Culina Sophia

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Citrus syrup-soaked cake

IMG_3830 This citrus syrup soaked almond cake takes me back to the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the central square of Marrakesh: the teeth pullers ready to pounce with their pliers, the snake charmers forcing a writhing snake scarf on your neck, and amongst this the orange juice vendors lined up, the citrus scents suffusing the air…

 

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Incredibly easy and quick to make, this cake will last for several weeks if kept in a sealed container.

It can be made gluten free simply by using gluten-free bread crumbs.

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The candied orange topping is optional.

 

Ingredients

 

Cake

50g stale/toasted white bread crumbs (gluten free can be used)

175g caster sugar

100g ground almonds

1 ½ tsp baking powder

200ml vegetable oil

4 eggs

Finely grated zest of 3 medium /2 large unwaxed oranges

Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

 

Citrus syrup

Juice of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 ½ lemons

75g sugar

6 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

 

Optional Candied Orange

1 cup water

½  cup caster sugar

2 small unwaxed oranges sliced across the diameter 2mm thick

 

20cm diameter tin, lined with baking parchment

 

Method

Cake

  1. In a large bowl whisk together oil, eggs and orange and lemon zest until combined.

 

  1. In a separate large bowl mix all dry ingredients together.

 

  1. Pour wet mixture into dry and stir until combined. Pour into lined tin and place in cold oven & turn heat to 180˚C.

 

  1. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

 

Citrus syrup

  1. While cake is cooking pour all ingredients into pan & place on medium high heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved then let it simmer for 4 minutes until it has reduced slightly to a thin, non-viscose syrup.

 

  1. As soon as the cake is removed the oven stab it all-over with a skewer , don’t hold back. Pour the syrup over.  It may initially look like it’s drowning, but it will rapidly be absorbed.

 

  1. Serve when cool.

 

Optional candied orange layer

  1. In a large frying pan stir together sugar and water until sugar has dissolved.

 

  1. simmer for 3 minutes then add orange slices. Don’t worry if they overlap.

 

  1. Simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until the skin of the orange is translucent.

 

  1. Arrange as desired.

 

 

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(recipe influenced by Sophie Grigson)