Orange Cake

Airy and light, with a moist yellow crumb and a frank orange scent that comes from both the juice and the zest. Sweet without cloying, the fresh citrus acidity keeping everything in balance. When soaked in syrup it turns denser and glossier, almost dripping, and the sugary crust gives a faint crackle at the first forkful.

It comes in a thousand guises. There is the classic oil-based version, the richer butter one, and the very moist yoghurt variety; some blend the whole orange, peel and all, for a deeper, faintly bitter flavour. It can be baked in a bundt tin, a loaf tin, or a tray to be drenched in syrup, and some add almond, carrot or a splash of orange liqueur.

You will find it sold by the slice in almost any pastry shop, bakery or café in the country, and on the homemade-cake stalls of fairs and markets. But the best orange cake is still the one made at home, still warm and soaked the day before — better to ask a grandmother for the recipe than to hunt for it in a window. Look for cakes with a moist crumb and a strong orange smell, not the dry, pale ones.

It calls for a strong coffee or an espresso at teatime, or a black tea in mid-afternoon. For children, a glass of milk. For something more grown-up, it pairs well with a Moscatel or a chilled orange liqueur.