Orange, Fennel and Blueberry Cake

The idea of using fennel in a cake was brought about after eating a salad, believe it or not. I love adding savoury elements to my cakes – the addition of fennel adds a slight aniseed flavour. This is the sophisticated older brother to the mundane orange cake!

Ingredients

• 300g sugar
• 1 cup yoghurt – unsweetened and full fat please!
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup rice bran oil (or similar)
• 2 eggs 
• zest and juice of one orange
• a good teaspoon of fennel seeds
• pinch of salt
• 280g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 100g soft butter
• zest and juice of one orange
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• pinch of salt
• a few splashes of milk

Method

Preheat your oven to 170°C and line and grease two 24cm cake tins.

Combine the first seven ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix to make a smooth batter – hand mixers make light work of this. Finally add the blueberries to the mix, then divide your mixture between the two tins. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or till common sense tells you it's cooked. Let the cakes sit for a few minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.

To make the icing, combine all the ingredients except for the milk and give it a good minute with your hand mixer. Don't be lazy and forget the salt - it's crucial! Add a splash or two of milk till you have a creamy, spreadable consistency.

To assemble, spread one layer with 1/3 of the icing, then top with remaining layer and spread over remaining icing. Scatter over some blueberries and orange zest to finish.