Orange and mandarin cake

For the cake

200 g	Butter
1 cup	Caster sugar (Main)
3	Large eggs
1 ½ cups	Plain flour (Main)
1 pinch	Salt
2 tsp	Baking powder
¼ cup	Full cream milk
1	Orange, zest only

For the icing

100 g	Butter
3 cups	Icing sugar (Main)
¼ cup	Full cream milk
4 pieces	Freeze-dried mandarin
3	Mandarins, peeled and pith removed (Main)
1 small handful	Kaffir lime leaf
1 sprinkle	Icing sugar, for dusting, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake tin.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk and mix until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk. Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the orange zest.
4. Place in the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until springy to the touch or insert a skewer in the centre of the cake – it should come out clean.Remove from the tin while still warm and cool on a wire rack.

Decorate the cake:

1. Make the icing, beat together the butter, icing sugar and milk until smooth and creamy.
   
2. Split the cake in half, horizontally. Use one part of the icing to sandwich the cake together, then cover the top and sides with the remainder.
3. Top with the mandarins, freeze dried mandarins, kaffir lime leaves and dust all with icing sugar, if wished.Cut into wedges for serving.

Tips:

• Crush 2 mandarin segments and sprinkle over the icing before placing the top of the cake on to sandwich together.
• If you like more icing,make up an extra half quantity.
• For extra orange flavour, add extra finely grated zest into the icing.
• The lime leaves here are purely for decoration, but they can be washed and used for another recipe.