becky
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy to learn more.
Thank you for supporting this blog!
While this orange almond cake recipe is not vegan (most of the rise comes from the four eggs!) it does tick both the dairy free and gluten free boxes.
It took many rounds of testing to get this orange almond cake recipe just right, but I’m especially pleased with the final version.
What Makes This Orange Almond Cake Recipe Great?
My flourless almond cake features almond flour; freshly-squeezed orange juice, zest, and oil; eggs; cardamom; and sugar. I’ve brushed it with a cinnamon-infused orange soaking syrup which truly takes it to the next level, making this gluten free almond cake deliciously moist and citrus-y, with just the tiniest hint of spice.
I’ve been extra-generous with the amount of soaking syrup, and don’t be afraid to use all of it. If you save the leftover cake, you’ll find that this syrup makes it especially moist and flavorful on day two. I ate a slice for breakfast the next morning!
A Flourless Almond Cake for Gluten Free Friends
Because it’s both gluten free and dairy free, this flourless almond cake presents a good dessert option if baking for friends and family members with dietary concerns.
It’s also fairly simple to prepare, and most of the ingredients (oranges, eggs, sugar, cinnamon sticks) are things you probably aready have on hand. I enjoy baking macarons so I always keep almond flour in the cabinet as well, but if it isn’t something you’d typically buy, you can purchase almond flour on Amazon. These days most grocery stores sell almond flour, too.
Orange Almond Cake Tips & Tricks
I found that pure orange oil adds a little something extra to this cake, but if you don’t have orange oil on hand, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract instead, or omit the oil/extract altogether.
There are plenty of fun ways to garnish this orange almond cake! Try whipped cream, coconut whipped cream, fresh herbs, custard, ground cinnamon, powdered sugar, orange zest, crushed or sliced almonds, or candied orange peel.
When turning the cake out onto the serving plate, I found it easier to leave the turned-out cake upside down (so the bottom becomes the top) rather than flipping it twice. The bottom will be flatter than the top of the cake, so it’s smoother for evenly applying the soaking syrup, and makes for a prettier presentation, too.
Lining the Cake Tin
Lining and greasing the cake tin is a key step in this orange almond cake recipe. If you don’t do this, you’ll find it impossible to remove the cooled cake…which is exactly as pleasant as it sounds!
To prepare, trace the outline of your round cake tin onto a sheet of baking parchment, then cut out the parchment circle. Spray the bottom of the cake tin with nonstick spray. Place the parchment circle in the bottom of the tin, then add another layer of spray, generously coating both the bottom and the sides.
Incorporating the Dry Ingredients
It took several rounds of recipe testing to find the most effective way to incorporate the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. In the end, I found it best to whip the eggs and sugar until they’re very pale, fluffy, and voluminous, then use a mesh sieve to sift the flour mixture evenly on top of the eggs before folding the two together with a rubber spatula.
When folding, make sure the dry ingredients are evenly encorporated into the eggs, and that no clumps of almond flour remain. If the dry ingredients are not evenly distributed, your orange almond cake will sink in the middle, with crispy, eggy bits around the edges. In the photo below, the cake on the right shows what will happen if your dry ingredients are not well encorporated:
When sifting the dry ingredients into the beaten egg mixture, don’t hesitate to dump the last few tablespoons of almond flour directly into the bowl. In this particular cake recipe, the goal is to distribute the dry ingredients evenly on top of the eggs, rather than to remove lumps and debris as you’d do when baking macarons.
Almond Cake Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
There are generally two methods for applying a soaking syrup: cold syrup, hot cake, or hot syrup, cold cake. In this recipe, I’m applying hot syrup to a cold cake.
You want the flourless cake to be completely cool before soaking, so it’s fine to bake it a few hours in advance, or even the night before. Then, just prepare and apply the soaking syrup when you’re ready to serve the cake.
Other orange recipes you might enjoy:
Simple Candied Orange Peel
Brown Sugar Palmiers with Cardamom and Orange
And if you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Flourless Orange Almond Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 8-inch cake (about 8 slices) 1x
Description
Both gluten free and dairy free, this flourless orange almond cake features fresh oranges, cinnamon, and cardamom, and an orange soaking syrup.
Ingredients
Orange Almond Cake:
140 grams almond flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons orange zest (zest of 2 large oranges; not packed)
1/4 teaspoon orange oil
Soaking Syrup:
50 milliliters freshly squeezed orange juice (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
1 orange peel
1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
Orange Almond Cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F / 175° C.
Coat an 8 x 8-inch round cake tin with nonstick spray. Cut a round disc of parchment to size, and place in the bottom of the tin. Apply more nonstick spray on top of the parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk almond flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip eggs and granulated sugar on high speed until pale, fluffy, and voluminous, about 3-4 minutes.
Mix in the orange zest and orange oil.
With a mesh sieve, sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. It’s ok if you need to dump the last few tablespoons into the bowl—the primary goal here is to distribute the dry ingredients evenly, rather than to remove lumps or debris.
With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mixture into the eggs, stirring until evenly encorporated. (This is important, otherwise the cake will sink in the middle!) Try not to deflate the mixture.
Scrape batter into prepared cake tin.
Baked in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow cake to cool completely in the tin.
While cake cools, prepare the soaking syrup.
Soaking Syrup:
In a small saucepan, bring orange juice, orange peel, and cinnamon stick to a boil.
Remove from heat, cover, and allow mixture to infuse for 15 minutes.
Remove orange peel and cinnamon stick.
Bring orange juice back to a low boil.
Add sugar and simmer gently until sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat.
To Serve:
Run a knife around the edges of the cake tin, then turn cake out on a plate. (I leave it upside-down; the bottom will be flatter than the top, so it’s prettier and easier to soak evenly.)
Carefully peel away the parchment and discard.
With a pastry brush, generously apply hot soaking syrup to cooled cake. If desired, you can also pour the syrup over the cake. (Use all of the syrup—it will sink in and make the cake deliciously moist and orange-y!)
Garnish slices with whipped cream, powdered sugar, orange zest, sliced almonds, or candied orange peel.
Serve immediately.
Wrap leftover orange almond cake in foil and store at room temperature for up to two days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Syrup Infusing Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cakes and Cupcakes
- Method: Oven + Stovetop
- Cuisine: Dessert
[…] Image Credit: Baste Cut Fold. The flourless almond cake, featuring almond flour, freshly-squeezed orange juice, zest, and oil, is a gluten-free delight with a citrusy twist. Get the Recipe: Orange Almond Cake […]