Almond and citrus cake with citrus syrup

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus cooling time Cook time: 1 hour

Serves 8

I’ve made this cake more often than any other. It’s just the best last-minute pudding or cake for tea.

It works with other ground nuts too – try a pistachio cake finished with a rose-water syrup, a walnut one with a coffee syrup, or a hazelnut one finished with an orange syrup. This version is lovely with fruit, raw or baked, depending on the season (berries in summer, pears in winter).

INGREDIENTS For the cake

– butter, for greasing – 45g stale bread or

cake crumbs – 200g caster sugar – 100g ground almonds (freshly ground, if possible)

– 1½ tsp baking powder – 215ml olive oil

– 4 large eggs

– finely grated zest of

1 lemon and 1 orange – icing sugar, for sifting

over the top

For the syrup

– juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange – 90g granulated sugar – 1 cinnamon stick,

halved

METHOD

Butter a 21cm springform cake tin.

Put the crumbs, sugar, almonds and baking powder into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, beat in the oil, eggs and both citrus zests.

Pour into the cake tin and put in a cold oven.

Turn the heat up to 190C/180C fan/gas mark 5 and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a plate.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put all the ingredients for it into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Simmer for 5 minutes.

While the cake is still warm, pierce it all over with a skewer and slowly pour on half the syrup. As it cools, spoon on the rest, leaving the cinnamon stick behind. Just before serving, dust with icing sugar. The cake is lovely with crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt.