Chocolate orange layer cake

Ingredients

• Butter (for greasing the pans)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good quality cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (shaken)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest of 1 large orange

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 175 Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and butter 1 8-inch/20cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.

2. 2

   Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the sugar and mix on low speed until combined.

3. 3

   In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs,orange zest and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.

4. 4

   With mixer still on low, add the orange juice and mix until just combined.

5. 5

   Pour the cake batter into two 20cm prepared cake tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

6. 6

   Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack and cool completely.