Fragrant raisins and almonds cake with syrup

Classic but so hearty cake full of Winter flavours to treat family and friends any day of the week. It can be served plain or with clotted cream or even vanilla ice cream. The raisins, if you don't like them, they can be replaced by dried cranberries or finely chopped prunes. Each gives a different final taste but still delicious

Slightly adapted recipe of Elias Demirtzoglou,
"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 8 people)

For the cake:
120gr. of finely ground blanched almonds
200gr. of granulated sugar
30gr. of very fine breadcrumbs
1 ½ tsp of baking powder
100gr. of blond raisins
2-3 tbsp of cognac or brandy (optional -my addition)
pinch of cinnamon (optional -my addition)
4 eggs
200gr. of sunflower oil
1 lemon, the zest
1 orange, the zest

For the syrup:

2 oranges, the juice
1 lemon, the juice
200gr. of granulated sugar
6 cardamom seeds, ground

Method:
In a small bowl soak the raisins in the cognac (if used).

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush with butter and lightly dust with flour a round cake tin of 20cm diameter.

Using a hand electric mixer beat in a deep plastic basin the sugar with the oil.

While you don't stop beating, add the eggs one by one, the almonds, the baking powder, the lemon and the orange zest, the cinnamon (if used), the breadcrumbs and in the end the raisins. Gently stir with a wooden spoon.

Empty the mixture into the tin and put in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. When the cake is ready, leave aside for a few minutes to settle but not get cold completely.

While it is in the oven, prepare the syrup. Add all the ingredients in a saucepan and boil on medium heat for 3 minutes (counting from the moment it starts boiling).

With a wooden skewer prick the surface of the cake on various places and while it is still lukewarm pour over with the warm syrup.