Orange & Poppy Seed Cake with Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Ingredients

• 250g Butter
• 200g Golden Caster Sugar, plus 25g
• 3 Eggs
• 250g Plain Flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Juice of 2 Oranges, Zest of 4
• 50g Poppy Seeds, toasted

Method

1. Heat oven to 180 C / Gas Mark 4. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin or line a similar size cake tin with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after you add each one.
3. Tip in the flour and baking powder, mix for a few seconds, then add the orange juice, zest of two oranges and poppy seeds. Stir everything together, then pour into the cake tin. Bake for 50 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin.
4. Meanwhile, make the candied orange peel by combining the remaining zest (finely sliced), 25g sugar and 100ml water in a small pan. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes until thick. Remove the zest with a slotted spoon onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper.
5. Drizzle the fudge sauce over the cake, sprinkle with the candied orange zest and serve.