Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond Cake

Name: Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond Cake
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 2 large oranges; 6 eggs; 1/2 pound ground almonds; 1/2 pound sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder

By Moira Hodgson

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond Cake — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 3 hours
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour
Rating: 5(3,528)
Comments: Read comments

Moira Hodgson rooted this classic out of Claudia Roden’s terrific cookbook, “Everything Tastes Better Outdoors,” and brought it to The Times in 1987: a flourless orange and almond cake that goes beautifully with blueberries or peaches, and is the perfect thing to carry along on a picnic. Extremely moist, it consists of two seeded oranges (peel and all), ground almonds, sugar and eggs – and no flour. Baked in a hot oven, it will be done in just about an hour or so, longer if the orange pulp is extremely wet. Opening the oven door to check will not harm it.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 servings

2large oranges
6eggs
½pound ground almonds
½pound sugar
1teaspoon baking powder

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Wash the oranges and simmer them, unpeeled, in water to cover for 2 hours. Cool, cut them open and remove the seeds. Puree the oranges, including the peel, in a food processor.
Step 2
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat the eggs in a food processor or large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the orange puree, and mix thoroughly. Pour into a buttered and floured cake tin, with a removable base if possible.
Step 3
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan before turning out.

Tip

This is a very moist cake and goes especially well with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines.

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Ratings

5 out of 5

3,528 user ratings

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Comments

Myokyo8 years ago

Twice in three weeks, I've made this fail-proof cake, the second time with 3 Meyer lemons instead of the two oranges called for. Both times I used only 5 large eggs, 1 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of ground almonds.

Mary O8 years ago

I appreciate the comments standardizing this recipe, and will add mine:

• preheated oven to 375 degrees, not 400.
• 9" springform pan
• 5 extra-large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups ground almond meal -- from Trader Joe's (easy & fast!)
• added 1/2 tsp salt, otherwise following the recipe w the oranges and baking powder
• Baked 55 min.

A simple, excellent cake. Sprinkled powdered sugar, rasperries and strawberries on top of slices. Will make again!

Judy8 years ago

A little known secret.. Zap the two oranges in water on high in your microwave. 15 minutes would do it. This marvellous cake is awesome!!?

victoria weil1 week ago

so wet and so rind flavored. It went into the trash

pnwsnacklord2 weeks ago

It was easy to make, and fun to try a new technique with oranges. The final product didn’t blow me away. It was very rich from the eggs and almonds, but the flavor wasn’t mind blowing. The scent in my house from baking it was the best part. If I have a potluck event at some point, I make make this for the GF / dairy free folks. But otherwise, will not make it again.

JT2 weeks ago

Made this cake using Leila’s instructions from the comments. Turned out well! It should be noted that this cake has a custard-like texture. It is not a typical cake texture at all. To me, it falls between a custard and a cake.

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