Orange and almond cake
A gluten and dairy free cake with a subtle hint of cinnamon and cloves
Ingredients
- 400 ml sunflower oil plus extra for greasing
- 400 g ground almonds
- 300 g caster sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 eggs
- zest of 1 lemon
- zest of 2 blood oranges
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- For the syrup
- Juice of the zested lemon and oranges
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 or 3 cloves
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Topping
- 100 g plain chocolate
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
- Handful of candied mixed peel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C)/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Grease a 23cm spring form cake tin with the extra oil and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, caster sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and baking powder.
- Using a fine grater, grate the zest from the lemon and oranges into the mixture, combining well.
- Break the eggs into a container and lightly whip, then add these and the oil to the dry mix until well combined.
- Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin, and bake in the preheated oven for one and a half hours.
- Cover the top with a piece of foil after about 20 minutes, then remove the foil about 20 minutes before the end.
- Meanwhile, make the syrup. Squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and oranges into a small pan.
- Add the sugar and spices, mixing together well.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Once the cake has been removed from the oven, pierce it several times with a skewer.
- Using a tablespoon, spoon the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in. You might not need all the syrup.
- Leave the cake to cool.
- For the topping
- Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl over a bain-marie
- When melted, stir in the oil.
- Using a spoon and palette knife, spread the chocolate thinly over the top and sides of the cake, then sprinkle the mixed peel over the cake top.