Orange and Almond Cake with Orange Syrup

If you, like me, don't LOVE oranges, then this is the cake for you. In fact, even if you don't usually like Orange Cake you'll probably still like this one. It's not too overpowering, and has a really amazing texture.

You will need a food processor or a blender, though.

Orange and Almond Cake with Orange Syrup


From now on, known as PacMan Cake
Cake Ingredients:

2 oranges
3 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the syrup (optional, but recommended):

1 orange
1/2 cup caster sugar

Pre-heat your oven ti 170 celsius, and grease a cake tin (20cm is good). Clean the skin of the oranges and place them in a big pot, whole. Cover them with water and put a bowl over them to keep them under the water (Kat's idea). Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain the water, put the oranges back in the same amount of water and repeat. This re-cook will help remove any bitterness from the orange peel.

Drain the oranges and chop them coarsely, removing any seeds.

Place the chopped oranges in a blender with a splash of cold water and pulse until smooth.

In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric beater or with a hand beater + super strength until thick and pale. Add the orange, almond meal, flour and baking powder and fold to combine.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool while you make the syrup.

To make the syrup: Finely grate the rind of the whole orange, then juice it. Boil the rind for 5 minutes in a a little water in a saucepan to soften, then drain and return the boiled rind to the pan. Add the orange juice and sugar and heat on low stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and it becomes syrupy.

Gently poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and then spoon over the syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Keep it covered out of the fridge - at this time of year (winter) it will last 4 days or so. If it's summer, keep it in the fridge because of the eggs.

Yummo!

Kurt