This flourless orange almond cake is soft and moist. It is bursting with fresh orange flavor and has a lovely soft nutty taste. An orange almond cake on a vintage plate with a sliced lifted.

Why this recipe is so great:

  • Easy to make – There is no boiling, cooling, and pureeing of whole oranges in this recipe like most other recipes. Instead, it’s flavored with lots of orange zest for ease and convenience, and it’s still just as tasty.
  • Full of flavor – The flavor is fresh and vibrant and full of orange flavor. There’s a light nutty taste from the almond flour and sweet floral aroma from the almond extract.
  • Great texture – This cake is tender and moist. The texture is a perfect balance between a light and fluffy sponge cake and soft cornbread.

A flourless orange almond cake topped with orange slices on a navy blue and gold vintage plate.

How to make orange almond cake:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
  2. Add in the almond flour and baking powder and mix until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the vinegar and salt. Continue beating while slowly adding in the granulated sugar and beat until soft-medium peaks form.
  4. Fold in a small amount of beaten egg whites at a time into the almond mixture. Transfer the batter into a parchment paper-lined 8″ springform pan. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Expert tips and notes:

  • Adding the almond flour – When you mix the almond flour into the egg yolk mixture it will become like a thick dough. Don’t be alarmed. That’s how it’s supposed to be.
  • Beating the egg whites – Beat the egg whites until they’re stiff enough to hold a peak and the tip of the peak curls over. See image #3 above.
  • Folding in the meringue – Start with folding only 1/3 of the meringue into the thick almond mixture to lighten it up. It will be stiff and hard to fold in at first, but it will loosen up so that it’s easier to mix in the rest of the meringue.

How to serve:

Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy plain or with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream. This cake is great served with some fresh or macerated berries as well. A slice of orange almond cake topped with whipped cream, strawberry and orange slice.

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Orange Almond Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

This flourless orange almond cake is soft and moist. It is bursting with fresh orange flavor and has a lovely soft nutty taste.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 almond extract
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided in half
  • 1 1/2 cups (150g) almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8″ springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and grease the sides and bottom of the pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
  3. Add in the almond flour and baking powder and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick.
  4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add in the vinegar and salt. Continue beating while slowly adding in the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and beat until soft-medium peaks form.
  5. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the almond mixture to lighten up the batter. Then gently fold in the rest of the meringue, one large spoonful at a time. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
  6. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing the cake from the pan.

Notes

Leftovers can be tightly covered or placed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Recipe very slightly adapted from: