Ingredients
- 225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 225g golden caster sugar
For the filling
- 4 large eggs
- 1 orange, zested, plus 1-2 tbsp juice
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
- 225g (7 1/2oz) self-raising flour
- ice cream, to serve (optional)
For the syrup and fruit
- 150g (5oz) golden syrup
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
- 1 orange, zested, plus 1 tbsp juice
- 250g (8oz) strawberries, halved, plus extra to decorate
NO SELF-RAISING FLOUR? ADD 2 TSP BAKING POWDER FOR EVERY 150G PLAIN FLOUR
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. Grease a deep 23cm (9in) cake tin with butter and line with nonstick baking paper. Set aside.
- For the syrup, gently heat the golden syrup, vanilla seeds and orange zest in a pan for 2-3 minutes. Pour 2/3 of the syrup into the prepared tin. Add 1 tbsp orange juice to the remaining syrup in the pan and set aside for later.
- Arrange the strawberries, cut-side down, in the base of the cake tin.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in half the orange zest, the vanilla seeds and the flour, followed by 1-2 tbsp of orange juice.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin over the strawberries. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. (If the cake looks like it is browning too fast, cover with a sheet of baking paper.) Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a serving plate. Pour the reserved syrup over the cake, leaving it to soak into the warm sponge.
- Arrange the remaining strawberries in a little pile in the centre of the cake and scatter over the orange zest. To serve, slice the cake and enjoy warm or at room temperature, with a scoop of ice cream, if you like.
