Shamali Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 400g semolina

• 190g caster sugar

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp mastic (Can be found in greek stores. If not, it’s optional)

• Zest of an orange

• 170g natural yoghurt

• 2 medium eggs

• 120ml sunflower oil

For the syrup

• 250g caster sugar

• 300ml water

• Juice of an orange

• Pistachio nuts

Method

1. Line the base of a 20cm spring form cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Heat your oven to 190°C. Place all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth thick mixture. Pour into the prepared tin, smooth the top to level. Bake for 40 minutes until the cake is risen and when a skewer is inserted it comes out clean.

3. To make the syrup heat the sugar, water and orange juice. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

4. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Pour over the hot syrup then scatter over the chopped pistachio nuts. Leave to cool before serving.

The recipe I used is from Paul Hollywood’s City Bakes