This moist and flavoursome cake is great for morning or afternoon tea and it is a cake with substance. Choose to use New Zealand macadamias because they win out on freshness and if mango is unavailable use fresh pineapple, banana or when in season Golden Queen peaches.

INGREDIENTS

225g unsalted butter (diced and at room temperature) 400g (2 cups) sugar 2 eggs (lightly beaten) 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract 4 tsp finely grated orange zest 420g (3 cups) flour 1 tsp cream of tartar 1/2 tsp table salt

55g (1/2 cup) roughly chopped macadamias 2 oranges (peeled and roughly chopped) approx 50ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) water 2 absolutely level tsp baking soda 35g (1/2 cup) thread coconut 400g (1-2) mangoes (peeled and flesh cut into 1cm dice) 125ml (1/2 cup) Passionfruit Syrup

METHOD

· Grease with baking spray, oil or melted butter the base and sides of a 25cm round spring form tin. Line base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper.

· Preheat oven to 175°C.

· Place butter and sugar into bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat butter and sugar till pale and creamy.

· Add eggs, a little at a time, mixing between additions, till eggs are incorporated and mixture is light and fluffy.

· Add vanilla extract and orange zest and mix to combine.

· Sift flour, cream of tartar and salt into a separate bowl and add to butter mixture mixing till just combined. Add macadamias and stir in.

· Place chopped oranges into food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade and puree. Pour into a 250ml (1-cup) jug. You should have approximately 200ml of puree. Top jug up with water to make 250ml (1 cup) puree. Add baking soda to puree and as the baking soda is now active, working very quickly, stir into cake batter and gently mix to combine.

· Still working very quickly pour cake batter into prepared tin and sprinkle with coconut. Evenly scatter mango over coconut. Using a pastry brush in a dabbing motion rather than brushing, coat mango evenly with Passionfruit Syrup.

· Still working very quickly place into preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or till centre of cake is cooked and mango is just staring to colour.

· Remove from oven to cake cooling rack. Serve warm or cool that day or within 3-4 days. Store at room temperature.

Passionfruit Syrup

(makes 140ml)

Drizzle onto cakes or muffins, pour over vanilla ice cream, or use as base for non-alcoholic punch.

INGREDIENTS

125ml (1/2 cup) passionfruit pulp (when passionfruit are in season scoop passionfruit to obtain pulp and freeze to use later; or at this time of the year purchase frozen passionfruit pulp)

65g (1/4 cup) castor sugar

METHOD

· In a small pot place passionfruit pulp and sugar. Set over low heat and stir till sugar is dissolved.

· Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes till pulp becomes a thick syrup.

Vanilla Yoghurt Cream

You will find vanilla sugar in many supermarkets. Keep it in your pantry as an instant method of imparting full vanilla flavour to a sweet dish.

INGREDIENTS

250ml (1 cup) cream 250ml (1 cup) Greek style natural yoghurt

1 tbsp vanilla sugar (or 1 tbsp castor sugar with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

METHOD

· Pour cream into a small bowl and whisk till it begins to thicken.

· Add yoghurt and vanilla sugar and gently fold together with cream.

· Store covered in the refrigerator for a day or use immediately.