Chocolicious Tea Cake with Orange Glaze

When I was on vacation, I picked up this card set. Aren’t they fun? There is four different cards in each set. Each with an illustration of a yummy treat and the appropriate recipe written on the back. They are blank inside so I can use them for almost any occasion, a birthday, a thank you, or just a little hello! It was my Mother-In-Laws birthday so we gave her a little gift card tucked into one of these adorable cards. I gave her the Chocolate Tea Cake card along with a baby loaf of the cake.

This was a chocolate pound cake using a half pound of chocolate and it was chocolicious! It has orange zest in the cake itself and an orange glaze brushed over the top. You poke little holes in the cake so the glaze soaks into it.

It was rich and sinful and just perfect for a lazy afternoon. When you want to slow down and take a breath, pour a cup of tea and take time to reflect, take out a loaf of this tea cake. It will make an ordinary moment, extraordinary!

Chocolate Tea Cake with Orange Glaze

• 8 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 16 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
• 1 Cup sugar
• 4 lg. eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP fresh squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease paper.

In a small sauce pan, melt chocolate over low heat. (I melted mine in the microwave oven). Cool.

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes or till light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next. Add the vanilla, zest, and sour cream and beat well. Add the cooled chocolate and mix for 30 seconds or untill incorporated. Scrape the inside of the bowl.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the bowl and fold in to the mixture just till combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake on the middle rack for 60-70 minutes. or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the cake on the cooling rack. remove the paper. Flip the cake right side up.

For the glaze: Combine the powdered sugar on the orange juice in a small pan. Bring to a boil and stirring occasionally, cook for 2 minutes. Using a skewer, poke holes about an inch apart in the warm cake. Brush with the glaze. Cool completely before slicing.

Makes one 9 inch loaf.

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