Spiced Citrus Syrup Cake

Try this quick and easy recipe for delicious spiced citrus syrup cake flavoured with oranges, lemons, green cardamom, coriander and ginger.

Butter to grease

300g caster sugar

350g ground almonds

3 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp ground green cardamom seeds (from about 20 pods, seeds ground in a pestle and mortar)

8 large free-range eggs, beaten

400ml sunflower oil

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the syrup

Juice of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 orange

50g caster sugar

2 tbsp palm sugar (from large supermarkets, Asian grocers and health food shops – or see tip, above)

6 whole green cardamom pods

2 tsp coriander seeds

3 fresh ginger slices

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the caster sugar, ground almonds, baking powder and ground cardamom seeds. Make a well in the centre, then add the eggs, oil, citrus zest and vanilla extract, then mix until well combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the syrup, gently heat the citrus juices in a pan with the sugars, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and ginger. When the sugar dissolves, turn up the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside to infuse for 10-15 minutes.

Pierce the sponge in the tin several times, then drizzle over the syrup through a sieve. Set aside for 1 hour, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the caster sugar, ground almonds, baking powder and ground cardamom seeds. Make a well in the centre, then add the eggs, oil, citrus zest and vanilla extract, then mix until well combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, to make the syrup, gently heat the citrus juices in a pan with the sugars, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and ginger. When the sugar dissolves, turn up the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside to infuse for 10-15 minutes.

Pierce the sponge in the tin several times, then drizzle over the syrup through a sieve. Set aside for 1 hour, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Delicious magazine