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Orange and almond cake

Fresh from the oven, this rich almond cake is drenched in a sweet citrus syrup, making it fantastically moist and full of flavour. Being so moist means it will keep, covered, for up to a week. The cake is delicious on its own or with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Serves 6–8 (v)

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

1¼ hours

200g (7oz) butter, softened and diced

275g (10oz) caster sugar

Finely grated zest of 2 oranges

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

5 eggs

350g (12oz) ground almonds

For the syrup

Juice of 2 oranges and 1 lemon

75g (3oz) caster sugar

23cm (9in) diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed cake tin

* Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the base of the tin with a disc of baking parchment and grease the sides with butter.

* Using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and lemon and orange zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, before stirring in the ground almonds.

* Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 55–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a plate or cake stand.

* While the cake is cooling, make the syrup. Pour the orange and lemon juice into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency.

* Make 10–15 skewer incisions in the top of the cooled cake, then gradually pour the boiling syrup over the cake so that it absorbs the syrup evenly and becomes deliciously moist. Cut into slices to serve.