Fragarant orange semolina cake

Thanks to the wonderful Neil Perry for this cake!  I make it in a loaf tin, which makes 10 large slices, but you can double the ingrediants easily and make it in a 20x30cm tin. The cake does not rise a lot, being a semolina cake it is quite dense.

Its easy, and quick to make, but be sure to not over mix the batter, and do not overcook the cake. 
I think you could spice the cake up with a little cinnamon and nutmeg if you like. 

 

Orange Semolina Cake

Rating : easy

Ingredients

65g caster sugar
33ml vegetable oil
finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 eggs
50ml milk
20ml. orange flower water
115g fine semolina
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65g ground almonds

For syrup:
150g caster sugar
200ml water
Juice of orange
rest of the orange peel (peeled off)
1tbls orange flower water

Method

Preheat oven to 190C, line the baking tin with baking paper.
Whisk the sugar, oil and orange zest together in an electric mixer,  add the eggs one at a time.
Add milk and orange flower water, mix to a smooth consistency.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add slowly to the mix.  Do not over mix, stop once the flour is incorporated.
Place in the centre of the oven for apox 20 mins, or until golden and just cooked.

Place all ingredents into a small pot for the syrup, bring to the boil and reduce by around 1/2.  It should be a light syrup consistency.

Once cake is cooked, cool for aprox 10 mins in the tin, prick some holes in the top with a skewer and pour over 2/3ds of the syrup.  Serve with the rest of the syrup and some whipped cream and strawberries.