Citrus Cake

DIFFICULTY
Average Average
COOK TIME
Under 2 hrs. Under 2 hrs.
SERVES
6-8 6-8
Citrus Cake
Main INGREDIENTS
  • Fruit
FOR THIS RECIPE WE LOVE TO USE
Ingredients
Method

Ingredients

Cake
  • 200g (7oz) caster sugar
  • 2 small lemons
  • 1 orange
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 175ml (6floz) mild olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
Citrus Syrup
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 orange
  • 85g (3oz) caster sugar
Elderflower Cream
  • 300ml (10½floz) double cream
  • 2 tablespoons concentrated elderflower cordial
Equipment
  • Baking parchment
  • Method

  • 1
    To cook the cake
  • 2
    Preheat the oven to 170°C/ Fan 150°C/ 325°F/ Gas Mark 3.
  • 3
    Line the base of the dish with a strip of baking paper.
  • 4
    Finely zest the 2 lemons and 1 orange into a large bowl stir in the sugar and rub together.
  • 5
    Whisk in the eggs, olive oil, vanilla extract and salt. Sift in the flour and combine the ingredients.
  • 6
    Squeeze the juice from only the lemons and beat 4 -5 tablespoons of the juice into the cake batter. Pour the batter into the prepared dish.
  • 7
    Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed. If the cake begins to overbrown towards the end of cooking cover loosely with some baking paper.
  • 8
    Citrus Syrup
  • 9
    Remove the peel from the orange using a vegetable peeler taking care not to include the white pith. Slice the peel into very fine matchsticks and place them into a small pan.
  • 10
    Squeeze the juice from the lemon and the orange into a measuring jug. Add enough water to top the juice up to 150ml (¼ pint) and pour into the pan.
  • 11
    Place on a well fitting lid and cook over a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes to soften the peel. Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the caster sugar.
  • 12
    Pierce the top of the warm cake using a fork in 10-15 places, pour over the citrus syrup and leave the cake to cool. The juice will soak into the cake leaving the peel and a sugar crust on top.
  • 13
    To make the elderflower cream; whip the double cream until it reaches soft peaks then beat in the elderflower cordial.
  • 14
    Cut the cake into slices or squares and serve with a spoonful of the cream.
  • 15
    Oranges can vary greatly in size choose a medium size around 250-280g (9-10oz) each.