Fresh Orange and Passion Fruit Cake

First sift the flour and baking powder into a roomy mixing bowl, lifting the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down.

Then add the butter, eggs and caster sugar and, using an electric hand whisk, mix to a smooth, creamy consistency for about one minute. After that, using a tablespoon, fold the orange zest and 1 tablespoon of orange juice into the mixture. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins, level off using the back of a tablespoon and bake near the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes. The cakes are cooked when you press lightly with your little finger and the centre springs back.

Remove them from the oven and after about 30 seconds loosen the edges by sliding a palette knife all round then turn them out onto a wire cooling tray.

Now carefully peel back the lining by first making a fold and gently pulling it back. Lightly place the other cooling tray on top and just flip them both over so that the tops are facing upwards (this is to prevent them sticking to the cooling tray).

To make the filling, slice the passion fruits into halves, then take a small bowl and a teaspoon and scoop out all the flesh and seeds into it.

In another (larger) bowl combine the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of orange juice. Then add two thirds of the passion fruit juice and seeds, and stir them in as evenly as possible. Spread this mixture over one of the sponges, then make some indentations with a teaspoon all over and spoon the rest of the passion fruit into them.

Then place the other cake on top, press it gently so the filling oozes out a little at the edges and dust the surface of the cake with sifted icing sugar just before serving.

Store in a polythene box in the fridge.