Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9 inch springform cake tin and mist with cake release.

Step 2

Put all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Transfer the syrup into a jar to cool down while you prepare the cake.

Step 3

Blitz the nuts with the sugar and spices in a food processor until you have a coarse texture. You will be using

Step 4

Sift the flour, both the sugars, baking powder and soda into a mixing bowl.

Step 5

Add the chopped nuts and stir to combine. Reserve the remaining nuts to sprinkle on top of the cake.

Step 6

Add the orange zest, eggs, butter and milk. Beat together to combine until a smooth batter forms. Pour into the prepared tin and level.

Step 7

Place one piece of phyllo pastry on your countertop and brush with melted butter. Bring the two opposite corners together and twist to form a phyllo “rose”. You will need to make 8 phyllo roses.

Step 8

Position the phyllo roses over the cake. Sprinkle sparingly with the chopped nuts.

Step 9

Bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until the cake has risen, the phyllo is crisp and a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Step 10

Leave the cake in the springform tin. Pierce the cake a few times with a skewer and pour the syrup over it while the cake is still warm. Leave the syrup to sink into the cake before releasing from the pan.

Step 11

Sprinkle with any remaining nuts, slice and serve or store in an airtight container for a couple of days.