Ingredients

• butter
• for greasing
• 5 large oranges
• 100ml/3½fl oz rapeseed oil
• 4 free-range eggs
• 450g/1lb caster sugar
• 125g/4½oz self-raising flour
• 125g/4½oz ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 150g/5oz cream cheese
• 150g/5oz crème fraîche
• 25g/1oz icing sugar
• 25g/1oz walnut halves
• chopped
• 1 tbsp basil cress (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Lightly grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin with butter.
• Zest three of the oranges into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Remove the pith from the three zested oranges and discard. Roughly chop the orange flesh
• removing any seeds as you go
• and place it into the bowl of a food processor. Blend well
• adding the rapeseed oil as you blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set aside.
• Add the eggs and 250g/9oz of the caster sugar to the bowl containing the orange zest. Using an electric whisk
• whisk the mixture until it is pale
• thick and creamy
• and leaves a trail when the whisk is lifted from the mixture.
• Stir together the flour
• ground almonds and baking powder in a separate bowl.
• Carefully fold half of the puréed orange mixture into the egg mixture.
• Fold in all of the flour
• then fold in the remaining puréed orange mixture.
• Pour the cake mixture straight into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour
• or until golden-brown and risen. Check the cake is cooked by inserting a clean skewer or knife into the centre – if it comes out clean
• then the cake is ready; if not
• cook it for a further 5 minutes and check once more.
• While the cake cooks
• prepare the frosting. Whisk the cream cheese
• crème fraîche and icing sugar together in a bowl until smooth and thick
• then chill in the fridge
• covered
• until needed.
• Peel the remaining 2 oranges with a vegetable peeler
• then julienne the zest very finely.
• Pour 150ml/5fl oz of cold water into a saucepan and stir in 150g/5oz of the remaining caster sugar. Add the julienned orange peel
• then bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 8-10 minutes to make a light syrup.
• Strain the julienned orange zest through a sieve suspended over a large bowl (the orange-scented sugar syrup can be chilled and used in an orange drizzle cake recipe or another recipe).
• Sprinkle the remaining caster sugar onto a plate and dredge the julienned orange zest in it until coated.
• Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool slightly in the tin
• then turn it out set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
• When the cake has cooled
• spread the cream cheese frosting over the top and decorate with the chopped walnut pieces
• candied orange zest and basil cress
• if using.