Orange Semolina Cake

For World Baking Day  I decided I would bake something I've never made before inspired by there Bake Brave hashtag.

I first tasted this delicious cake in Valvona and Crolla a few years back during a trip to the other (Edin-) burgh. We stopped for lunch at there restaurant beside Harvey Nichols then we spotted their concession in Jenners department store  and has to stop for a quick fly cup. Along with my usual double shot Americano I had to have a slice of their Orange Semolina Cake. 

I've made a few minor adjustments since I first baked the cake  and its best made the day before to give the flavours time to settle and intensify. 

Makes - 10inch Cake 

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 oranges, flesh and zest peeled into strips only 

185ml Olive Oil, fruity notes

5 Eggs

250grams Semolina 

4teaspoons Baking Powder 

80grams Almonds, chopped or flaked 

Syrup:

125grams Caster Sugar 

Juice of 1/4 lemon 

1 teaspoon Zest, Orange or Lemon 

185ml Water 

Method: 

Boil the orange peel in water for 40minutes or until the peel has softened, this may take longer or shorter depending. 

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas 4. Prepare the cake tin by greasing and lining with baking paper. 

In a pan over medium heat pour in the syrup ingredients and stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the syrup to the boil for 7 minutes and set aside. 

Remove the softened peel from the pan and remove any pips from the orange flesh, put everything into a food processor and blitz until a smooth pulp has formed. 

Pour the pulp into a large mixing bowl and stir in the oil, sugar and eggs using a wooden spoon. Now whisk the mixture until it has lightened in colour. 

Fold in the semolina, baking powder and almonds until everything is completely incorporated. Pour the orange batter into the prepared cake tin and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. 

Once the cake is newly out the oven(still in the pan) you can either just pour the syrup evenly over the top and leave to absorb or do it the traditional way by cutting the cake into diamonds and then pouring over syrup leaving it to absorb before serving. 

LoveLx