
THIS IS A VERY EASY CAKE – AND SIMPLY DELICIOUS
THE CITRUS SEASON IS IN FULL SWING, so when my daughter asked me to make a gluten free cake for a party I knew what it was to be – but where was the recipe? I wanted to use Claudia Roden’s orange cake from her fabulous Middle Eastern Cookbook, but whom had I lent it to? I just had to ‘fudge it’.
SO HERE WE HAVE the accidental orange and nut cake and, I must say, it was actually better than the original which can be a little dense – that’s the way cooking goes. I will definitely be cooking it again.
RECIPE
2 large navel oranges – because they have no pips – or any ripe, juicy oranges but you will just have to remove the pips after you have boiled them.
5 eggs
1 1/4 cups soft brown organic sugar (you can use caster)
2 1/2 cups ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Heat oven to 170oC
1. Place oranges in saucepan, cover with water and boil for one hour. Remove from water and cool.
2. In a food processor beat eggs and sugar until pale and creamy.
3. Add nut-meal and baking powder.
4. Add cool and chopped oranges and whiz until a smooth consistency.
5. Place in a lined and buttered spring-form pan and bake for approximately one hour. Let it cool in the pan before removing to cooling tray.
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The only piece left! |
UPDATE JULY 2017. It’s now six years since I posted this recipe and it’s a cake I return to over and over again because it is so delicious. Oranges are in season again and I seem to have another gifted basketful on my doorstep every time I come home, therefore it seems a shame not to be creative with them and use them every which way you can.
I HAD FRIENDS COMING AROUND FOR DINNER THE OTHER DAY, and decided on a spicy Moroccan lamb tagine and this cake was perfect for dessert – I served it with slices of fresh orange (skin off and chilled) with a vanilla flavoured yoghurt. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
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