The genuine bitter orange cake made with Seville Oranges

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp good-quality thick marmalade (we used Frank Cooper’s Thick Cut Oxford marmalade)
  • 150g pot natural bio yogurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 175g golden caster sugar
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 175g butter, softened
  • zest 1 orange
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds, toasted

For the sticky topping

  • juice ½ orange
  • 5 tbsp marmalade

Method

  1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter a deep, medium-sized loaf tin (about 20 x 10cm, measured from the top), then line the base with a rectangle of non-stick baking paper. Put the marmalade into a small pan, heat gently until melted (or use a microwaveproof jug or bowl, then cook on High for 30 secs). Beat in the yogurt, then let cool for a few mins.
    Put the remaining cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until smooth. Quickly beat in the yogurt and marmalade mix, then pour into the prepared tin. It will be quite runny. Leave the mix mounded in the middle of the tin rather than levelling the top, to help it rise and crack in the middle.
  2. Bake for 1 hr-1 hr 10 mins until golden and well-risen; a skewer should come out clean. Take a look at the cake after 45 mins; if it has taken on a lot of colour, loosely cover with baking paper. Meanwhile, heat the orange juice and marmalade in a small pan over a gentle heat until the marmalade melts (or use the microwave as before). Set aside to cool, stirring now and again, until you have a thick, but still runny, glaze.
  3. 1 round sponge cake, not too thick (about 2 cm), bitter orange marmalade, cooked truffles Cut the cake in half horizontally and separate the two parts.
  4. Soak the cake in fruit syrup mixed with Cointreau Liqueur.
  5. Spread a layer of cooked truffles on the bottom half of the cake, then cover it with the other half of the cake. Spread a layer of bitter orange marmalade on the top cake.
  6. Lastly, frost the cake with the cooked truffles, both the top and sides.