This Tunisian-style orange cake is a fragrant, flourless bake made with whole simmered oranges, ground almonds, eggs and sugar. Home and regional versions vary, but this approach gives you a moist crumb and a bright citrus flavour, and uses ingredients that are easy to find in UK supermarkets.
Ingredients
- 2 medium unwaxed oranges (about 350 g total)
- 6 large eggs (about 300 g without shells), at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) caster sugar
- 2½ cups (250 g) ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) orange blossom water, optional
- 6 cups (1.4 litres) water, for simmering the oranges; discard after cooking
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) icing sugar, optional, for dusting
Instructions
- Simmer the oranges. Wash the oranges well and place them whole in a saucepan large enough to hold them without crowding. Add the measured water and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat so the water simmers gently. Cover partly and cook for 60 minutes, turning the oranges once or twice so they soften evenly. They should be very tender when pierced with a skewer. Add a little hot water if needed to keep them mostly submerged.
- Cool and puree. Lift the oranges out with a slotted spoon and leave them to cool for 30 minutes, until comfortable to handle. Cut them into quarters and remove any pips you can see. Put the quarters, peel and all, into a food processor and blend to a fairly smooth puree. A few tiny flecks of peel are fine; avoid leaving large pieces, which can make the cake uneven. Measure out about 350 g of puree if the fruit is particularly large or small; this recipe is designed for roughly that amount.
- Prepare the tin and oven. Heat a conventional oven to 350°F (180°C), or a fan oven to 320°F (160°C). Grease a 20 cm (8-inch) round springform tin and line the base with baking parchment. The lining matters because the cake is delicate while warm and can cling to the bottom of an unlined tin.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together the ground almonds, baking powder and salt, breaking up any lumps. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar for about 2 minutes, until combined, a little paler and lightly foamy. There is no need to whisk to a very thick ribbon; too much air can make the cake rise dramatically and then sink.
- Make the batter. Stir the orange puree and, if using, orange blossom water into the egg mixture. Fold in the almond mixture with a spatula just until no dry patches remain. The batter will be loose and grainy compared with a wheat-flour cake; that is normal. Scrape it into the prepared tin and level the top gently.
- Bake until set. Bake for about 55 minutes, checking from 50 minutes. The top should be deep golden and a skewer inserted near the centre should come out without wet batter, though it may carry a few moist crumbs. Because this is an egg-based cake, check the centre with a food thermometer; the USDA FSIS safe minimum for egg dishes is 160°F (71°C). If the top browns too quickly before the middle is ready, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the remaining bake.
- Cool before serving. Set the tin on a rack and leave the cake to cool in it for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, release the springform sides and leave the cake on the tin base until completely cool, about 40 minutes more. Dust with icing sugar just before serving if you like. The crumb settles as it cools, so wait before slicing for neat pieces.
Tips
- Choose the right oranges. Use unwaxed oranges if possible because the peel goes into the puree. If only waxed fruit is available, scrub it thoroughly under warm running water. Thin-skinned oranges are easiest to puree, but ordinary medium oranges work once simmered until fully tender.
- Do not skip the cooling time. Hot oranges can scramble the eggs when mixed into the batter, and a warm cake is fragile. Let the fruit cool for the stated 30 minutes and allow the baked cake to cool fully before cutting.
- Use ground almonds, not almond flour with added ingredients. UK ground almonds have a slightly coarse texture that suits this cake. If using finely milled almond flour instead, the cake may be a little more delicate; fold it in gently and check the bake at the early end of the time range.
- Orange blossom water is optional. It adds a floral aroma, but can dominate if overused. Leave it out for a straightforward orange flavour, or use a small amount of finely grated orange zest as a substitute; zest makes the citrus sharper rather than floral.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the cake in slim wedges with tea or coffee, either plain or with a light dusting of icing sugar. Its sweet, fragrant crumb is rich enough to stand on its own, so a small slice is satisfying after a meal. For a simple dessert plate, add a spoonful of thick Greek-style yoghurt or lightly whipped cream and a few fresh orange segments. Keep the accompaniments unsweetened or only lightly sweetened so they do not mask the citrus.
