Boiled Blood Orange & Almond Cake

One of my pet peeves is when recipes have a "teaspoon" of flavouring in them... Whether that be orange peel, lemon juice or a seasoning - I have never once in my life used a teaspoon of anything and found it anywhere near flavoured enough.

Anyway, mini-rant over, this "orange cake" doesn't just use the zest of an orange, no no, it uses two large whole oranges that have been boiled and blitzed up in a food processor, zest, peel, pith and all - no waste whatsover! This technique was inspired by a Diana Henry recipe and woah does it pack the orange punch you want and create the stickiest moistest sponge you could ask for.

To spruce it up, as I love a spruce... I created a sticky orange glaze and added some Cointreau, layered over the slices of blood orange it was as pretty as a picture!

I cannot express enough how delicious this cake was... In fact, I quote my mum " this is the best cake you have ever made".

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Serves 6-8

(26 cake tin)

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 large oranges or 3 small oranges whole

• 3 eggs

• 200g caster sugar

• 300g ground almonds

• 1 tsp baking powder

For the topping:

• 3 blood oranges, thinly sliced

• 200g caster sugar

• 100ml water

• 1 glass of orange cointreau

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºc and grease and line a 26cm cake tin

2. Put the two oranges, whole, into a medium saucepan and cover with water, then boil for around 45mins to one hour.

3. Then take off the heat, remove the oranges and blend them in a food processor till they become a pulp

4. Create the caramel orange syrup by simmering the sugar and water on a medium heat for 10mins, don't stir it!

5. Then caramelise the blood orange slices by putting them in a saucepan with the sugar and water and simmering for a further 5 mins!

6. Take the orange slices out and layer in the bottom of the tin

7. Leave the syrup in a bowl for drizzling on the cake later

8. Whisk the eggs, sugar, almonds and baking powder together then add the orange pulp and mix well

9. Pour the cake batter over the oranges in the tin

10. Bake the cake for 45mins

11. Once cooked a knife should come out easily, immediately remove from the tin by flipping it upside down onto your platter

12. Pour the syrup over the top of the hot cake and eat immediately

13. Serve with creme fraiche or yogurt