At the age of nine, my family and I took a summer holiday to the Algarve, Portugal. It was my first holiday abroad and to a country I really knew nothing about.

There are two things I remember eating on this trip. One being a huge plate of fresh sardines accompanied only with a simple salad. This lunch, being a child, was certainly a challenge. The fish served whole appeared to be staring at me beadily and I was required to pick through their bony bodies in order to consume them. Still, I persevered and to my surprise it turned out to be not a too traumatic experience.

The second however, was something rather glorious. My mum had told me of the almond cakes and orange cakes that were abundant in Portuguese cafes, and I remember not feeling too overwhelmed about the prospect of these flavours. I was bought a slice of orange cake which I ate outside in the sun. It was nothing like the cake in Britain, and I have eaten nothing like it since. The flavours were more intense. It was sticky and citrusy and moist. Somewhere between a dessert and a cake. It was delicious. Thinking back on it now, it makes sense for the Portuguese to create something so light and vibrant; imagine chewing on a piece of Victoria sponge in thirty degree heat…

This recipe follows a similar method traditionally used for making Portuguese orange cakes, but substitutes the oranges for lemons. As an accompaniment, I suggest making the limoncello soaked strawberries and serving them atop the sliced cake for a fresh, sweet and gooey dessert perfect for al fresco sunny evenings.