For a more distinctly North African-inspired finish, offer a small dish of toasted flaked almonds alongside the cake, or add a few drops of orange blossom water to the cream rather than the batter. If serving a crowd, cut the cake into 10 or 12 portions with a sharp, clean knife. Wipe the blade between cuts to keep the soft almond crumb from dragging across the slices.
Variations
Add a little spice: Fold ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cardamom or cinnamon into the almond mixture. Cardamom gives a fragrant, citrus-friendly note; cinnamon makes the cake warmer and more suited to cool-weather serving. Start with the smaller amount, because the orange should remain the main flavour.
Use lemon as part of the fruit: Replace one orange with one small unwaxed lemon, about 120 g, and simmer it until very soft as well. Lemon peel can taste more assertive, so this gives a sharper cake. Remove visible pips before pureeing and keep the total fruit puree close to 350 g.
Make it without orange blossom water: This is already a complete cake without it. For extra citrus aroma, stir in 1 teaspoon (2 g) finely grated orange zest after pureeing, or leave the batter as written for a softer flavour. Avoid adding extra juice: additional liquid can make the centre take longer to set.
Try a semolina version: Some North African and family-style orange cakes use semolina, while others lean on almonds. For a less delicate crumb, replace ½ cup (50 g) of the ground almonds with ⅓ cup (55 g) fine semolina. The result will be slightly firmer and more textured, and may need a few extra minutes in the oven; still check the centre rather than relying only on colour.
Storage and Reheating
Once the cake has cooled, refrigerate it within 2 hours in an airtight container. It keeps well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge; the almond crumb becomes firmer when cold, so take slices out about 30 minutes before serving for a softer texture. Do not leave the cake out overnight, especially in a warm room.
For longer storage, wrap individual slices or the whole cooled cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped slices in the fridge overnight, then bring them towards room temperature before eating. This cake is best served at room temperature and does not need reheating; warming it can make the crumb oily and fragile. If you do choose to heat a leftover portion, follow the safe leftover reheating temperature of 165°F (74°C), though the texture may not be as good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Tunisian orange cake without a food processor?
Yes. After simmering, chop the cooled orange quarters as finely as possible with a sharp knife, then mash them thoroughly with a fork or potato masher. The puree may be less smooth and the finished crumb a little more textured, but the cake will still work. Remove visible pips carefully, since they can taste bitter.
Do I have to boil the oranges for a full hour?
The time softens the peel enough to blend into the batter and reduces its harshness. Orange size and peel thickness vary, so use tenderness as the final guide: a skewer should pass through the fruit easily. If the oranges are still firm at 60 minutes, continue simmering and check every 10 minutes rather than using them undercooked.
Why has my cake dipped in the middle?
A slight dip is common in moist almond cakes and does not usually affect the flavour. A deep dip can mean the centre was underbaked, the oven door was opened early, or the batter was whisked too vigorously and rose then collapsed. Check the centre temperature and avoid opening the oven during the first 40 minutes of baking.
Can I bake it in a different tin?
A 20 cm (8-inch) round tin gives the listed depth and timing. A 23 cm (9-inch) tin makes a wider, thinner cake, so begin checking earlier, around 40 minutes. A smaller tin makes a deeper cake and needs longer; cover the top loosely with foil if it browns before the centre is set. Use a tin with similar capacity rather than a loaf tin, which changes the shape and baking time substantially.
Is this cake gluten-free?
The ingredients listed contain no wheat flour, so the cake is naturally gluten-free as written. Check the labels on baking powder, ground almonds and any optional additions if you are preparing it for someone who must avoid gluten, because manufacturing and cross-contact information can vary. Do not substitute ordinary flour for the almonds in equal volume; it would change both the moisture and structure.
Can I reduce the sugar?
You can reduce the caster sugar to ¾ cup (150 g), but the cake will taste less sweet and may be a little less tender. Sugar contributes to the cake’s texture as well as its flavour, so a much larger reduction is likely to make the crumb drier or denser. If you prefer a less sweet finish, keep the listed amount and simply omit the icing sugar.
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