FIG, ORANGE AND HONEY CAKE

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas4; snip the hard stalks from the figs, then chop them coarsely into raisin sized pieces

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy and white, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go; mix the flour and almonds together

Slowly beat the eggs into the butter and sugar one at a time; add a third of the flour and almonds, turn the mixer off, add another third and beat slowly and briefly, then add the final third, again mixing briefly; too fast a mixing will make the cake heavy

Fold in the chopped figs and the zest and juice of one of the oranges, taking great care not to over-mix; transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, gently smoothing the top

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and the cake is firm to the touch

Melt the honey with the juice of the second orange and the orange blossom water; put the cake, still in its tin on a plate, then spoon over the warm honey and orange juice; leave to cool for a little

Remove from the tin and serve slightly warm or even cold