“This is my version of a flourless orange cake which I love to eat. It’s based on a classic Italian whole orange cake that is traditionally flourless (and gluten-free), relying on eggs to bind it, and whole oranges (pick seedless varieties) boiled in water until soft, then puréed,” shares Philip Khoury.
“Polenta (cornmeal) lends a beautiful golden colour and the cake utilises a whole orange to provide a wholesome orange flavour! The skin contains a huge amount of aromatic oils that impart their beautiful citrus flavour and a hint of bitterness, and the pithy skin contains large amounts of fibre and pectins. Use a gluten-free baking powder to keep it gluten-free.”
Makes a 23cm single-layer cake
WHAT YOU NEED
40g extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing
whole orange (approx. 1 large or 250g)
160g oat or soy milk
180g ground almonds
8g or 2tsp baking powder
2g or ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
180g caster (superfine) sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
100g polenta (cornmeal)
fresh citrus segments to decorate
WHAT TO DO
Line the base of a 23cm (9 in) round sandwich or springform tin (pan) with baking parchment. Rub a fingertip dipped in oil around the sides of the tin.
Wash the orange well, then bring to a simmer in a small saucepan of water over a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the water and leave to cool completely.
The cooking will tenderise the skin and remove some of the bitterness from the white pith of the peel. Cut into small pieces.
Add the 250g of cooled orange with milk and olive oil to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir gently with a whisk to disperse all the ingredients.
Scrape the blended orange purée into the bowl and mix until everything is well combined. Leave the batter to rest for 1 hour to soften the texture of the polenta.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (350°F/gas 4). Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 35–40 minutes. You will know when this cake is ready when it has domed slightly across the top and has taken on some light browning.
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin set on a wire rack, then run a sharp knife against the edge of the tin to release the sides. Decorate with fresh citrus segments. If topping with fresh fruit, this cake is best eaten on the same day but, without fruit, store the base in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
NOTE
One orange weighs between 200–300 g (7–11 oz). It is better to cook some more oranges in multiples of 250g, make a purée and reserve the extra purée in Ziploc bags in the freezer as the oranges should be cooked whole.
COMMENTS