Moist Orange Almond Cake
WOW do I love this cake.
I thought my heart was with lemon cake, but let me tell you, this orange almond cake is changing things for me. I think I now actually prefer orange cake to lemon cake. Maybe don't tell anyone I just said that though.
What doesn't hurt is the fact that I've always loved the taste of almond paste and almond extract in my desserts. Which is something this moist orange almond cake has plenty of.
Some people hate the taste of it. It's like coconut. Almond extract is a contentious ingredient. If I were the only one consuming the cake, I'd probably put a full tablespoon of almond extract in it. But since (sometimes) I like to share, I limited the extract to one teaspoon in my cake.
You can put even less almond extract if you'd like. Or none at all. I can't say I understand you, but please, do as you'd like.
It's nice to have something bright and cheery and citrusy in the winter, don't you think? Especially when it's in the form of an orange loaf cake. (With almond extract in it - eeeeek.) That's doused in a glossy orange glaze. And sprinkled with some attractive sliced almonds.
Moist orange almond cake, making winter more bearable since January 18th, 2017.
About that orange glaze. Don't skip it. The cake itself is not overly sweet, in anticipation of the fact that a sticky, sweet orange glaze will be poured on top of it. So you really can't skip it.
And about those sliced almonds. Those you can skip, if you really want to. But keep in mind that they do make this orange cake that much more beautiful.
Now, for the moist part.
Gross word, moist is, but it's the only one I could think of to use to describe this orange almond cake. Because that's what this cake is: moist. Never dry. Always soft. And just a tad crumbly.
And this orange cake will stay soft and moist for quite a while too. You don't have to worry about it going hard and stale after a day. You'll still be enjoying its softness and tenderness four days later.
I chose to bake my cake in a loaf pan. But feel free to bake yours in a round pan. Or square pan. Or any pan that will hold all of the batter but still leave a little room for the cake to rise, really.
I was actually considering titling this cake "simple and easy orange cake." Because it is. It's so simple and easy. Seriously, all you need is a mixing bowl, a stirring utensil, and your ingredients.
Just one orange. Plus some oil (yep, no butter or yogurt or sour cream - this cake is dairy-free), some sugar, some eggs, some almond and vanilla extract, some flour, some baking powder, and some salt, and you're set.
I'm just thinking now that this orange almond cake would be the perfect type of cake to bake in mini loaf pans. A bright, mini orange loaf cake, with a pretty drizzle of glaze and a sprinkling of toasted almonds - adorable and delicious and perfect.
I mean, I know gift-giving season is over, but I don't think anybody would mind receiving one of these mini loaf cakes with a piece of twine wrapped around it. Just saying.
moist orange almond cake
Yield: 9x5" loaf cake or 10" round cake
1 large orange
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2-1 teaspoon almond extract (depending on personal preference)
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Orange Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon oil
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
- Sliced almonds, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan or a 9-10" round pan (removable bottom preferable) and line the bottom.
Squeeze all the juice out of the orange into a large bowl. It's okay if some flesh gets inside. Add in the sugar, oil, eggs, and extracts and whisk until smooth.
Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes (less time for round cake, more time for loaf cake), or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cover top of cake loosely with foil if it starts getting too dark while baking.
Let cake cool a bit before removing from pan. Let cool completely before glazing.
Glaze: whisk together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Pour or drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired.
