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A slice of orange almond cake topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar on a white plate with a fork.
Maryam

Orange Almond Cake

A moist, naturally gluten-free cake made with whole oranges and almond flour, perfumed with citrus and finished with a glossy orange glaze.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 2 medium oranges preferably thin-skinned, scrubbed
  • 6 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2.5 cups almond flour finely ground, not almond meal
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
For the Orange Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed
  • 0.5 tsp orange zest finely grated
For Serving
  • 2 tbsp toasted sliced almonds optional
  • 1 cup mascarpone or Greek yogurt for serving, optional

Equipment

  • 9-inch springform pan
  • Food processor
  • Microplane or fine grater

Method
 

Prep
  1. Place whole oranges in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until very soft when pierced. Drain and cool completely. Cut in half, remove any seeds, and process the entire fruit - peel and all - in a food processor until smooth. You need 1.5 cups of puree; set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the parchment too.
Make the Batter
  1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5-7 minutes until thick, pale, and tripled in volume. The ribbon should hold for 3 seconds when the beaters are lifted.
  2. Gently fold in the cooled orange puree. Sift almond flour, baking powder, and salt over the batter and fold until just combined - do not overmix or you'll deflate the eggs. The batter will be thick and fragrant.
  3. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 50-55 minutes until deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake will spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and release the sides. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Finish
  1. Whisk powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with more juice if needed - it should coat the back of a spoon.
  2. Place cooled cake on a serving plate. Pour glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Scatter with toasted almonds if using. Let glaze set 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with mascarpone or yogurt alongside.

Notes

Boiling the whole oranges is non-negotiable - it removes bitterness and creates the signature moist texture. For the best almond flavor, seek out blanched finely ground almond flour rather than coarse almond meal. This cake improves over 2-3 days wrapped at room temperature; the almond and orange flavors deepen and the crumb becomes even more tender.