Ingredients

• 175g/6 ounces butter
• 175g/6 ounces caster sugar
• 75g/3 ounces self raising flour
• 50g/2 ounces plain flour
• 75g/3 ounces ground almonds
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 medium sized oranges – use the rind of 2 & the juice of one orange
• ½ teaspoon oil of orange (optional)

Method

1. Cream the butter & sugar together, until the mixture is light & fluffy.
2. Add one egg at a time, mixing in well between each addition.
3. Tip the ground almond in, & mix well.
4. Add the finely grated orange rind the juice of 1 orange & the oil of orange.
5. Sieve the two flours over the mixture & stir in thoroughly & then put in cake tin.

Note:

If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more freshly squeezed juice (from the second orange), to slacken it a little. The finished mixture be the consistency of a Victoria sponge mixture before it is baked.

AGA 2 & 4 OVEN: Put the cake into the pre-heated Aga cake baker, put the lid on, & place it on the floor of the ROASTING OVEN. Leave it there for approx. 50 minutes to 1 hour. When the cake is risen & golden, & shrinking away slightly from the sides of the cake tin, remove it from the Aga cake baker, & put the tin on to a cooling rack for about 8 minutes before turning the cake on to the cooling rack to become completely cold before storing in an airtight container.

AGA 4 OVEN: Put the cake tin on the grid shelf, resting on the floor of the BAKING OVEN & bake for 40 minutes. Then slide the cold shelf two runners over the cake, & leave it for a further 20 minutes, or until the cake is risen & shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin. Then place the tin on a cooling rack for about 8 minutes before turning the cake out of its tin on to the cooling rack to become completely cold before storing in an airtight container.

Note: If the cake seems to be browning too much before the end of the cooking time, put a piece of greaseproof paper gently over the top.