Claudia Roden’s Orange and Almond Cake

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(3,480)
Comments
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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.

Featured in: FOOD; COOKIES OR CAKE WHEN BERRIES AREN'T ENOUGH

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Ingredients

Yield:10 servings
  • 2large oranges
  • 6eggs
  • ½pound ground almonds
  • ½pound sugar
  • 1teaspoon baking powder
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

274 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 27 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 73 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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
3,480 user ratings
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Comments

Myokyo

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 O

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!

Judy

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!!?

carla

One word. Yuck. Texture was weird. And while I like a moist cake, this was just too much. Flavor wasn't great either. Threw it away on day 3 when no one wanted to eat it.

Cea

Super quick, and very moist and yummy, even with less than spectacular oranges. (Following tips from others, I cooked the oranges in the Instant pot for 9 minutes rather than simmering for hours.) I upped the ante a little with some ground fennel seeds and I sprinkled pine nuts on the top before baking. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. It looked almost professional.

Greg Hicks (Seattle)

I'd like to offer another possible variation and a couple of thoughts on the approaches offered by others working with this recipe. My variation is to separate the eggs, blending the beaten yolks into the orange puree and ground almonds, and then separately folding in the egg whites after having beaten them into a soft meringue with a little sugar . The air in the beaten egg whites will lighten the batter, eliminating the need for baking powder. Also, taste your batter, and easy on the sugar!

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