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Cypriot orange and almond cake is a moist, gluten-free cake made by boiling whole oranges until soft, then blending them, peel and all, into a batter of ground almonds, eggs, and sugar. There’s no flour in this version, so the crumb comes out dense and a bit sticky, closer to a pudding than a sponge.
The flavor is bright with a slight bitter edge from the orange peel, balanced by a simple syrup poured over the cake while it’s still warm. Versions of this cake show up across Cyprus, Greece, and Sephardic Jewish kitchens, much like the Cypriot Kalo Prama semolina cake, each with small differences in spice or syrup.
You boil the oranges for about 90 minutes until a knife slides through the skin with no resistance. That part takes patience but almost no hands-on work. The rest comes together in a food processor and one bowl.
This is a good cake to make a day ahead. The syrup keeps it soft, and the orange flavor gets stronger by the next day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No flour needed, so it’s naturally gluten-free
- Whole oranges give a deep, real citrus flavor
- Gets better the next day, good for make-ahead baking
- Comes together with a food processor and one bowl
Ingredient Notes
- oranges: Use thin-skinned oranges if you can find them, they blend smoother. Wash them well since the peel goes into the batter.
- ground almonds: This is almond meal, not almond flour. It has more texture and holds the batter together better than fine almond flour.
- eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature so they whip up with the sugar more easily.
- sugar: Caster sugar dissolves fastest when whisked with eggs, but regular granulated sugar works too.
- baking powder: Check the label if you need this cake fully gluten-free, since some brands are processed in facilities with wheat.
- flaked almonds: Toast them lightly in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes for extra crunch on top. This step is optional.
- cinnamon stick: Adds warmth to the syrup without making it taste spiced. Leave it out if you’d rather keep the syrup plain citrus.
Flourless Cypriot Orange and Almond Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Put the whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 90 minutes, topping up water as needed, until a knife slides through the skin with no resistance.
- Drain the oranges and let them cool for 15 minutes. Cut into quarters, remove any large seeds, and blend the quarters, peel included, in a food processor until smooth and thick.
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan with the oil and line the base with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and slightly thick.
- Add the ground almonds, baking powder, and salt to the egg mixture. Fold in the orange puree until the batter is smooth and even.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, combine the orange juice, sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened, then remove the cinnamon stick.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Poke holes over the top with a skewer, then pour the warm syrup slowly over the cake so it soaks in.
- Scatter the toasted flaked almonds over the top. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, about 20 minutes, before slicing.
Notes
- Boil oranges a day ahead and refrigerate the puree to split the work over two days.
- Use a springform pan so the sticky, syrup-soaked cake releases cleanly.
- Don't skip poking holes before pouring syrup, or it pools on top instead of soaking through.
- Let the cake cool fully before slicing, or it falls apart while still warm.
Tips for Success
- Boil the oranges until fully soft, since undercooked peel makes the cake taste bitter.
- Cool the boiled oranges for 15 minutes before blending, or the heat can cook the eggs when you fold everything together.
- Poke holes in the cake before pouring syrup, the same soaking trick used for Cypriot daktyla pastries, so it soaks all the way through, not just the top.
- Test the center with a skewer at 45 minutes, then check every 3 minutes until it comes out clean.
- Let the cake sit for at least 2 hours after syruping so the crumb has time to absorb the liquid evenly.
Variations
- Swap half the ground almonds for ground pistachios for a greener crumb and a slightly different flavor.
- Add 1 tsp ground cardamom to the batter for a warmer, spiced version of the cake.
- Use blood oranges when they’re in season for a deeper color and a slightly tart syrup.
Storage and Reheating
Cypriot orange and almond cake keeps well for 4 to 5 days covered in the fridge, since the syrup keeps it from drying out. Bring slices to room temperature before serving so the texture stays soft rather than firm and cold.
You don’t need to reheat this cake, but if you like a warm slice, 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave softens it back up. Don’t reheat longer than that or the edges turn rubbery.
To freeze, wrap the un-syruped cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then make a fresh batch of syrup and pour it over before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I like this cake with a spoonful of thick Greek yogurt on the side, since the tang cuts through the sweetness of the syrup. A cup of strong coffee or mint tea works well alongside it too.
For dessert after a Mediterranean meal, serve slices at room temperature with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, the way you might finish a slice of lemon rosemary olive oil cake. The warm cake and cold ice cream play off each other nicely.
Leftover slices also work for breakfast with a bit of extra yogurt, since the cake isn’t overly sweet on its own.
FAQ
Why does my Cypriot orange and almond cake sink in the middle after baking?
Sinking usually means the cake came out of the oven too early or the oven door was opened too often while baking. Check for doneness with a skewer at 45 minutes, and don’t open the oven before the 40-minute mark, since the center needs steady heat to set fully.
Can I use almond flour instead of ground almonds for this cake?
You can, but the texture comes out finer and slightly denser than with ground almonds. Ground almonds (almond meal) have more texture from the skins, which gives the cake a bit more structure. Either works, the crumb just differs a little.
Can I make this orange and almond cake a day ahead of serving?
Yes, and it actually tastes better the next day. The syrup has more time to soak in fully, and the orange flavor gets stronger overnight. Just cover the cake and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
What goes well with Cypriot orange and almond cake?
Thick Greek yogurt or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream both work well against the citrus syrup. A cup of strong coffee or mint tea also pairs nicely, since the bitterness balances the sweetness of the cake.
Is Cypriot orange and almond cake gluten-free?
Yes, this version has no flour at all, just ground almonds standing in for it. Double check your baking powder is labeled gluten-free if you’re baking for someone with celiac disease, since some brands are processed near wheat.
What’s the difference between Cypriot orange cake and a Sephardic orange cake?
Both use whole oranges boiled and blended into the batter, so the base technique is nearly the same. The differences show up in the syrup and spicing, Sephardic versions sometimes add orange blossom water while Cypriot versions lean toward cinnamon.