Orange cake

There’s no better winter fruit than the orange. It’s special, different, seasonal, and it’s one of those fruits that can be used in its entirety. It’s a symbol of Christmas, especially when December arrives. The orange has so many levels of aroma – if you take the time to smell one, you will discern so many. This is actually a recipe from my first, super small book that came out in 2012 or maybe 2011 (who can remember that far back? :) There it appears in round form, but this time I decided to do something different. With the addition of orange slices, it is really festive. And, yes – we eat this cake at home, but I also give it as a gift, because who doesn’t like orange cake? And – it’s gluten free.

Ingredients

160 g butter, room temp**
4 eggs, room temp **
160 g light brown sugar
1 orange zest, finely grated
100 ml fresh squeezed orange juice
100 g almond flour
160 g gluten free oat flour *
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 tonka beans, finely grated
1 tbsp orange blossom water***

orange slices and syrup:
150 ml water
150 g fine light brown sugar
pinch of sea salt
2 oranges, sliced 3 mm thick
2 cardamom pods, crushed

Prepare

Heat the oven to 190°. Line a 10 x 30 cm pan with parchment paper. Mix the baking soda, salt and spices into the flour.

In a bowl, place the butter, eggs, and sugar and beat with a mixer for 7 minutes. If the mass seems grainy, add flour, one teaspoon at a time while the mixer is running – it will pull the batter together. Add the orange zest and juice, orange blossom water, and flour and mix well. Pour into the pan a bake one rack below the centre for 1 h (it could also be 1 h and 10 minutes) or until a wooden skewer stuck in the centre comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the oranges in a shallow pan. Place water in the pan and add the sugar and salt and heat on medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts and becomes syrupy. Add the oranges and spices and heat on low /medium heat. When the cake is done, the oranges should be ready too. Take the orange slices out of the syrup and place on a rack.

Pour the syrup on the cake as soon as it is out of the oven – cover it evenly. Leave to cool in the pan. Decorate with the cooled orange slices.

* You can substitute high quality wheat flour, but then it won’t be gluten free.
** It must be room temp, so the batter does not become grainy.
*** You don’t have to use this, but it is truly special with this water. You can substitute with rose water.

Inspired by Lindex Kids Christmas collection
Location: Fon Stricka Villa, Riga (a place where magic happens)
Christmas tree delivery by www.eglupiegade.lv
Style and recipes: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s