Orange & Almond Cake

📝 Ingredients

• 1 large unwaxed orange (about 250 g)
• 4 eggs
• 125 g ground almonds
• 60 g plain flour
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 20 g flaked almonds
• 5 g unsalted butter (for the tin)

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Stick blender or blender
• 22 cm round tin
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Wash the orange, scrubbing it under hot water, cut it into 4 and put it in a saucepan. Cover generously with cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 to 40 min over a low to medium heat, until the tip of a knife slides into the peel without resistance.
2. Drain the orange and leave to cool slightly for 10 min. Remove the pips and the tough white core, then blend the quarters, peel and all, to a very smooth purée. Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
3. Grease a 22 cm round cake tin and line the base with a circle of baking paper: this very moist cake sticks easily. In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, flour, baking powder and the pinch of salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar for 2 to 3 min, until the mixture turns pale and slightly frothy. Stir in the orange purée once it has cooled slightly, not while hot, or it would cook the eggs.
5. Add the almond and flour mixture in two batches, folding with a spatula just enough that no dry streaks remain. The batter is quite runny: that's normal.
6. Pour into the tin, smooth the top and scatter with flaked almonds. Bake for 40 to 45 min at 170 °C, until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the centre comes out almost clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with foil halfway through.
7. Leave to cool completely in the tin, for at least 1 h, before turning out: it is too fragile while warm. Cut into 8 slices. It's even better the next day, once the orange flavour has fully developed.