Orange poppy seed syrup cake

Many years ago I was a nanny, looking after the sweetest little baby boy named Benjamin. His parents loved food so I fit in very well at their house. Every Monday night was Chili Con Carne night and there were other delicious traditions. Whenever there was a celebration Celina would buy an orange poppy seed syrup cake from a shop up the road in Northbridge. I have no idea what the shop was called or if it is still there but I remember the cake well. So when Mum offered me an extraneous packet of poppy seeds, I knew just what to do with them.

Orange Poppy Seed Syrup Cake

1/3 cup (50g) poppy seeds

1/4 cup (60mls) milk

185g softened, unsalted butter

Grated rind from 1 large orange

160g caster sugar (I cut this down from 1 cup or 220g)

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour

1/2 cup (75g) plain flour

1/2 cup (60g) almond meal

1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice

Orange Syrup

160g (again cut down from 1 cup) caster sugar

2/3 cup (160ml) orange juice

1/3 cup (80ml) water

• Preheat oven to 160 degrees C and grease and line a 22cm round springform tin.
• Combine seeds and milk and stand for 20 mins.
• Cream butter, rind and sugar, add eggs one at a time until just combined between additions.

• Using a wooden spoon, stir in flours, almond meal, juice and poppy seed mixture. Spread into prepared pan.

• Bake at 160 for around an hour. Prick all over with a cake tester and pour over half of the hot syrup.

• Serve with extra syrup and cream or ice-cream.

Tim and Shona and the pumpkin arrived this afternoon, just as I was putting the syrup on the cake. They had a lovely time in Melbourne, visiting every shoe shop and chocolate shop. Tim brought me some chocolate because he knows and loves me.
A strawberry and balsamic vinegar heart - so delicious.

Bacon and chipotle chocolate - really and truly. I wouldn't eat a boxful of these but I certainly enjoyed tasting it. Chilli, of course, goes very well with chocolate and bacon is pretty fabulous any way you have it.

Tim forgets what the other square one was - it tasted like lemon myrtle. The long one was honey and some other ingredients and was smooth and creamy.

I ate them all in one go...... but I didn't have a piece of cake.

Doesn't the pumpkin look thrilled to be back on Bethany's lap?