One of my all-time breakfast favorites is this delicious orange almond cake which is also one of the most requested simple desserts or tea cakes from my personal chef customers. It is super moist with a pronounced citrus flavor, and is so, so good! This is perfect with your morning cup of coffee and a great treat to have around the house for anytime of the day!
I first saw this recipe on Epicurious awhile back. The original recipe, by Yotam Ottolenghi, is for mini lemon-semolina syrup cakes. Instead of using a muffin tin, I adapted the recipe using a loaf pan and using orange instead of the lemon for the citrus punch. I also completely omitted the syrup as I believe that the cake is perfectly sweet without it.
The ingredients for the orange almond cake
Besides the usual cake ingredients (eggs, butter, sugar), the recipe calls for almond flour, a small amount of semolina flour, and an orange. The almond flour gives this cake a great nutty flavor and the small amount of semolina flour imparts a wonderful, unexpected texture.
Tip #1: When lining the pan with parchment paper, keep it in place using two paper clips, so you can easily pour in the batter. Remember to remove the clips before baking.
Tip #2: Use the extra parchment paper to lift gently the cake out of the pan and place it on a rack.
Variations & Substitutions
- If you do not have an orange, you can use a lemon and its zest instead
- Instead of using butter, you could also use olive oil, or, use half of each
- I prefer to use a loaf pan, but, if you want to make mini cakes, you can also use a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners
- My loaf pan is a 8.5″ x 4.5″ size. A bigger loaf pan, say 9″ x 5″, would also be fine
Candied Oranges as a Topping
I do not always make candied oranges to top this cake. I did this time, however, to make it more photogenic for the blog. If you have the time, the thinly caramelized slices of orange will be a great addition to the cake; not only visually, but they also taste delightful! A light sprinkle of pearl sugar is another great touch too.
How to make the candied oranges
In a deep skillet, stir together equal amounts of granulated sugar and water to make a simple syrup. Cook for a minute or so over medium heat. Once the syrup starts to boil, add the thin orange slices in a single layer, if possible. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or, until the orange slices are caramelized, making sure to turn them over a few times to glaze evenly. Place the slices on a wire rack overnight to let them dry out and become perfectly chewy.
This is a cake I like to make all the time. It is quick to put together, tastes amazing, and is draws universal raves! My friend and longtime assistant at the cooking school, Cynthia, would call this a “snack cake“. It is not too big, not too sweet, stays fresh for a long time, and, you can cut it into small pieces and enjoy it all week long without guilt. It is perfect with your morning coffee, with afternoon tea, or, as a simple dessert at the end of a meal.
So, make sure to make this orange almond cake this weekend. When it comes out of the oven, the whole house will smell amazing! Fill a plate with small pieces of this cake, leave it on the counter and watch it disappear in no time!
- 1½ cups almond flour
- ½ cup semolina flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (6oz. or 1½ sticks) of butter, room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 TBSP. sugar
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature
- --- orange zest from a medium orange
- 3 TBSP. fresh orange juice
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush some melted butter on a loaf pan (or use a cooking spray). Line the pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt to combine.
- Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest until very light and fluffy. This will take about 4-5 minutes. With the motor running, add the eggs and beat until glossy, about 1 minute. Next, add the dry ingredients and the orange juice and beat to combine for another minute.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and bake until golden brown, about 50-55 minutes. Do not open the oven while it bakes, or the cake might collapse in the center..... If the top starts to get too brown, cover it loosely with foil. To make sure the cake is done, use a cake tester, which should come out clean when inserted into the center.
- Transfer the pan to a rack and let it cool for 20 minutes. Then, lift the cake out of the pan and allow it to cool completely.
- Instead of baking one large cake, I often divide the mixture and make two 6" round cakes. The smaller size cakes cook a little faster (ready in 40 minutes) and they are so cute to bring as a gift!
- You can make this cake one to two days ahead of time and keep it at room temperature, in an air-tight container.
Ah Marilena, two of my favorites when it comes to baked goods–almond flour and semolina flour. I have never used semolina flour but have always wanted to. I often bake a simple Spanish almond cake (Tarta de Santiago). This will be next level!
You are going to love this simple recipe! Semolina flour gives it such a great texture because it is a bit coarser than regular flour….. If you have never used it before, try the one from “Bob’s Red Mill”, labeled as Semolina Durum Wheat. I always have good luck with it!
This looks great! I think I will have to make two!
Sounds like a good plan, Kathy! One for you and one for a friend!
Just made this cake for breakfast and it is delicious!
I am so glad you liked it, Alice, it is such a favorite breakfast cake!
Looks delicious! Do you know of a gluten free option to the semolina flour?
Thanks.
Hi Phyllis, I have never used a gluten free flour for this cake, but, my recommendation for a substitute would be King Arthur’s “Gluten Free Measure for Measure” flour. I hope this helps!
Ive made this twice and it was delicious both times, I did 350 for 52 minutes, but the outside got very dark on the edges, any thoughts? I used cooking spray not butter.
Hi Becca, I am so glad you liked this cake and you already made it twice! If it gets too dark around the edges before the cake is done, you can place a baking sheet on the self above it. This little trick helps cakes and other baked goods from over-browning!
The pan above to prevent cakes below from browning is a great tip in general—Thank you!
Thank you Cathy! Cakes like this tend to brown around the edges easily, so this simple solution always helps!