Preheat the oven to 180°C (350F/Gas 4). Butter a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line with baking paper. Lay the orange slices over the base of the tin.

Place the chopped oranges in a pan of water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes, then drain. Transfer to a blender (or use a hand blender) and blend until almost smooth.

In a bowl, cream the butter and 180 g (6¼ oz) of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, combining well between each addition. Mix in the blended oranges, then fold in two-thirds of the ground cloves, followed by the baking powder, flour, polenta and ground almonds. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate.

To make the clove and orange caramel, heat the rest of the sugar and the orange juice in a heavy-based pan, until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid has thickened. When it turns to golden brown, immediately take it off the heat and stir in the remaining ground cloves. Add a splash of water if the caramel is too thick to drizzle – it should be the consistency of honey. Drizzle the syrup all over the cake and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche or yoghurt.

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20°C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.