Almond Orange Cake
A moist almond flour cake flavored with orange zest and juice, finished with powdered sugar and sliced almonds.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cupsalmond flour
- 3/4 cupunsalted buttermelted and cooled to room temperature
- 3/4 cupsugar
- 5 tablespoonspotato starch
- 2 medium orangeszest grated and the juice squeezed
- 4 eggsroom temperature
- 1 teaspoonbaking powder
- 1 teaspoonalmond extract
- Powdered sugar
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan and sprinkle the inside with some almond flour, tapping out any excess. Set the pan aside.
- If not already, bring the 4 eggs to room temperature. Melt the 3/4 cup unsalted butter and let it cool to room temperature.
- Separate the eggs: place the 4 egg whites in a clean, dry large bowl and the 4 yolks in a separate large bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes. Set the whipped whites aside.
- In the bowl with the egg yolks, add the 3/4 cup sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and frothy.
- Wash the oranges. Grate the zest from both oranges, then squeeze the juice. Strain the juice through a sieve to remove any seeds or large pulp pieces.
- Add the grated orange zest and the strained orange juice to the yolk-and-sugar mixture. Add the cooled melted butter and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Mix until combined.
- Add 1 2/3 cups almond flour, 5 tablespoons potato starch, and 1 teaspoon baking powder to the yolk mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in two additions: add half the whites, fold to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites until no large streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan and level the surface with a spatula.
- Bake on the middle rack for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the top is set and lightly golden.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing.
- Just before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with sliced almonds.
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Electric Mixer
- large bowls
- Rubber spatula
- sieve
- Wire Rack
Notes
I always go with fresh juice and zest for the best citrus flavor. Bottled juice just doesn’t taste the same.
Once you add the almond flour and egg whites, mix gently. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of light and tender.
I like to use parchment paper along with a bit of oil and flour so the cake comes out easily and doesn’t stick.
As tempting as it is to slice in early, let the cake cool in the pan. It firms up and slices cleaner once cooled.
For extra flavor and crunch, I sometimes toast the sliced almonds before adding them to the top.
To check for doneness, a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.
Once you add the almond flour and egg whites, mix gently. Overmixing can make the cake dense instead of light and tender.
I like to use parchment paper along with a bit of oil and flour so the cake comes out easily and doesn’t stick.
As tempting as it is to slice in early, let the cake cool in the pan. It firms up and slices cleaner once cooled.
For extra flavor and crunch, I sometimes toast the sliced almonds before adding them to the top.
To check for doneness, a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.