You will need
150 g dark chocolate
50 g butter
75 g raw almonds
2 – 3 oranges, zest rind, and squeeze juice
3 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) canola oil
2 t (10 ml) coffee granules to make ½ cup (125 ml) strong, hot black coffee
½ cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
1 x 650 g Ina Paarman’s Chocolate Cake Mix
2 x 250 g Ina Paarman’s Chocolate Icing Kits
250 g butter
± ⅟2 cup (125 ml) orange juice
Method
Chocolate and Almond Granules
Gently melt the chocolate and butter together in a smallish mixing bowl placed over a bowl of hot water.
While the chocolate is melting, chop the almonds, add the orange rind. Reserve 4 heaped tablespoons of the melted chocolate mixture to add to the cake.
Stir the chopped almonds into the rest of the melted chocolate/butter mixture.
Line a swiss roll pan with baking paper and spread the chocolate almond mixture out on the baking paper.
Chill in the fridge. When it has set hard, it must be broken up and chopped roughly in a food processor.
Cake
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 180°C.
Butter 3 x 20 cm pans and line the bottoms with baking paper.
Beat eggs and add the reserved 4 heaped tablespoons of the melted chocolate mixture. Add oil and beat for 30 seconds on high speed until well blended.
Add hot black coffee and orange juice and beat until blended.
Add dry Chocolate Cake Mix. Mix in by hand with a spatula. Mix only until combined.
Divide the mixture between the 3 prepared pans. ±400 g mixture per pan.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when a thin-bladed knife inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cakes pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.
Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn out on a cooling rack.
Do not ice until cakes are completely cool.
Icing
Cream the butter, add the dry Icing Kits and enough orange juice to make a soft spreadable icing.
Use about half of the icing to sandwich the three cakes together.
Ice only the sides of the cake with another quarter of the icing.
Spread the chocolate and almond granules out on baking paper.
Pick up the cake with your hands holding it top and bottom. Roll the iced sides of the cake in the chocolate almond granules.
Position the cake on a plate or cake stand. Carefully cover the top of the cake with a generous layer of the remaining icing. Use the back of a tablespoon to make a wavy pattern.