Orange and Almond Cake

I first made this cake back in March, seeking recipes for a friend who is avoiding wheat/gluten. At first I thought it was going to be impossible to make tasty cake she could eat, but this recipe saved the day.

It is loosely based on Torta de Almendra, a Spanish Orange and Almond Cake.

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 2 medium sized organic oranges
  – use organic if you can as we will be cooking and eating the peel!
• 300g (11oz) ground Almonds
• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil.
2. Wash the oranges before placing into the boiling water, ensuring the water covers them.
3. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours or until the oranges look very soft.
4. Drain the oranges, then cut into quarters (they will be hot, so careful!) and remove any pips.
5. Whizz them to a pulp with a food processor or blender. Set to one side.
6. Sift together the ground almonds, sugar and baking powder and mix.
7. Beat the eggs into the mixture, getting air into the batter.
8. Tricky(ish) bit: stir in the pulped oranges. Get the batter thoroughly mixed, but try not to be too heavy with it. If you mix too much, you’ll lose the air. If you don’t mix enough you’ll end up with a very scrambled-egg cake.
9. Pour the batter into a greased, lined, round loose-bottom cake tin. I think 20-25cm diameter.
10. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes in a hot oven ( 190C/375F Gas 5 ) it is ready, when golden brown and touched, it will feel nice and spongy.
11. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before removing from the cake tin.

Will keep for up to a week in an airtight box.

Suggestions

• This cake goes really well with poached berries.
• Try with mascarpone or some of those nice boozy-Christmas creams that come out this time of year!