For as long as I can remember, I've been the person who turns up to work with cake! Birthdays, team lunches, project milestones, picnics, celebrations, or simply because it's Friday, I've always loved sharing food with the people around me. Cooking and baking are my happy place. They help me unwind, get creative, and show people I care.
The project we've been working on has been a whirlwind over the past year. It's been challenging, demanding, and at times downright exhausting. As we near the finish line, people are gradually moving on to new opportunities, new projects, or the end of their contracts.
One of the special things about project work is the friendships that form along the way. When you're working side by side under pressure, solving problems and chasing the same goal, you build connections that are unique and meaningful. You celebrate the wins together, navigate the tough days together, and somehow come out stronger for it.
As the project wraps up, there's a bittersweet feeling knowing that some of the people you've spoken to every day may soon become the friends you only occasionally catch up with. That's why a simple morning tea and a homemade cake can mean so much. It's a small way of saying thank you, celebrating what we've achieved together, and acknowledging the camaraderie, teamwork, and friendships we've built along the way.
So here's a toast (and a slice of cake!) to all the wonderful people I've met through short-term contracts and project work. Thank you for the laughs, the support, the teamwork, and the battles we've fought together. It's been quite the adventure! 🎂☕🥂
Recipe courtesy: OliveandMango.com
Ingredients:
2 medium oranges - I used blood oranges as they are in season now.
3/4 cup olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
1 and 3/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond flakes - toasted (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For syrup:
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup of icing sugar
Method:
Heat oven to 175 degrees centigrade. Prepare a 9 inch (23 cm) springform pan
Cut the oranges and remove the seeds. Chop into into chunks. Add orange chunks to a blender and blitz till you get a smooth pulp.
Mix plain flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
Blitz together the eggs, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla essence along with the orange pulp. Blend well till you get a fluffy smooth mixture.
Start adding the flour mix a little at a time and blend until just incorporated. Do not overblend or the texture of the cake will not be fluffy.
Pour batter into the prepared pan, level it and bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean. It took about 45 minutes in my oven.
While the cake is baking, toast almond flakes till crisp.
Let the cake cool in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes. Pierce the cake all over with a skewer and pour the syrup on the warm cake.
Decorate with toasted almonds.
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