This moist, sticky cake is best serve with a fork. For a wicked twist, serve it with a generous dollop of creme fraiche or drenched in double cream.

Ingredients: (Serves 8-10)

For the cake:

• 1 orange
• 170 g/6 oz butter, at room temperature
• 140 g/5 oz caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 140 g/5 oz self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 4 tablespoons ground almonds

For the syrup:

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 55 g/2 oz caster sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Grease a 23-cm/10-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

Finely greate the zest from the orange and set aside. Cut the peel and white pith from the orange, then roughly chop the flesh, removing any seeds. Blend the flesh in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the orange puree and grated zest, then sift the flour and baking soda over the bowl and fold in. Fold in the ground almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the syrup, put the orange zest and juice in a small pan with the sugar. Warm gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.