Whole Orange & Almond Cake & Marmalade Cheesecake Cream
Submitted by Tori
A naturally gluten-free almond cake made with whole boiled oranges, pith and all, served with a luscious marmalade cheesecake cream. Moist, fragrant, and utterly irresistible.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
15 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
60 minThis is one of those cakes that sounds bonkers until you taste it, then suddenly it’s the only cake you want to make.
Three whole oranges get simmered until they’re practically falling apart, then blitzed into a fragrant puree, skin, pith, and everything. That puree gets folded into a batter of ground almonds, caster sugar, and eggs. No flour at all.
The result is dense, moist, and bursting with real orange flavour in every single crumb.
But the real scene-stealer is the marmalade cheesecake cream: softened cream cheese beaten with sugar and a generous amount of orange marmalade, then folded with lightly whipped double cream. It’s basically cheesecake in spoonable form.
A dollop of that alongside a thick slice of this cake and a sprig of fresh mint? That’s a proper British pud right there.
Variations
- Use blood oranges when they’re in season for a gorgeous ruby-tinted cake with a slightly bitter edge.
- Swap lemons for oranges for a bright, tart version that pairs beautifully with afternoon tea.
- Add a splash of Grand Marnier to the cheesecake cream for a boozy, grown-up finish.
Chef Tips
- The oranges need a full hour of simmering. If you can easily pierce them with a fork and they’re practically collapsing, they’re ready.
- Remove the pips before blitzing or they’ll add bitterness.
- Whisk the eggs until the whisk leaves a visible trail. This air is what gives the flourless cake its lift.
- Let the cheesecake cream chill until firm before serving. It needs time to set up so it holds its shape on the plate.
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line two 1kg/2lb loaf tins with greaseproof paper.
Cook the oranges: cover with cold water and bring to a simmer.
Cook for about 1 hour (skin on!) until very tender.
Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and allow any excess water to drain off.
Cut into quarters.
- Remove the pips, then whizz all of the orange quarters, including pith and rind to a purée in a food processor or blender.
Leave to cool.
- To make the sponge: mix together the ground almonds, caster sugar and baking powder.
Whisk the eggs until the whisk leaves a trail when lifted out of the mixture, then fold in the almond mixture and orange pur?e. 4. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for about 45 minutes. The cake should be firm to the touch and if pierced with a knife, the blade should come out clean. Cut into slices and serve decorated with mint sprigs. Accompany with a good dollop of marmalade cheesecake cream. MARMALADE CHEESECAKE CREAM: 1. Beat together the cream cheese and caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved and creamed. Now add the marmalade - the amount is really up to you, but I like to use the full 225g of marmalade for this quantity as it produces a good, strong orange flavour. 2. Once the marmalade has been completely mixed in, lightly fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into a bowl, cover and chill until firm. 3. Spoon on to the cake plates, using a warmed tablespoon to create a decorative swirl. Alternatively, you can serve the cream in a separate dish.
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