Orange and Almond Cake - light and tangy

This is a wonderful recipe for a light textured, tangy and delicious cake, containing no wheat, so suitable for the gluten-intolerant.   Best served warm, it is good with a compote of sliced oranges, cream, crème fraiche or yoghurt.   I found this recipe in the Daily Telegraph Magazine a couple of years ago, and have been using it ever since.  If you substitute dairy-free spread for the butter, it is also dairy free.


This, and other recipes, including new ones exclusive to the book, are in my fabulous new cookbook "Kate's Puddings", available now!!!!
http://www.parkersprint.com/kates%20puddings.html

Orange and Almond gluten free cake

Orange and Almond Cake

6oz/150g blanched almonds

3 large eggs, separated

6oz/150g caster and light soft brown sugar (approx half and half)

3oz/60g rice flour

1 ½ oranges, zest of one, juice of all

1oz/25g butter

icing sugar to dust

Preheat oven to 160 deg C.    Either chop the almonds very finely, or put into a food processor.  They should have a fine crumb texture, but not as fine as ground almonds.     Whisk the yolks and sugar until pale and creamy (at least 3 minutes).   Add the chopped almonds and rice flour.  Add the zest of one orange, and the orange juice.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks.  Fold this into the mixture. 

Take a 20cm cake tin and rub the inside with all the butter, as this makes the crust.   Bake for about 50 minutes until the cake has shrunk away from the edge of the tin, and is springy (you can also check by putting a warm knife into it, it if comes out clean it is done).    Tip the cake onto a rack and allow it to cool. 

Dust with icing sugar, and accompany with sliced oranges and crème fraiche, cream or yoghurt.