Recipe: clementine, honey and pomegranate cake

Words and picture: Hazel Paterson

If you’re a connoisseur of baking aromas, this will be a real treat. Chestnut honey – used in the drizzle – is a wonderful addition to the larder; I get mine from Tropical Forest in Wales.

* 150g caster sugar
* 150g unsalted butter at room temperature
* 4 free range eggs
* 160g self raising flour
* 100g ground almonds
* 1 heaped teaspoon caraway seeds
* Zest of 3 clementines
* Juice of 1 clementine
* Seeds from 1 pomegranate
* 2 tbsp milk

For the drizzle
* Juice of 3 clementines
* Zest of 1 clementine
* Juice from 1 pomegranate
* 1 tbsp orange blossom water
* 100g caster sugar
* 1 big tbsp chestnut honey

For the icing
* 250g cream cheese
* 2 heaped tablespoons icing sugar

1 Preheat your oven to 160C. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in your eggs until the mixture combines.

2 Sift in your flour, then add the almonds, zest, juice and most of your seeds. Mix until everything is incorporated.

3 Line a loaf tin with greased baking parchment, then spoon in your mixture and bake in the middle of your oven for about 90 minutes or until you can put a skewer right through to the centre of the cake so that it comes out clean.

4 Whilst your cake is cooking, make your drizzle by putting all ingredients into a pan; heat until it bubbles, then turn the heat down to low for ten minutes till it is thick and syrupy.

5 Whilst your cake is still hot, prick it all over with a skewer then drizzle over the syrup. Leave to cool.

6 Make your icing by whisking the icing sugar into your cream cheese. Once your cake has cooled, spread the icing over the top and scatter with reserved pomegranate seeds.