Almond Citrus cake

Almond Citrus Cake

1 small to medium orange

1 lemon

¾ cup almond meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sugar

⅔ cup quality olive oil

Confectioners’ sugar

candied citrus slices

1.Place the orange and the lemon in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Cut the lemon and orange in half, and discard the pulp and seeds. Purée the fruits in a food processor. (Best done a day ahead.)

2.Set oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9-inch spring-form pan.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and almond flour.

In a large bowl, combine eggs and salt. Beat until foamy. Beat in the sugar.

Fold in the flour mixture. Add the citrus, almonds and olive oil, and beat on low speed until incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan, and bake for about 55 minutes. Let cool, un-mold and dust with confectioners’ sugar and candied orange slices.

Candied orange slices:

3 Cups water

3 cups sugar

2-3 oranges, thinly sliced into rounds

1.Bring sugar and 3 cups water to a simmer in pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add citrus slices. (I weigh them down with a canning jar.) Simmer (do not boil) until rinds are almost translucent, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in syrup.

Candied citrus slices can be stored in syrup up to 1 week.

Save syrup: You may add your favorite liqueur to it and drizzle some on the cake.

2.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set a wire rack over sheet. Transfer candied citrus to rack. Let stand until dry and slightly firm, about 8 hours.

 

Done