Almond Orange Cake
Description
Almond Orange Cake - Authentic recipe from Israel. Ready in 70 min. Try it now!
Directions
✓ researched- 1
Preheat the oven to 170 °C and grease a cake tin. Finely grind 200 g of almonds and mix with 150 g of sugar. Melt 100 g of butter.
⏱️ approx. 12 min💡 Tip: A moist, gluten-free almond and orange cake that rises thanks to beaten egg whites — no flour and no baking powder needed.
- 2
Separate 4 eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter and the almond-sugar mixture, then add the juice of 2 oranges and some grated zest.
⏱️ approx. 10 min💡 Tip: The oranges give the cake freshness and moisture. Grate only the zest, avoiding the white pith underneath.
- 3
Beat the 4 egg whites to stiff peaks and carefully fold them into the batter. Pour into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
⏱️ approx. 40 min💡 Tip: The stiffly beaten egg whites replace the leavening agent and make the cake light and airy. Only fold them in, do not stir, to preserve the air.
📜 Origin & History
Almond-orange cake is a Mediterranean pastry: ground almonds (Prunus dulcis), orange juice, orange zest, eggs, sugar, butter, and sometimes baking powder are baked into a moist, dense cake; an orange sugar syrup or orange glaze adds juiciness and shine. Almond-orange combination is one of the fundamental pastry concepts in Mediterranean baking culture (Spain, Portugal, Israel, Morocco, Greece). This cake is naturally gluten-free, as almond flour completely replaces wheat flour. Almond (Prunus dulcis) originates from Central Asia; Spain, USA (California), Australia, and Iran are the leading producers. In Spain, Tarta de Santiago (Galician almond cake with orange zest) is a pilgrimage route classic; in Portugal, Bolo de Amêndoa (almond cake) from the Algarve is widespread. In Germany, almond-orange cake is a common pastry in pastry shops and home baking for Christmas and holidays.
🌿 Regional variants
With whole orange
Purée whole cooked oranges and stir into the batter for extra moisture.
With lemon
Use lemon instead of or in addition to the orange for extra tartness.
🍷 What goes with it?
Dusted with icing sugar, drizzled with an orange syrup or served with a dollop of cream alongside coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this cake need no baking powder?
The stiffly beaten egg whites aerate the batter; combined with the ground almonds, they create a moist, light crumb.
Is the cake gluten-free?
Yes, it contains no flour — the ground almonds form the base.
How can it be made extra moist?
By using the purée of whole cooked oranges (a Mediterranean classic) or by soaking the cake with an orange syrup.
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Ingredients
verified- Almonds200 g
- Sugar150 g
- Butter100 g
- Egg4 pcs
- Orange2 pcs
