This flourless Almond Orange Cake recipe is a moist and flavorful gluten-free dessert made by boiling whole oranges, including the rind, to achieve an intense orange flavor. The combination of nutty almond flour and citrus create a deliciously unique cake, perfect for any gathering.
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🗝️ Recipe’s key points
- Being flourless and using almond flour, this cake is a gluten-free option that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture.
- The use of almond flour results in a moist and tender cake.
- The combination of almond flour and the citrusy taste of oranges creates a harmonious and delicious blend of flavors.
We love this Almond Orange Cake recipe for its intensely orange flavor from boiled whole oranges, gluten-free goodness with almond flour, moist and tender texture, easy preparation, and the option to serve it with various toppings for a delightful and versatile treat.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Fresh oranges- Whole, with the rind on.
- Baking powder- Use gluten-free baking powder for a 100% gluten-free cake.
- Large eggs- Room temperature.
- White sugar
- Almond flour/ground almonds/almond meal- Almond meal/ground almonds are the same, finely ground raw, whole almonds in powder form. Almond flour is slightly different, made with blanched peeled almonds.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Boil whole oranges three times for 10 minutes each, replacing the water each time.
- Rinse the oranges and let them drain slightly.
- Slice the oranges.
- Dice the oranges and remove any seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 23cm/9″ cake pan with baking/parchment paper.
- Place chopped oranges in a food processor. Pulse on high for 4 times in 10 second bursts.
- Scrape down the sides in between bursts until the orange is pureed into a marmalade consistency.
- Add in almond meal, eggs, baking powder, and sugar.
- Pulse until the ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Decorate with confectioners’ sugar or fresh orange slices.
🥫 Storage
For optimal storage of the Almond Orange Cake, keep it in an airtight container. During cooler weather, the cake can be stored at room temperature in the kitchen for up to five days.
Alternatively, in warmer climates, or if you prefer a chilled cake, refrigerate it.
To extend its shelf life, the cake can also be frozen for up to three months. When freezing, wrap the cake securely to prevent freezer burn.
Before serving leftover slices, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
📚 Variations
- Replace almond flour with other nut flours like hazelnut or pistachio for a unique nutty flavor.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter for a warm and spiced twist to the cake.
- Spike the cake with a splash of orange liqueur or Grand Marnier for an adult-friendly version.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Ensure the oranges are fully submerged in water while boiling to achieve a thorough softening. Keep an eye on the water level, especially if opting for a quicker 40-minute boil without changing the water.
- When pureeing boiled oranges in the food processor, aim for a marmalade-like consistency. It’s okay if it’s not completely smooth; a few small bits add texture to the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before attempting to remove it. This helps maintain the cake’s structure and prevents it from breaking apart.
- If using a springform pan, removing the sides before decorating can be easier. For a regular cake pan, cover the cake with baking paper before flipping it.
🤔 FAQs
What is flourless orange cake?
Flourless orange cake is a type of cake that doesn’t use traditional flour; in this recipe, the intense orange flavor comes from boiling whole oranges, rind included, for a unique and vibrant taste.
How many carbs are in a flourless orange cake?
The carb content in a flourless orange cake varies, but in this recipe, it contains approximately 35g of carbohydrates per serving.
What is the purpose of almond flour in a cake?
The purpose of almond flour in a cake is to provide a gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat flour, imparting a nutty flavor and contributing to a moist and tender texture.
Why is my orange cake bitter?
Orange cake may turn bitter if the white pith of the oranges is included in the preparation, as it can have a bitter taste. We eliminated this problem by boiling the oranges.
How do you get rid of bitterness in orange cake?
To eliminate bitterness in an orange cake, it’s crucial to remove the seeds and the white pith of the oranges before using them. Boiling the oranges, as done in this recipe, helps reduce bitterness by softening and removing some of the compounds responsible for the bitter taste.
Wild about Italian cakes? Check out our Italian Love Cake, Zucchini Olive Oil Cake, or Italian Cream Cake {Torta Italiana di Crema}.
