slice by slice

Another loaf cake. My kitchen doesn't feel right without a frilled and fragrant gentle brick of cake on the window sill. This is a prime candidate for frequent revisiting. My first attempt was with standard flour, but I will try it with gluten-free flour without hesitation.

Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake

• 150g soft unsalted butter
• 30ml golden syrup
• 175g dark muscovado sugar

I have a handy scale which measures ml so i can pour sticky syrup directly into the beating bowl, otherwise use 2x 15ml spoonfuls. Beat the soft butter with the syrup and sugar - a good 5 minutes, until you have a consistent and appealing coffee-coloured batter. 

try resisting dipping a finger ...

• 150g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 25g cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients together and beat 1 tablespoon into the butter cream, then beat in one egg. Add 2 more tablespoons of the flour mix and beat again before adding the second egg.

• zest of 2 medium oranges, juice of 1 orange

Keeping the paddle moving, add the zest of the oranges and then the juice, slowly.

Pour and scrape the batter into the tin and bake for 45 minutes. It may need 5 minutes less or more .. do check. A cake tester should not be totally clean. Leave in the tin to cool slightly.

The flavour is, as Nigella says, more of warm spice than citrus.

utterly moist

It is the season for over-the-knee stockings, for soft lacy long socks and woolen striped legs. 

Did you know that women with warm feet come more easily? 

And how come a naked woman in socks looks adorable (I like to think), whereas a nude man with his socks on just looks tawdry?