Citrus peel and pergamonto cake

Spring is peeking out from behind the clouds and I couldn't be more ready!

At this time of the year I usually clean up my cupboards and discover any ingredients lurking at the back of my cupboard that haven't been used. Mixed peel was the lucky ingredient this time and it looked great to sink into the batter of this cake and be transformed from leathery peel into chewy nuggets of citrus flavour, almost like sweets.

For special occasions, I will make something that takes more effort but, for everyday eating, this cake is perfect – tasty, quick and easy.

This cake fall into light-as-air, tea-and-cake style cake category, and it is almost apologetically easy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 3 tsp pergamonto zest

• 3/4 cup sunflower oil

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 6 eggs

• 3 cups all purpose lour

• 3 tsp baking powder

• 1 cup mixed candied citrus peel or mixed glacé fruit

• 1/4 cup brandy

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/2 cup pergamonto syrup

INSTRUCTIONS:

• This cake can be baked in a large square pan 25x25cm, or in 2 regular loaf pans

• Lightly grease your pan and line with cooking paper

• Preheat oven to 175 C degrees

• Sift together 3 cups of the flour with the baking powder and set aside

• Cream together the sugar, sunflower oil, vanilla, brandy, milk and orange juice for several minutes until light and fluffy

• Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple of times during this process

• Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or so between additions

• Stir in the pergamonto zest

• Gently fold the flour and baking powder into the creamed mixture until the flour is almost fully incorporated

• At this point add the candied citrus peel or mixed glacé fruit to the batter

• Fold until the flour is fully incorporated and the fruits are evenly dispersed throughout the batter

• Bake for about an hour in the loaf pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean

• The square pan may take several minutes more, mine took 1 hr 20 minutes; the loaf pans may need a little less, depending on your oven and the type of pans you are using. Always check your cakes a few minutes ahead of time and then every five minutes thereafter to make sure they do not over bake

• When fully baked, let the cakes rest in the pans for 10-15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely

• Brush the top with the pergamonto syrup

• Cover it tightly with aluminium foil

• The cake is best eaten the next day

Tips:
1. You could add different fruits and nuts or swap for chocolate
2. If you don't have pergamonto syrup you can just prepare a simple syrup with water, sugar and 2 tsp of pergamonto zest as below

Simple pergamonto syrup

• Boil 3/4 water adding 3 tbs of sugar and 2 tsp pergamonto zest

• When the sugar is totally incorporated in water your syrup is ready

• That simple :)