It’s orange season here in California! And this is one of my new favorite ways to use our orange bounty. I don’t have an orange tree, but my sister does, and when son Connor came home from her house with a bag full of these beauties, we started looking for ways to use them.
I recalled seeing a recipe from Claudia Roden that I had wanted to try, but I was a little intimidated by the instructions that called for boiling and pureeing two whole oranges to mix in to the batter. Not that this seemed difficult, but it was different than any cake I had ever made. And there was no indication of whether these should be small oranges or large oranges… and I imagined it would make quite a difference to the end result. Anyway, Lorraine Walker from Eatwell Farms solved this problem and made the recipe much more approachable. So I must credit Lorraine for revising the original recipe so that I felt confident trying it. And I’m SO glad I did! It really is easy, and delicious, and gluten-free (for those who care about such things)!
I’m actually not a huge fan of most orange flavored cakes and other baked goods, but there’s something so fresh and lively in the flavor of this cake that really appeals to me. All that zest that gets boiled down must be the reason for its unique and not overly sweet flavor. But beyond the flavor, I’m particularly pleased with the moist, yet light texture.
Now I’ve revised this recipe again just slightly more… a little less sugar, shorter baking time, addition of a bit of vanilla. I also added a lovely glaze to dress it up a bit, but the cake itself is actually plenty sweet and is delicious without any glaze or other topping.
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PinDescription
This cake is so moist and absolutely delicious with a fresh orange flavor. It’s delightful on its own, especially for a morning “coffee cake” or afternoon tea, but I like to glaze it when serving it for dessert or for any special occasion. You’ll need to make an orange puree for this recipe, which requires boiling oranges for at least an hour, so be sure to allow plenty of time to do this.
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange puree (you’ll need 2 large or 3 small oranges for this)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- First make your orange puree. Wash your oranges well. Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 to 3 whole oranges (you can boil more all at once if you want to have extra puree for another cake). Boil the oranges for at least an hour, until they are very soft when you test them by pricking with a fork or skewer. Carefully remove them from the boiling water and let them cool slightly.
- Slice the stems off the oranges. Cut the oranges in half or quarters and remove any seeds (if they aren’t navel oranges). Then puree the oranges (peel and all!) in a food processor. (I know this is weird, but trust, me. It works!) Measure out 1 cup of the puree and set aside.
- Prepare a springform pan by spraying with coconut oil or other baking oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. I also usually flour the pan using a bit of almond flour (or regular flour). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Use a whisk to make sure to break down any lumps in the almond flour.
- Put eggs into the large bowl of a mixer (I use a Kitchenaid) with a whisk attachment and beat the eggs slightly. Then add sugar and whip until slightly fluffy.
- Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Add the orange puree and the vanilla and mix thoroughly, but don’t overbeat.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan in the oven about halfway through the baking time. The cake should spring back a bit when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out fairly clean, but still with some moist crumb.
- Let the cake cook for at least 10 minutes in the pan, then gently remove the sides and continue to allow to cool completely before serving or glazing.
- To glaze the cake, you’ll want to set the cake on a flat plate, with some strips of wax paper, foil or parchment placed around the edges of the plate (to keep the glaze from pooling on the plate). Then just pour or spoon the glaze over the cake gradually. Use a flat spatula to spread the glaze in a thin layer and push it to the edges to let some of it dribble over the sides to make nice gloppy dips on the sides. Let the glaze harden a bit and remove the underlying paper before serving.
Description
This is a beautiful and tasty glaze to top our Fresh Orange Almond Cake, but it would also be a lovely addition to any basic pound cake or quick bread that could use a little dressing up.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tsp butter, melted
- 2 drops tangerine essential oil (optional, I use doTerra brand)
Instructions
- Measure powdered sugar into a medium sized bowl. Add orange zest and mix using a wire whisk.
- Whisk 3 tablespoons orange juice into the powdered sugar mixture. Add tangerine essential oil (if using).
- Add melted butter and continue whisking until smooth.
- If consistency is too stiff, add more orange juice.
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