Clodagh’s Christmas spiced orange cake

Ingredients

• 50g slightly stale white breadcrumbs
• 200g caster sugar
• 150g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200ml sunflower oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 large unwaxed orange, zest finely grated
• 1 unwaxed lemon, zest finely grated
• For the citrus syrup
• 1 unwaxed orange, juiced
• 1 unwaxed lemon, juiced
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• whipped cream or fresh Greek yogurt, to serve

Method

1.  Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the base of a 20.5cm (8in) round and 5cm (2in) deep tin with baking parchment, then grease and flour the tin.

2.  Place the breadcrumbs, sugar, almonds and baking powder into the Bosch Creation Line with Scale Stand Mixer, weighing as you go, and mix. Slowly pour in the oil, followed by the eggs, and continue to mix until fully combined. Add the orange and lemon zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45 mins to 1 hr, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate.

3.  Meanwhile, put all the citrus syrup ingredients into a saucepan and gently bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Simmer for 3 mins, then remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. While the cake is still warm, pierce it several times with a skewer, then spoon the hot syrup over the cake, allowing it to run into the holes. Leave to cool, then spoon any excess syrup back over the cake in intervals until all of it is fully absorbed. Serve with whipped cream or a dollop of thick Greek yogurt, if you wish.