I think it’s time for some much earned tea and cake don’t you.

I mean these past few days or weeks have been just exhausting on all of us. From international headlines, domestic news and around the corner events and not to mention your own dramas , which have just chipped way too many pieces right ? Well for me it has. Plus winter is still here people .. it seems like it is not going away.

Ohhhhh …. Put the kettle on love! A proper cuppa tea and cake will NOT solve everything but ill give us a rest bite.  I find after a proper tea the world doesn’t seems scary anymore and you feel able to deal with it … Oh so British thinking … or is it Iraqi ? Both countries are obsessed with their tea.

In times of unrest I usually bake or make any desert hoping the sweetness I taste will somehow transfer into my life and the world! And why not. It is also therapeutic and you can get the kids involved too.  So I decided to do this très simple orange cake. It can be served all year round and makes excellent tea time cake.  Plus you can say you have had one of your 5 a day, since orange is used so it’s a healthy cake ! no ?? mmmmmm

Ingredient

125 g butter softened

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice (half an orange)

2 egg

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cup self-raising flour – if you don’t have any use normal flour and add teaspoon of baking powder.

1 tablespoon orange rind zested

1 teaspoon cardamon

Orange Icing

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

2 tablespoon orange juice (the other half of the orange used in the baking)

1/2 teaspoon orange zested

1 tablespoon of crushed pistachios

Method

Step 1- Mix the butter and sugar first then combine rest of the cake ingredients. Mix very well.

Step 2- Pour mixture into a greased cake tin and bake in oven 180C for 35 min. Or until once you insert a tooth pick it comes out clean.

Step 3- Whist cake in baking make the icing by combing all the ingredients in a bowl.

Step 4- once cake is baked and called, ice the cake and add crushed pishatcho and slightly more orange zest on top for decoration.