Syrup-Soaked Orange Cake with Semolina

• • 2 medium (450g) oranges
• • 1 cup Sugar (230g)
• • 2/3 cup Sunflower oil (170ml)
• • 5 eggs (Medium)
• • 2 ½ cup Coarse semolina (350g)
• • 3 tsp Baking powder (24g)
• • 1 level teaspoon (1g) ground mastic
• • 1/3 cup Coarsely ground almonds (70g)
• • Mastic ice cream for serving

For the Syrup

• • 2 cup Sugar (460g)
• • 2 cup Water (500ml)
• • 2 tbsp Orange juice (20ml)
• • 1 cinnamon stick, orange peel

1. 1. Place the oranges in a small saucepan and cover them completely with tap water. Put the saucepan on the heat and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and let them simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the oranges are soft. Remove the oranges from the water and let them cool. Cut the oranges in half, remove the seeds, place them in a blender, and blend until smooth.
2. 2. Prepare the syrup: In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, orange juice, cinnamon, and orange peel. Stir, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Boil for 7-8 minutes. Let the syrup cool down.
3. 3. For the orange cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C on the fan setting. In a bowl, combine the semolina, baking powder, and mastic, and mix well. In the bowl of a mixer, add the sugar and oil and beat for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and it becomes creamy. Add the eggs one by one, waiting for the first one to incorporate into the mixture before adding the next. Lower the mixer speed and add the blended oranges, then add the semolina mixture spoon by spoon. Pour the batter into a rectangular baking pan measuring 23x28 cm and sprinkle the surface with the coarsely ground almonds.
4. 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and slowly pour the cold syrup over it. First on the edges and then in the center. Set aside to allow the cake to 'soak up' the syrup. Serve with mastic ice cream.