Flourless Orange-Almond Cake with Citrus Syrup

Directions

1. Simmer the whole oranges

   Place the scrubbed whole oranges in a saucepan and cover them with at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh hot water and simmer for 30 minutes more; changing the water tempers bitterness from the peel.

2. Cool and purée the fruit

   Lift the oranges onto a plate and cool for 20 minutes. Quarter them, remove every seed and any hard stem nub, then purée the flesh and peel in a food processor until completely smooth. Measure 1 1/2 cups packed purée; reserve any extra for yogurt or oatmeal.

3. Prepare the pan and oven

   Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment and grease the parchment. Set the pan on a rimmed sheet pan to catch any small leaks.

4. Whisk the dry ingredients

   In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking powder and salt, breaking up every lump with your fingers. An even, fine mixture prevents dense pockets in the finished crumb.

5. Aerate the eggs and sugar

   In a large bowl, beat the eggs and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes until pale, thick and tripled in volume. Beat in the vanilla and optional almond extract just until combined.

6. Fold a light citrus batter

   Fold the orange purée into the egg mixture with a wide spatula. Add the almond-flour mixture in three additions, folding gently from the bottom after each until no dry streaks remain. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top without knocking out the foam.

7. Bake to a moist, stable center

   Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes until the top is deep golden, the center springs back lightly and a thin skewer emerges with moist crumbs but no wet batter. The center should register about 200°F to 205°F. Tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes if the top darkens too quickly.

8. Brush with warm citrus syrup

   While the cake bakes, simmer the orange juice and 3 tablespoons sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until clear and slightly reduced. Cool the cake in its pan for 20 minutes, prick the top with a skewer and brush over the warm syrup in several thin passes.

9. Cool fully and finish

   Run a thin knife around the edge, release the springform ring and cool the cake on its base for at least 55 minutes. Transfer to a plate only when completely cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar and scatter with toasted sliced almonds and fine orange zest before cutting.

Why this works

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

• Meyer lemons can replace one orange for a sharper citrus cake, but keep at least one sweet orange to prevent the whole-peel purée from tasting overly bitter.
• For a nut-free cake, choose a different recipe; seed meals do not behave or taste like almond flour and are not a dependable one-for-one substitute here.
• To make the cake dairy-free, grease the pan with neutral oil instead of butter. The remaining ingredients contain no dairy.

Cook notes

• Use oranges with thin, unblemished peel because the entire fruit goes into the batter. Thick pith and leftover seeds are the main sources of unwanted bitterness.
• For strict gluten-free service, verify that the baking powder, extracts and confectioners' sugar are certified gluten-free and avoid cross-contact in the kitchen.
• The 215-minute total includes 60 minutes of orange simmering and 75 minutes of cooling. The cake slices most cleanly only after its almond crumb has fully set.

Storage

Store the completely cooled cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring chilled slices to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving. Freeze individual unfrosted slices tightly wrapped for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add powdered sugar and almonds after thawing.

Questions