look like tiny flowers. Finish with marzipan fruit if you fancy a pop of colour. Slide the decorated cake into an airtight container and it’ll stay fresh for up to three days.
Nutrition Information
My Tip
When zesting the orange, rub the fruit on the zester’s fine side first to capture all that fragrant oil, then switch to the coarse side for the zest—it’ll give your cake the brightest citrus punch without any bitter pith.
Leftovers
Wrap leftovers in foil and stash in the fridge for up to three days—this keeps the cake’s citrusy crumb from drying out. To bring it back to life, pop the foil-wrapped slice in a low oven (140°C) for 10–15 minutes until warm all the way through.
Make It Your Own
Swap the ground almonds for 75g finely chopped hazelnuts—they’ll toast beautifully in the butter and add a nutty crunch that pairs perfectly with the orange and chocolate.