Candied Orange Almond Cake (Print Version)

Moist almond cake brightened with sweet, translucent candied oranges and a hint of citrus zest.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Candied Oranges

01 - 2 medium oranges, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup water

→ Cake

04 - 2 cups almond flour
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 4 large eggs
07 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 1 orange
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
13 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a wide saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add orange slices in a single layer and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until translucent. Transfer slices to a wire rack to cool. Reserve the syrup.
03 - Arrange cooled candied orange slices on the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs and 1 cup sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
05 - Whisk in olive oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt until smooth.
06 - Add almond flour and baking powder to the wet mixture. Fold gently to combine until just incorporated.
07 - Pour batter over the orange slices and smooth the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate so the candied oranges are on top.
10 - Brush the top with reserved orange syrup for extra shine and flavor.
11 - Garnish with sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. Slice and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's naturally gluten-free without tasting like you're missing anything or eating cardboard.
  • The candied oranges make it look restaurant-worthy but it's honestly forgiving to make.
  • One cake feeds a crowd and stays moist for days, which means less stress and more sneaky slices.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling time in the pan; I learned this the hard way when an eager flip turned my beautiful cake into almond cake soup on the plate.
  • If your candied oranges are still chewy after cooling, they're perfect; if they're crispy, they sat too long on the rack and will crack when you bite into them.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients make a visible difference here—cold eggs and cold olive oil don't whisk as smoothly, and you'll end up with a denser cake.
  • If your orange slices aren't slicing evenly, use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to get consistent thickness so everything cooks at the same speed and looks uniform on top.
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