Orange, Almond & Fennel Cake

YOU’LL NEED

4 large oranges
70g sugar
2 tsp fennel seeds
6 eggs
200g raw almonds
100g plain flour
250g sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Crème fraîche to serve

MAKE IT

Simmer 2 whole oranges in 2 cups of water in a covered saucepan for an hour. Let them cool then cut (rind and all) up and remove any seeds. In the meantime, cut the ends of the other two oranges then slice the middle sections into fine 1-2mm discs. Squeeze 2 tbsp worth of juice from the ends into a saucepan and add 70g sugar and the fennel seeds, cook on medium till melted and syrupy. Pour into the bottom of a 22cm springform pan lined with baking paper and layer the sliced oranges on top.

Blitz the almonds in the food processor till they are a fine grain (around 1mm). Add the eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, sugar and the chopped boiled oranges and blitz till combined. Pour into the cake pan and bake for 60 mins at 170˚C (150˚C fan forced) or until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn it out onto a cooling rack, revealing the orange slices on top. Allow to cook completely before slicing and serving with a dollop of crème fraîche.