RECIPE | Orange cake

Makes: 1 cake

Candied orange slices:

1 orange, scrubbed

250ml water

100g (½ cup) sugar

1 star anise, optional

Cake:

240g (2 cups) cake flour

10ml (2 tsp) baking powder

Pinch of salt

150g butter, softened

150g (1½ cups) sugar

Orange syrup, retained from orange slices

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

45ml (3 tbsp) orange marmalade, optional

2 extra-large eggs

Method: 

1. Start by making the candied orange slices. Using a sharp knife, slice the orange into about 0.5cm thick slices. Place in a pan with the water, sugar and star anise. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until peel is just softened and syrup thickened. Drain off the syrup and set aside to use in the cake. Cool the orange slices.
2. For the cake, preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line the base of a 20cm springform pan with greaseproof paper and spray with cooking spray.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
4. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer, then beat in ¾ of the retained syrup from orange slices, orange rind and fresh juice and marmalade.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time then add the sifted flour. Mix to blend.
6. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake for 45 minutes and cool in pan before turning out on a cooling rack.
8. Arrange orange slices over top of cake and drizzle the remaining syrup over the top.