If you want a smart, but easy, make-ahead dessert this is a winner. And it’s just as beautiful when served simply in slices with a hot drink.
For the semolina cake, preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and grease a 20cm/8in loose-bottomed square baking tin with butter. (If you don’t have a square baking tin, a 23cm/9in round cake tin will also work.)
Mix the semolina, sugar, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and orange zest together in a bowl until well combined.
Gradually stir in the melted butter and milk until you have a smooth batter.
Pour the batter into the greased tin and arrange the almonds on top in four rows.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the caramel sauce, place the sugar, butter and salt in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has melted, then stir in the cream. Bring it to the boil and let it simmer for 3 minutes until thick. Set aside to cool slightly before serving (the sauce can also be served cold).
To serve, serve the cake in slices with the caramel sauce and a dollop of crème fraiche. Garnish with a few mint leaves.
You can make this cake gluten-free by using gluten-free plain flour and baking powder.
