Ingredients (SERVES 6-8) :
- Butter, for the tin
- 340g/12oz caster sugar,plus extra for the mold
- 5 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 225g/8 oz plain flour
- 2 tsp almond extract
- A few drops of orange extract
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Start by buttering the mold or cake tin. Toss in some of the sugar and roll it around to coat the base and sides, tapping to remove any excess. (This will give it a crispy coating as well as helping the cake to come out of the mold.) Whisk the eggs until they are creamy. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is very thick and pale. Separately sift the baking powder with the fl our to aerate it.
Add the flour to the egg mixture very gently, folding it in and trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible. Midway through, add the almond extract and orange flower water. Transfer the batter to the prepared mold or tin. Tap it gently on the worktop to remove any trapped air pockets and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for another 30 minutes before remolding.
You can either serve this plain, or pipe it with royal icing (made with egg white that you can make yourself or buy as a just-add-water prepared sugar mix).