Whole Orange, Almond, and Honey Cake (Dairy & Gluten Free)
I’ve seen cakes made with a whole boiled orange before but only recently felt the urge to try one myself. My first attempt was with a grapefruit, but let’s just say grapefruits are determined to remain unlovable (relatable). I’d hoped the grapefruit would land somewhere between a lemon and orange in sweetness, but it turns out the orange version isn’t very sweet either—so no loss there. A marmalade cake might be sweeter, but this one isn’t. I believe this style of cake has Middle Eastern origins, but my version is purely trial and error, so I can’t claim any authenticity. What I can vouch for is how easy it is to make. You’ll spend more time waiting for the orange to boil and the cake to bake than actually preparing it. The cake itself is made entirely in a food processor! Two quick notes: 1) I haven’t specified the weight of the orange because I don’t want anyone obsessing over grams. Just grab a large orange—think naval orange or, ironically, grapefruit-sized. 2) Keep the processor running when you add the eggs. The mixture is hot, and if you stop blending, you might end up with scrambled eggs. And, as the name suggests, this cake is dairy- and gluten-free.
Serves 8-10
Hands-on Time 10 minutes
Boiling Time 1 hour
Baking Time 1 hour
Ingredients
1 large orange
180g demerara sugar
4 large eggs
180g ground almonds
20g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of fine salt
2 tbsp honey
Equipment
Deep saucepan with lid
Kettle of water
2lb loaf tin
Baking parchment
Bowl
Knife
Food processor
Jug
Spatula
Skewer
Method
1. Cook the orange
Fill a saucepan with enough boiled water to cover the orange. Place the orange in the water and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the cake batter
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line the loaf tin with baking parchment.
Remove the orange from the water, discard the stalk, and cut it in half. Remove any visible seeds.
Blend the orange (including any juice) in a food processor for 30 seconds.
Add the sugar and blend again, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is combined.
Crack the eggs into a jug. With the processor running, add the eggs one at a time, blending for 30 seconds after each addition.
Add the ground almonds, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Bake the cake
Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and gently shake to level.
Bake on the middle shelf for 60 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Glaze the cake
Remove the cake from the oven and poke a few holes in the top with a skewer.
Heat the honey in a saucepan until runny and bubbling. Pour it over the cake, spreading evenly with a spatula.
5. Cool and serve
Let the cake cool completely in the tin before removing and slicing.
Enjoy!
