Orange Olive Oil Cake scented with Cardamom and Star Anise - Day 90 of 100 Food Stories.

Starting our 10 day journey touring Spain and what better way to celebrate than to honour two of its most famous ingredients, olive oil and oranges.

Today I am making a beautiful orange olive oil cake that is topped with orange slices that are scented with cardamom and star anise.

Ingredients:
200 grms sugar.
3 eggs.
177 mls of buttermilk.
Grated zest of 1 orange.
60 mls orange juice.
1 teaspoon vanilla.
1 tablespoon baking powder. Pinch of salt.
177 mls olive oil.
270 grms self raising flour.
Orange topping:
1 orange sliced.
1 teaspoon cardamom.
Few star anise.
2 teaspoon sugar. 
2 teaspoon water.

Method:
Put all the ingredients for the topping on a plate, cover with cling film and pop into the microwave for 5 minutes.

1. Preheat the oven to 190 and line a 8 inch round tin.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar for a few mins .
3. Then add in the buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla,orange juice and rind and give it a good mix.
4. Then add in the flour, salt and baking powder and give it a good whisk in the machine, until it is nice and smooth.
5. Pour into tin and pop it into the oven for 40-45 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and while still warm place the syrupy orange slices on top.