Orange and Poppy Seed Cake with Orange Syrup

Recipe and picture from www.eggfreebaking.com

Ingredients
2¼ cups flour
1½ cups baking soda
pinch salt
1½ cups sugar
¼ - ⅓ cup poppy seeds
½ cup semolina
1 cup milk
¾ cup oil
zest 1 orange
½ cup orange juice
1½ Tbsp lemon juice

Method
1. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, poppy seeds and semolina. Make well in the center.
2. Combine the milk, oil, orange zest, orange and lemon juice. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
3. Put into a prepared 23cm springform tin.
4. Bake at 180ºC for 55 - 60 minutes or until cooked when tested.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and spoon over the hot syrup.
6. Stand for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Cool.

Orange syrup:
¾ cup sugar
1 cup water
1 orange, zested
1 lime leaf (optional), Use scissors to cut in thin strips across the width of the leaf

Simmer the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan for 15 minutes then pour over the hot cake.

Note: If you don’t have a zester, peel the orange thinly with a vege peeler then cut into thin strips with a sharp knife.