Gâteau à L'Orange

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated
120g caster sugar
finely-grated zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp orange juice
105g plain flour

For the Filling and Decoration:
135g butter
150g caster sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
grated zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange liqueur
60g flaked almonds, toasted
1 orange

Method:

Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and thick. Add the orange zest and juice then beat to combine before folding in the flour. Turn the batter into a greased an base-lined 23cm diameter sandwich tin. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 170�B0;C and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through (the top should be springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake will emerge cleanly). Turn out onto a wire rack and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Combine 45g of the butter in a bowl with the caster sugar, egg, egg yolk, orange zest, orange juice and orange liqueur. Place over a pan of hot (not boiling) water and whisk until smooth and thick. Take off the heat and set aside until completely cold.

Split the cake in half and sandwich the two parts together with a little of the filling mix. Cream the remaining butter and beat into the remainder of the buttercream, until smooth. Use this mixture to cover the top and sides of the cake. Press the toasted almonds into the cream around the sides of the cake.

Using a sharp knife remove the peel of the orange (make sure you cut off all the pith) then divide into segments and use to decorate the top of the cake. Serve sliced into wedges.

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