Description
Nigella Lawson’s Whole Orange Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert that utilizes whole boiled oranges blended into a smooth puree, combined with almond flour to create a naturally gluten-free and dense cake. It’s a simple, elegant cake perfect for serving with whipped cream or Greek yogurt, and improves in flavor when allowed to rest overnight.
Ingredients
Scale
Oranges
- 2 large seedless oranges, scrubbed
Cake Batter
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/3 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Finishing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Boil Oranges: Place the whole seedless oranges in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the oranges for 1 hour until they become very soft.
- Prepare Orange Puree: Drain the cooked oranges and let them cool completely. Once cool, cut the oranges into chunks, removing any seeds if present. Blend the chunks into a smooth puree to be incorporated into the batter.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Eggs and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together with the granulated sugar until the mixture is pale in color and slightly thickened, indicating air has been incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the almond flour, baking powder, and salt into the egg and sugar mixture until just combined.
- Incorporate Orange Puree: Fold the smooth orange puree carefully into the batter until it is uniform and smooth.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cake turns golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before releasing the sides of the springform pan. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Optional Finishing Touch: Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Notes
- The flavor of the cake improves after resting, making it even better when served the next day.
- This cake is naturally gluten-free due to the use of almond flour instead of wheat flour.
- For added richness, serve the cake with whipped cream or Greek yogurt.
