This delicious blood orange and almond cake has an unusual method behind it, whole boiled oranges. That’s right, boil up some oranges, puree them down and add to the cake batter to make a deeply rich and decadent pudding-like consistency. Pair that with the sticky syrup drizzled over the surface, and the candied orange slices, and you’ve got a cake made in heaven.
Every year I look forward to blood orange season, and every year I miss it. For some reason or other I always seem to just zone out during January and February, my mind wanders to warmer places and the short blood orange season just passes me by. This year I’ve been badgering my greengrocer on a weekly basis, since November may I add, that as soon as they spot the sacred little red oranges in the fruit market they simply must pick some up for me. I tell you what, it pays to befriend your greengrocer.
Did I mention that this cake is naturally gluten free, no? Well, it is! Not that’d you’d ever tell. The moisture that comes from the sticky sweet syrup wards off any notion of dryness, meaning you can keep this saucy little number tucked away in a cake tin for a good few days. Hiya cake for a week.
Don’t worry if you can’t lay your hands on blood oranges, I know they’re slippery little buggers to get ahold of. This cake is equally delicious with the regular variety. Jaffas are my favourite, incase you were wondering.
If orange cakes are your jam, check out these zesty babes: Orange Drizzle Loaf / Orange and Pistachio Cake / Jaffa Cake Slutty Brownies
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Blood Orange and Almond Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This delicious blood orange and almond cake has an unusual method behind it, whole boiled oranges.
Ingredients
For the orange slices:
- 1 small blood orange
- 150g caster sugar
- 150ml water
For the cake:
- 400g blood oranges, whole
- 6 large, free range eggs
- 300g caster sugar
- 300g ground almonds
- 1tsp gluten free baking powder
Instructions
- First make the orange slices. Slice the blood orange into thin rounds and set aside. Pour the sugar and water into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved add the orange sliced and turn the heat down low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 150°C and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the caramelised orange slices on the prepared baking sheet (reserving the syrup for later) and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the orange slices over and bake for another 20 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.
- Place the whole blood oranges in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour.
- While the oranges are simmering grease and line a 20cm, springform cake tin and preheat the oven to 160°C
- Remove the boiled oranges from the pan and allow to cool slightly. Cut each orange in half and remove any pips before transferring to a food processor or blender and blending them down to a pulp.
- Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until light, thick and doubled in size. Add in the orange pulp followed by the ground almonds and baking powder and mix until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Pour the reserved syrup over the warm cake and allow to cool completely in the tin. Once cool remove the cake and top the the orange slices. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone and a pot of tea on the side.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: British
this looks great for a teatime treat. I like that it doesn't require too many ingredients either – fab photography too 🙂 x
Thanks so much 🙂 xoxo
That cake looks delicious and very healthy. Is the sponge very light?
It's a rather dense and sticky texture rather than light and fluffy.Katie xoxo
Ooh that looks delicious! I love citrus in just about everything, but blood orange is such a fab twist! It looks amazing!
Wow this looks amazing, I bet the almonds and orange tasted so good together x
This cake looks amazing and your photos are stunning. I love baking but only really make sponge cakes or chocolate, will have to try this one – pinning for later x
This looks incredibly delicious, I have never had a blood orange cake before this is awesome
This sounds really good. I've started to enjoy baking again so would love to give this one a go. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Looks devine! Don´t really eat blood oranges but might have to get some to try out this cake!
This looks amazing! I've never eaten a blood orange before, do they taste really different to normal oranges?
I had no idea there was a blood orange season! This cake looks absolutely delicious. Kaz
I have always loved a good blood orange cake but just like you forget to get the oranges!!! The syrup tip is great!!!
I make a very similar cake to this, but have ever used blood oranges before. Must give that a try!
I love orange, on it's own, in chocolate and this scrumptious cake. I never knew you could boil oranges before.
This looks and sounds amazing. I love my cakes and have been making lots of lemon cakes recently but I think I will try this next.
I love this cake! Citrus can really have a delicious tang to a cake. I have never tasted a cake with blood orange!
This sounds like an interesting and delicious recipe. I have to try it just to prove it works
Oooh this looks absolutly delicious, I've always got time for eating cake! xo