‘Jaffa Cake’ Cake

Prepare the orange jelly in advance to make sure it’s set. To do this, put all the juice and sugar in a pan and heat until barely simmering – do not boil! It only needs to be warm enough to dissolve the gelatine. Add the gelatine and stir until no lumps remain. Pour into a 20cm tin lined with clingfilm and leave in the fridge to set, preferably overnight.

To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 180C /  160C fan / gas mark 4 and grease and line a deep 20cm cake tin with parchment paper. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure that each one is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next one. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and zests. Add this to the egg and sugar mix a third at a time, making sure it is thoroughly mixed after each addition. Finally add the yoghurt and beat well until it all comes together. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-60 minutes, until the cake is golden in colour and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remember to remove the paper from the base.

Now make the ganache. Pour the cream into a pan and heat until just simmering, but do not allow to boil. Break up the chocolates in a bowl and pour the heated cream over the top. Mix with a spatula until combined and melted. Leave to cool at room temperature until it becomes a good consistency for covering the cake. It should look rich and glossy.

To assemble the cake, place your sponge on a cake board or plate. Trim the top so that it is level, then brush with a little apricot jam. This will help the jelly to stick. Carefully remove the jelly from the tin, still in the clingfilm, and place directly on top of the sponge so that it all lines up, before peeling off the film. Ice the sides of the cake first with some of the ganache, then the top, making sure no sponge or jelly can be seen. If you want to decorate the cake, scatter some fresh orange zest over the top.

Tip:

This cake is best prepared a day in advance. That way the jelly has enough time to set, the sponge will be cool and easier to cut, and the ganache will be at the right temperature so that on the day of serving all you have to do is assemble and ice the cake.