Blood Orange and Almond Cake
- Yield 8 to 10 servings
- Prep 20 mins
- Cook 60 to 65 minutes
Ingredients
- Blood Orange Syrup;
- 5 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
- 5 tablespoons liquid (water/alcohol/citrus juice)
- -- Add any flavor you wish to use (1 vanilla bean, finely grated zest of 1 lemon or orange, passion fruit pulp juice of 1 blood orange)
- Cake;
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated or superfine sugar
- 3 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 -- eggs
- -- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 blood orange
- 1 cup stone ground cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- -- good pinch of salt
- 2 -- whole blood oranges (for topping)
- 1/3 cup whole almonds
Instructions
- To make the syrup:
- Put the sugar and liquid, along with your preferred flavoring, into a small pan over low heat.
- Allow the sugar to dissolve and the syrup to reduce until thick, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Once cool remove the vanilla bean if using, and brush the syrup over your cake of choice.
- To make the cake:
- Grease a deep 9-inch round cake pan. Preheat oven to 325F.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the ground almonds and vanilla, then add the eggs.
- Add the blood orange zest and juice, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
- Slice the blood oranges and arrange in the base of the prepared pan.
- Spoon the mixture into the pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until golden.
- Leave for 10 minutes, then turn out and let cool slightly.
- When the cake is still warm, brush the blood orange syrup on the top.
- Smash the almonds and sprinkle over the cake; serve warm.
Tip: Once the cake is cooked, leave it to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out and allow it to cool upside down for five minutes.
Variation: You can also do this recipe with slices of pineapple instead of blood oranges, if you prefer.
Reprinted with permission from Abi Fawcett's My Cooking Class: Cake Basics (Firefly Booksm Ltd., 2012)
