This is a lovely gluten-free cake that I have started making this year. I have always wanted to make one; however, two things made me hum and ha about it. One was would it be very overbearing with the peel taste, and two, was it too complicated and fiddly? I am not a marmalade person and this is the reason I was swayed in not making one sooner.
But No.
This cake is rich and rustic. It has a flavour and texture which is lovely in the mouth; especially if you have it with a good dollop of pure cream or a sprinkle of icing sugar. It is a pleasing cake for lunches, desserts, coffee with friends, or that afternoon tummy rumble on a cold afternoon.
Ingredients
2 navel oranges (wash if shop bought and not spray free)
250gms of caster sugar
250 gms of almond meal
6 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
50gms of flaked almonds
BEFORE BAKING:
Place the oranges into a pot of water and bring to the boil for 2 hours. If the pot starts to dry out, add more water, but I have never had this happen as of yet. The end result should be wonky looking oranges that a skewer will go through like soft butter. Remove the oranges out of the water and let them cool down completely. When the oranges are cooled down completely, place into thermomix or blender and blitz until no chunks and smooth and put this to the side. You could do this a day or two ahead when you have time, but keep in a container in the refrigerator until you need to use it.
Turn on the oven to 160 degrees.
For the springform pan, I like to unhook the pan and then cover the bottom plate completely with baking paper. I then push the plate back into the bottom lip of the outer pan ring, clipping it tight, cutting away the leftover paper if sticking out too much from around the bottom. I do this because I have had little accidents where kids have used the springform and put it out of wack and it will not sit proper within the ring. I find that with doing this, nothing will drip out if it is out of wack and not sitting tight into the lip. I then grease the inside of the springform pan and place baking paper also around it, trimming any excess. This cake will stick if no baking paper on the sides.
Next, beat the eggs and caster sugar in a bowl or in thermo and beat until it is pale and slightly frothy. This may take a couple of minutes. Add your cooled orange gunk and mix. Once that is done, then you will add in the almond meal, baking powder and mix thoroughly.
Pour your mixture into your springform pan and sprinkle on the flaked almonds for a nice crunch. Cooking time is between 55 minutes to 1 hour on 160 depending on your oven. I start checking on the cake from 50 minutes onwards.
To know when your cake is ready, your tool of choice to skewer should come out clean or with a little crumb. Leave to cool in the pan completely, so it’s easier to slice.
Buen Provecho!
The Ardent Raconteur 