Orange and almond cake

I got the idea for this orange and almond cake because I had bought so many oranges for the Easter holidays. The oranges were plump and juicy, and just asked to be squeezed, and mashed into this cake. To my discovery, the sweet smell of cooked oranges in the kitchen, while the sun peeked up above the horizon, and snowflakes glittering outside, sent me into proper “Easter- modus”.

There is so many reasons to bake this cake. For me the sweet smell of the oranges cooking in the kitchen is the number one reason. It also lasts for almost a week in the fridge and it is sugar-free (sweetened with honey), gluten- and lactose- free. The perfect cake to bring to the winter cottage with family and -friends, or on even on skiing in the mountains.

In Norway it is a tradition to bring oranges and chocolate; Kvikk Lunsj, when we go skiing or hiking in the mountains. Candy -wise one will always find marzipan covered in chocolate inside the Easter- egg. Inspired by that, and the number of oranges in my kitchen, this cake was a fact. Obviously since this cake is so delicious and at the same time so guilt-free it can be enjoyed during all seasons throughout the year.

Orange and almond cake

This time I used almond flour, but grounded almonds works good as well. If you want an extra holiday-punch add some kind of liquor instead of the lemon juice. I would recommend “Cointreu”, “Amaretto” or “Disaronno”. When it comes to the honey, I used Acacia honey because of its mild flavour. If you want you can change this to the same amount of Demerara sugar or just plain, normal white sugar. This cake is great with, or without frosting. This time I used a simple, dark chocolate frosting. But a more minimalistic approach with sprinkled frosting sugar ontop, never goes wrong.

Ingredients:

2 Ecological Oranges (medium/large)

250 g Almond flour OR grounded almonds

250 g Acacia honey (approximately 1.5 dl)

6 medium sized eggs (separated)

1 teaspoons Natron (sodium bicarbonat)

2 teaspoons Baking soda

1 tablespoon citron juice or almond/citrus liqour

1/2 teaspoon grounded Cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

Method:

1. Wash and scrub the oranges. Boil water in a medium casserole, and let the water cover the oranges. Boil for 45- 60 min. This is when you can go out and play in the snow, but remember to take out all the ingredients so that they are room temperature when you start to bake. When they are ready the oranges should be soft. Set of to cool. To make them cool faster, you can slice them up. Set the oven to 175 degrees celsius.
2. Separate the eggyolks and the eggwhites. Add a pinch of salt to the eggwhites, and mix until white and stiff clouds form. Beat the egg yolks with the honey, until smooth, airy and light, yellow.
3. Mash the oranges to a smooth batter with a blender.
4. Mix the eggyolk/honey mix with the eggwhites. Add the now cooled down oranges and the dry ingredients + citron juice. Blend it all carefully togheter, be carful to not mix out the air. I prefer to use a balloon whisk.
5. Pour, and even out the batter into one large, round cakeform, 26 cm in diameter or two smaller ones.
6. Bake the cake for 1 hr on 175 degrees celsius. Cool down.

Dark chocolate frosting

Ingredients:

100 grams good quality dark chocolate

0.5 dl lactose-free heavy cream OR soy cream

Method:

1. Pour the cream into a casserole, and heat it gently up on a low heat. Do not boil.
2. Break the dark chocolate into pieces. Pull the casserole of the heat, put the chocolate into the cream and stir until smooth. You might have to take it back onto the heat, but remember to stir all the time and keep it on a low heat.
3. Cool down the frosting until desired consistence, and pour over the cake when it is cooled down, with a smooth knife.
4. Sprinkle the cake with diced almonds or as I did with dried (dessert) flowers.

This cake is even more moist and irresistible the morning-after as a little morning snack ,paired with a glass of fresh, ice-cold cold milk.

Guilt-free facts:

• The high content of almonds in this cake gives it a high fibre content, Calsium, A and E vitamins in addition to make it super-moist and long-lasting.
• The oranges adds some additional vit. C, but most of all functions as a natural sugar, and not to forget; to tantalize the tastebuds.
• Acacia Honey has a mild flavour, and let the two main ingredients stand out by themselves. It has antibacterial properties and is said to help cleanse the liver.

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