Orange and Mandarin Cake

SERVES 8

200g butter

1 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups plain flour

A pinch of salt

2 tsp baking powder

¼ cup full-cream milk Finely grated zest of 1 orange

ICING

100g butter, softened

3 cups icing sugar

¼ cup full-cream milk

3 mandarins, peeled and pith removed 4 freeze-dried mandarin segments Kaffir lime leaves

Icing sugar for dusting, optional 1 Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin.

2 Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3 Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk. Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the orange zest.

4 Place in the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until springy to the touch, or insert a skewer in the centre of the cake – it should come out clean.

5 Remove from the tin while still warm and cool on a wire rack.

6 Make the icing, beat together the butter, icing sugar and milk until smooth and creamy.

7 Decorate the cake, split the cake in half horizontally. Use one part of the icing to sandwich the cake together, then cover the top and sides with the remainder.

8 Top with the mandarins, freeze-dried mandarins, kaffir lime leaves and dust all with icing sugar, if wished.

9 Cut into wedges for serving.

TIPS:

Crush 2 mandarin segments and sprinkle over the icing before placing the top of the cake on to sandwich together. And for extra orange flavour, add extra finely grated zest into the icing.