Ingredients:
4 eggs
140g sugar
210g self-raising flour
finely-grated zest of 4 oranges
1 tbsp orange blossom water
For the Syrup:
450ml freshly-squeezed orange juice (about 8 oranges)
9 tbsp sugar
quartered orange segments, to garnish (optional)
Method:
Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy. Stir-in the orange zest and flour and continue beating until smooth. Add the orange blossom water and beat to combine. Pour the mixture into an oiled 500g loaf tin.
Place the cake in an oven pre-heated to 190°C and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake emerges cleanly. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the syrup thicken.
Cut the cake into slices and arrange these on a tray. Spoon the hot syrup over the slices and allow them to absorb the syrup. Traditionally the cake is served with chocolate sauce and pistachio nuts. The cake can be served warm or it can be stored in the refrigerator and served chilled.
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