Christmas is almost here and surely you’ll finalizing your menu and editing down your entertaining options. The holiday conundrum? Coming up with interesting dishes while still being able to spend time with family and friends rather in the kitchen.

Help is here with this quick (even make ahead) chocolate cake recipe that essentially requires you to melt butter and chocolate then mix it into an egg and sugar mixture with some orange flavourings.

If you don’t like orange, you may omit as it won’t throw off the ratio of your cakes. Regardless, these are rich, dense cakes that will satiate the chocolate fanatic in all of us.

Use a quality bittersweet chocolate and you may use ramekins or muffin tins to bake them. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate and Orange Cakes

(serves 4)

1 stick of unsalted butter

180 gr. of bittersweet dark chocolate

3 large eggs

1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus extra for coating ramekins/muffin tins)

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. finely ground almonds

2 Tbsp. of all purpose flour

1 tsp. vanilla extract

zest of 1/2 to 1 orange (according to taste)

splash of orange liqueur

1. Place a medium pot (with about 3 inches of water in it) on your stovetop over medium heat, place a metal or glass bowl on top. Into the bowl, add chocolate and butter and melt the two while occasionally stirring.
2. Meanwhile, add your eggs, sugar, salt, almonds, flour, vanilla, zest and liqueur into a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy and pale in colour (about 5 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, grease the insides of your ramekins/muffin tins with butter and coat the insides with sugar (empty excess).
4. When the chocolate has melted, take off the heat and pour into the egg mixture while whisking. Now divide and pour into ramekins/muffin tins.
5. Pre-heat your oven to 375F (middle rack) and bake for 13-15 minutes (or check for doneness by sticking a toothpick into middle of cake).
6. Take out of the oven, allow to cool. Loosen cakes from molds and plate slightly warm or room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream and some raspberries as garnish.

*TIP: you can premake the batter and place covered in the fridge for up a day, just return to room temperature before baking.