If you love the flavor of almonds, you’ll want to make our Ricciarelli Almond Cookies, Lemon Tart With Almond Biscotti Crust, and our Cherry Amaretto No-Churn Ice Cream with Almonds!
🍽 What to serve with Gluten-Free Almond Orange Cake
The flourless Almond Orange Cake is delicious on its own, but you can enhance the experience by serving it with a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla Greek yogurt, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Get ready to fall in love with this Italian Almond Orange Cake—it’s bursting with intense orange flavor, super moist, and gluten-free, making it a delicious treat everyone can enjoy! This cake is a game-changer. It’s allowed me to break free from the shackles of conventional baking and embrace a healthier alternative that still satisfies our family and friends’ sweet tooth. So, whether you’re gluten-intolerant, health-conscious, or simply looking to explore the delicious world of alternative baking, this Flourless Orange Almond Cake is a must-try.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What’s new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We’ll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make
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📖 Recipe
Almond Orange Cake – flourless
This wonderful ultra-moist cake gets that intense orange flavor by using whole oranges – rind and all! Boiling the oranges removes the usual bitterness from the white pith. It’s an easy cake to create that’s perfect for any gathering since it’s also gluten-free and everyone can enjoy eating a slice. The nutty almond flavor combines beautifully with the citrus taste.
Course: Cake dessert, Holiday dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
cooing time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 429kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 2 medium oranges fresh whole with the rind on – any type (see notes )
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 large eggs at room temp (see notes)
- 1 ¼ cups white sugar
- 2 ¾ cups almond flour/ground almonds/almond meal I used almond flour
Instructions
The cake batter:
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F Grease and line a 23cm/9″ cake pan with baking/parchment paper.
Place chopped oranges in a food processor. Pulse on high for 4 times in 10 second bursts.Scrape down the sides in between bursts until the orange is pureed into a marmalade consistency.It doesn’t have to be completely smooth.
Add in almond meal, eggs, baking powder, and sugar. Pulse on high for 5 – 10 seconds or until combined.
Baking the almond cake:
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan or pans.Bake for 60 minutes until the surface is golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake completely while still in the cake pan. If using a springform pan you may remove the sides. If using a regular cake pan, cover the top of the cake with baking paper before trying to flip the cake out of the pan. Then, place the cake on a serving plate and dispose of the baking paper. (This is necessary because the cake is sticky, and it may stick to your hand, tearing the cake’s surface. )
Decorate the cake:
You may decorate by dusting the cake with confectioners’ sugar or using fresh orange slices, rind, and a dollop of whipped cream. Cut and serve
Notes
Gluten-free baking powder — use this type if you want the cake to be 100% gluten-free.
Oranges – the cake is fine with smaller or larger oranges, but aim for around 600g/1 ⅓ pounds in total.
This does not work well with lemons. The white pith makes the cake bitter.
Large eggs – are considered to weigh 55 – 60g / 2 oz each.
Almond meal/ground almonds are the same thing which are finely ground raw, whole almonds in powder form.
This is used in place of regular flour to add a delicious nutty flavor to cakes, making them ultra-moist and gluten-free.
You may find it in the grocery store’s dried fruit and nut or health food section. Making your own: 250g/9 oz whole, raw, unsalted almonds, blitzed until powdered.
Almond flour is slightly different and is what we used. The cake texture is slightly lighter (almond flour is made with blanched peeled almonds).
Cake pans – you may also use 2 x 8″ cake pans. Bake the cake for 50 minutes in the oven. I like a taller cake so I used just one 9″ springform pan.
Food processor — is best for ease of use. You can also use a blender but it’s a bit more difficult to scape out the batter.
How to serve — the cake is so moist and flavorful that it’s delicious as is, but a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla Greek yogurt, creme fraiche, or warm with vanilla ice cream is also tasty.
Storage — During cooler weather, the cake is kept for 5 days in an airtight container in the kitchen or in the fridge when it’s hot. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: Oranges can be boiled, chopped the day before, and refrigerated. Bring to room temp then use per recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 168IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 3mg
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