Orange Syrup Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:
-1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
-3/4 cup sugar
-2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
-4 eggs
-2 cups self-rising flour, sifted

For the Syrup:
-1 cup sugar
-Juice of 2 oranges
-1/4 cup water
-Grated zest (rind) of 3 oranges
-Heavy cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.

For the Cake:
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the orange zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

For the Syrup:
In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the zest and stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Add the zest and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the zest is transparent and the syrup is slightly thickened and reduced by one-third. Strain the syrup, reserving the zest for decoration.

While the cake is still warm, make 15-20 holes about 1/2 inch apart in the top using a skewer. Brush with the syrup, making sure it is directed into the holes. Decorate the cake with the reserved zest and serve warm or cool with the cream.