Blood orange & blueberry cake

Name: Blood Orange and Blueberry Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Western
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour; 1/2 cup almond meal; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup butter, melted; 3 eggs; 1/2 cup milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup fresh blood orange juice; 1 tablespoon blood orange zest; 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Treat yourself to a blood orange and blueberry cake. Moist and tangy, with bursts of juicy blueberries and citrusy blood oranges throughout. Topped with a sweet glaze, it's a delightful dessert that celebrates the vibrant flavors of seasonal fruits. Perfect for any occasion, from brunch to afternoon tea.

8 blood oranges*
100g butter or margaine
13⁄4 cups caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp baking powder
3⁄4 cup fine semolina
3⁄4 cup ground almonds
1 cinnamon stick
125g blueberries

*You can use Navel or Valencia oranges when blood oranges are out of season.

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 20cm cake pan. Finely grate rind from 2 oranges then juice those oranges plus another 4 oranges. Set juice aside.

STEP 2 Using electric beaters, cream butter or margarine and 1 cup caster sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in orange rind. Gradually beat in eggs, beating well after each addition until mixture is smooth.

STEP 3 Combine baking powder, semolina and ground almonds. Gently fold dry ingredients, 1⁄4 cup blood orange juice and half the blueberries into butter mixture until combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto a cake rack to slightly cool.

STEP 4 While cake is baking, combine 11⁄2 cups blood orange juice, cinnamon stick and remaining 3⁄4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved then bring mixture to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until syrupy. Discard cinnamon stick. Peel, remove pith and segment remaining 2 blood oranges. Add segments and half the blueberries to the syrup.

STEP 5 Place warm cake onto a serving plate. Gently prick cake using a fine skewer and slowly pour warm syrup over cake. Spoon blood orange segments and blueberries in the centre, slice and serve

Nutritional Facts

Blood oranges: High in vitamin C and antioxidants.
Blueberries: Provide antioxidants and vitamins C and K.
Butter: Source of healthy fats and vitamin A.
Eggs: Rich in protein and vitamins D and B12.
Semolina: Provides carbohydrates and some protein.
Ground almonds: Source of healthy fats, protein, and vitamin E.
Cinnamon: Contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Tips and Tricks

Select juicy blood oranges and plump blueberries for a burst of flavor. If blood oranges aren't available, regular oranges can be used as substitutes.