Caramel orange and poppy seed cake

Method

• step 1

  To make the caramelised oranges, put the caster sugar in a frying pan in an even layer and heat until it starts to melt and turn a golden colour. Tip the pan from side to side to keep the caramel as even as you can.
  Once it reaches a dark gold, carefully add half the orange juice from the cake oranges (it will splutter so stand back). Keep on the heat, stirring so that any lumps melt back into the caramel. Add the orange slices and heat gently for about 5 minutes until they soften a little. Lift out and drain, keep the caramel and orange slices for later.

• step 2

  Heat the oven to 160c/fan 140c/gas 3. Stir the poppy seeds and milk in a bowl. Beat the butter, orange zest and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Sift in the flour and baking powder and add the poppy seed and milk mixture. Stir, then spoon half into a loaf tin lined with baking parchment.
  Add a layer of caramelised orange slices and cover with the rest of the mixture. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

• step 3

  While the cake is cooking, make the icing. Add the sugar to the remaining orange juice and stir. Add to the caramel but don’t try to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the hot cake while it is in the tin, lay the rest of the orange slices down the centre and leave to cool. Remove from the tin when cold.