Passion fruit and orange cake

125 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125 g caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
125 g plain flour
50 g ground almonds
75 g finely grated carrot
Juice and seeds of 1 passion fruit
3 tablespoons orange juice
Finely grated zest of an orange

Syrup:
6 tablespoons orange juice
4 tablespoons unrefined sugar
Juice and seeds of 2 passion fruit
1 to 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar until soft and creamy. Stir in the egg yolks and flour, alternately, and then mix in the rest of the ingredients. Whisk the egg whites, and fold into the cake mixture. Spoon into a greased, floured sponge tin or ring mould, also known as a tube or Bundt pan, and bake for about 20-25 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180˚C/ 350˚F, gas mark 4. Cool slightly in the tin before turning out. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Spoon over the cake, and serve hot, warm or cold with cream or yoghurt.

If you prefer to serve this as a cake, instead of pouring the syrup over it while still warm, let the sponge cool completely before giving it a thin coating of water icing. Instead of the usual orange or lemon flavoured one, mix the juice and pulp of a passion fruit with one tablespoon boiling water, and then rub it through a sieve. Stir in enough sifted icing sugar to give a smooth, light spreadable consistency, and use it to ice the cake.