This Chocolate, Orange and Almond cake is one of my new found favourites. The recipe was emailed to me last year by my friend Anna, who had enjoyed it at a work morning tea courtesy of a colleague. I was impressed by her rave review, and baked the cake that very evening. I then forwarded the recipe to Libby who did the same, so within a few days the cake was enjoyed in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch! Since then it has been made many times and has found a place in all our baking repertoires.
It is a variation on the ever popular flourless Orange and Almond cake, that those adhering to a gluten free diet are probably sick of the sight of...however the addition of some dutch cocoa and a layer of dark chocolate ganache take this recipe to new heights. It is moist, light and nutty, rich but not too sweet, as it contains whole oranges. This is the sort of cake that makes the kitchen, and indeed the whole house smell utterly delicious while it bakes. It is incredibly easy to make, being blended up in the food processor; the only forethought required is the precooking of the oranges. Often I will boil two extra oranges, puree them and freeze to use the next time I make this cake.
Everyone who tries it seems to love it, and will probably ask you for the recipe. The recipe is from Nigella Lawson.
Chocolate, Orange & Almond Cake
2 oranges (thin skinned)
6 eggs
200g ground almonds
250g castor sugar
50g dutch cocoa
1 tsp (heaped) baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Put the whole oranges in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for around 2 hours or until soft. Cut into quarters, and blend (skin, pulp, pith and all) to a fine pulp in the food processor. Add the eggs, followed by the remaining ingredients. (I like to roast whole almonds and blitz them in the food processor, I think the texture is much nicer and nuttier this way than using preground almonds.)
Pour cake batter into a 25cm cake tin that has the base lined with baking paper, and bake at 180c for around 45 minutes. Cool in the tin, then pour over chocolate ganache. This is quickly made by heating 150ml of cream in the microwave until nearly boiling, then adding 150g chopped dark chocolate, stir to combine until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Leave ganache to cool a little, so it will thicken slightly and be easier to pour or spread over the cake.
Yum that looks delicious and easy! Pit I don't own a food processor :(
ReplyDeleteOhh wow! I found this recipe when i came home from holiday and I was catching up on reading your blog ( it really has become one of my favourites with all the interesting contributors and 'favourite things'). So Anyway I found this cake and was waiting to find an opportunity to make it, after a week of waiting I decided to make it and take it to school for a staff morning tea and gee whizz what a sucess. I loved making it and everyone sure loved eating it! I think it has now gone to the top of my list of fave cakes. Thank you so much for sharing it. Keep up the super blogging, it is a joy to read. Tamsin
ReplyDeletethanks for your lovely comment Tamsin, we love to know that our blog and recipes are enjoyed!
ReplyDeleteHi there, I know this posting is rather old now, but I chanced upon it and was inspired to make this for the book club I was hosting. I just have to agree is IS the MOST delicious cake - somehow rich but light... nicely textured (grainy in a pleasant way!). It was really easy to make and yes even easier to eat... (excuse the cliche). I had to email the recipe out to the book club afterwards. We enjoyed it with the Brown Brothers Orange, Muscat and Flora dessert wine. Yum-oh. Thanks for the inspiration. Caro.
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