Lenten Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 200 g (2 cups) walnuts, ground
• 250 g (2 cups) flour
• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) orange juice
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) oil
• 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cloves
• Syrup: 300 g (1½ cups) sugar, 300 ml (1¼ cups) water, a lemon peel, a cinnamon stick

Method

1. Boil the syrup 5 minutes and let it cool.
2. Whisk the oil, sugar and juice, then fold in the flour, baking powder, spices and walnuts.
3. Bake in an oiled 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 inch) tin at 180°C (350°F) for 40 minutes.
4. Pour the cool syrup over the hot cake and let it soak for 2 hours.

Tip. Cool syrup on hot cake, so it soaks in without going soggy.