This is a luscious cake and entirely gluten-free with no butter or oil. Really! It melts in your mouth with a soft yet dense texture and vibrant orange flavor that goes beautifully well with holiday meals or any time of year. I love it with a cup of tea, glass of milk, or hot whiskey--it's extraordinarily versatile and mind-blowingly good. I haven't seen a person yet who doesn't love this cake.
" You can skip the glaze if you like, but it makes the cake super delectable."
Notes: Orangs are a small variety, either clementine or mandarin.
SIMPLE ORANGE CAKE
Ingredients: 4 small oranges, six eggs at room temperature, 1 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 3/4 cups almond flour, 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. vanilla. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, juice, and zest of 2 small oranges.
1. Preheat oven to 375*, then grease and line an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Almost cover the (unpeeled) oranges in a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, cooking until they are soft and spongy.
3. Drain oranges, slice them in half and remove seeds, if any. Put whole oranges into a food processor, and pulse until broken down and mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla, and blitz until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, rice flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to the processor and blend. Add the sugar and blend until just combined, scraping down the sides.
5. Pour batter into the cake pan, and bake for 55-60 minutes, placing a piece of foil over the pan at the 30-minute mark. The cake is done when firm and pulling away from the sides; remove to cool completely.
6. Make the glaze: Stir together powdered sugar and juice of 2 oranges. Pour over the cake, and scatter over the orange zest.