Blood Orange Chocolate Loaf Cake

 

January has gone so. very. very. very. slowly. I couldn't be more glad that it's over. February isn't much better what with its dreary drab miserable weather perpetually teetering on the edge of snow (come on if it hasn't snowed by now it should just try again next year please don't make me walk through a sludgy brown mess to get to uni).

Winter-hating aside I finally located some blood oranges! Like a top plonker I've been searching for them since the summer... (for fellow plonkers winter is blood orange season, duh :P ). Anyway I don't go in for the whole 'new year new me' stuff and if I did my self control definitely doesn't stretch to new year healthy eating, so I cracked out a tin of cocoa and made a delicious, dark, moreish, and dare I say it, moist blood orange chocolate cake with a zesty glaze.

In the interest of long term health and well being for those of you possessing the self control to eat all healthily this cake does have some naturally good-for-ya ingredients so it can be enjoyed by everyone, and those adverse to 'healthy' sweet treats won't suspect a thing. Win win sitch right there.

Vanilla Orange Upside Down Cake

Hannah has been banging on and on and on and on and on and on and on and ON at me for a very long time to make her an upside down cake. OK she asked pretty nicely all ten thousand times but as someone who cannot understand why anyone would want to make a cake as ugly as an upside down cake it felt a lot like someone banging on. Anyway, she was at college and I wasn't at uni so with lots of work nothing to do I wanted to make something yummy for her coming home and I couldn't think of much she'd appreciate more than me giving in and making an upside down cake. I didn't fancy the more traditional toppings (bottoms? who knows) of apple or pineapple and was feeling a little adventurous so I bought some perfect looking oranges from my favourite fruit and vegetable stall in town. I know I keep harping on about the sun but it seriously does influence my baking choices! I was a little skeptical about not taking the skin off the oranges but to my delight and sheer amazement the cake was super scrummy! I still stand by it being pretty ugly and it was a nightmare to photograph but ya know the things you do for love and all that!

This cake is perfect for summery days and goes brilliantly with custard