Wherever you call home, you don’t have to stick to the traditional Christmas pudding or desserts, you can branch out! How about bringing a little Spanish flair to your Christmas table this year with my vibrant Orange and Almond Cake.

Its delightful sticky and syrupy texture means a little goes a long way…but you will return for more, I can guarantee it!

 

Making this cake will fill your kitchen with the fragrant scent of oranges and sweet almonds. It always puts me in a good mood whilst baking this glistening and sweet cake.

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Orange and Almond Cake

Serves 8

 

200g/7oz butter

380g/13oz caster sugar

2 oranges, zest and juice of

280g/10oz ground almonds

5 medium organic eggs

100g/3.5oz plain flour, sifted

long strips of orange zest to garnish (use the zest from the syrup oranges) 

 

For the syrup 

2 oranges, juice of 

80g/3oz caster sugar 

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1. Preheat oven to 170ºC/fan 160ºC/Gas 5 and grease and lightly flour a 24cm spring form cake tin.

2. Beat the butter, caster sugar and zest in a mixer on a low speed until well combined. Add half of the ground almonds and mix through.

3. With the mixer still running, add in the eggs one at a time, stopping every now and then to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

4. Add in the remaining ground almonds and sifted flour, then mix briefly until smooth. Spread the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave in tin to cool.

5. Meanwhile place the syrup ingredients in a small pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to reduce and thicken, approx. 10 minutes.

6. Whilst the cake is still a little warm, brush the top of the cake with the hot syrup.

7. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing it. Then garnish with the strips of zest.