Recipe: Flourless Almond Orange Cake
This humble-looking slice of orange cake is much more amazing than you may think
It’s small and not-so-fancy looking, but after one mouthful you will never forget just how beautiful it tastes. Regular white flour is replaced with almond flour which creates a soft moist and fluffy cake texture (and as an added bonus is also gluten-free).
Like any nut, almonds are high in fat and the same goes for their flour. It adds an extra ‘oiliness’ to baked treats, keeping them light but still providing the ‘bonding’ of regular white flour.
Vegan version
For the vegan option simply substitute mascarpone for vegan yoghurt
Intense Orange flavour
It’s an interesting and unusual technique but one that provides amazing results – a whole orange is simmered in water until extremely soft. It is then blended into a mash and folded through the cake batter.
What you get is a fragrant rich and an extremely tasty hit of orange that also plays a part in the wonderful moist texture of this cake.
Adding Texture
Topped with toasted almonds for a pleasing crunch and texture in each mouthful. A side of cooling thick creamy mascarpone is the final element to round off this desert into an all-time favourite to make again and again.
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PrintFlourless Almond Orange Cake
Regular white flour is replaced with almond flour in this Flourless Almond Orange Cake which creates a soft moist and fluffy cake texture with rich orange flavour (and as an added bonus is also gluten-free)
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 Minutes
- Total Time: 1.5 hours
- Yield: 9 pieces 1x
- Category: Sweet
- Cuisine: Cake
Ingredients
- 1 whole orange
- 125g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 125g almond meal
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Mascarpone for serving (or vegan yoghurt)
Syrup
- 125ml cooking liquid from the orange
- 1 tbsp honey
- 80g lightly toasted almond flakes
Instructions
- Place a whole orange (skin on) in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, and turn to simmer for 40 minutes. Drain orange, reserving 125ml of the cooking liquid.
- Once the orange has cooled, cut into chunks then blend into a puree with either a hand blender or food processor. Keep aside.
- Preheat oven to 160C (fan-forced). Grease a 20cm square cake tin.
- Whip sugar and eggs until very light and fluffy. Gently fold in almond meal, baking powder, and orange puree until well combined.
- Pour batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 50 – 60 minutes. Test cake by skewering the center with a clean metal skewer. If it comes out clean and dry then the cake is cooked.
- For the syrup: Combine the orange liquid and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to boil then turn to simmer and cook down until reduced by half and thickened.
- Combine orange honey syrup with toasted almonds and spread evenly over the cake.
- Serve with a dollop of cold mascarpone cream or vegan yoghurt.
Keywords: gluten free cake recipes, Can you use almond meal instead of plain flour, orange desserts
