Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• 200g softened butter

• 160g golden caster sugar

• 4 free range eggs

• 100g plain flour

• 170g ground almonds

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 medium orange, zest only

• ¾ tsp ground cardamom

• 4 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped

• 3 to 4 drops rosewater

• 70ml milk, you may need more

• Pinch saffron

For the Syrup 

• 180g caster sugar

• 1 ½ lemons, zest and juice

• ½ orange, zest and juice

• 3 drops rosewater

• Icing sugar, to dust

• 3 tbsp pistachios, to decorate

• Roses and petals, to decorate (organic)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
• Line the base of a 20cm springform tin with parchment. Brush the sides with melted butter.  
• Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer and cream until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Fold in the plain flour, ground almonds and baking powder, orange zest, cardamom and rosewater.
• Mix the saffron into the milk and pour into the cake batter.
• Spoon into the prepared springform tin.
• Bake for 35 minutes until golden and cooked. Insert a skewer, when ready, it should come out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack.
• To make the topping, mix all ingredients together. While the cake is hot, make holes in the cake with a skewer or carving fork, then evenly pour over the syrup. When cool, run a thin palette knife around the tin and remove from the tin.
• When ready to decorate, place on a cake stand, dust the top of the cake with icing sugar, place the pistachio nuts around the rim of the top. Arrange roses and petals on top and serve.