Semolina, coconut and marmalade cake

This is such a simple, moist and flavorsome cake from the recipe book called “Jerusalem” by Yotam Ottolenghi. Semolina cakes soaked in syrup are all over the Middle East. They stay moist, with a light texture and are so easy. This cake keeps for 5 days if wrapped carefully to keep the air from it.

3/4 cup sunflower oil
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup orange marmalade (fine-cut or without peel)
4 large organic eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar)
3/4 cup shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp semolina
2 tbsp ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Thick Greek yoghurt flavored with 1 or 2 drops of orange blossom water to serve

Soaking syrup
1 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar)
1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp water
1 tbsp orange blossom water

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Whisk together the oil, orange juice, marmalade,eggs and orange zest until the marmalade dissolves.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients. Mix until really well combined.
The mixture should be runny.
Grease and line with baking parchment or waxed paper  2 x 1lb loaf tins (about 8 1/2″ by 4 1/2″)
Divide the filling evenly between them. Bake for 45 to 60 mins until a skewer inserted into them comes out clean and the top is an orangey brown.
Near the end of the baking time,place the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, start brushing them with the hot syrup with a pastry brush; you will need to do this in a few goes, allowing the syrup to sink down into the cakes before continuing. Use up all the syrup so it is absorbed into the cakes.
Once the cakes have cooled a little, remove them from the pans and leave them to cool completely.
Serve with the flavored yoghurt