Orange and almond bake

Fancy a change from apple cake? Orange and almond bake could be just the thing. It also happens to be dairy free. Here’s the recipe…

1. Place two oranges in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for about an hour. If, like me, you know you will forget the need for an extra hour to undertaken this preparatory step, then boil the oranges up the night before and leave in the fridge in readiness for your bake.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 180 and prepare a cake tin by lining with baking parchment. I used a 22 cm square tin.
3. Use a food processor to turn the oranges into a fine pulp.
4. If you have a large enough food processor then add the remaining ingredients (I’m coming to that) at this point. If, like me, you only have a miniature food processor, then assemble the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl or stand mixer.
5. So, drum roll, the remaining ingredients are as follows:
200g ground almonds
100g gluten free plain flour (I use Doves Farm freee from)
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g golden caster sugar
1tsp almond oil
pinch of sea salt
6 large eggs
6. Mix to a smooth consistency and then add the pulped oranges
7. Scrape into the prepared tin
8. If you have some flaked almonds, scatter over the top before baking for about 30 mins.

I served this warm with a dollop of crème fraiche (almond yogurt would be lovely if you want to keep it dairy free). It is lovely and moist. Keeps well for a few days and yet is robust enough for a packed lunch. Hope you enjoy and can forgive my disloyalty to the cooking apples that remain scattered around my kitchen.