Orange Ginger Almond Cake (Printable Version)

Moist cake scented with orange zest, warming ginger, and ground almonds, perfect for tea or light dessert.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups ground almonds
02 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour alternative
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
08 - Zest of 2 oranges
09 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
10 - 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Garnish (optional)

12 - 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
13 - Powdered sugar for dusting
14 - Orange zest strips

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, blending thoroughly after each addition.
05 - Mix in orange zest, orange juice, grated ginger, and vanilla extract until evenly combined.
06 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface. Optionally, sprinkle sliced almonds evenly on top.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake surface is golden.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar and decorate with orange zest strips if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake stays tender for days because ground almonds hold onto moisture in a way regular flour never could.
  • One kitchen trick with fresh ginger makes the whole thing taste brighter than you'd expect, like you've done something sophisticated without trying.
  • It's naturally gluten-free if that matters to you, and no one eating it needs to know unless you tell them.
02 -
  • Overmixing after you add the dry ingredients is the single way to wreck this cake—fold gently and stop when you see just a hint of flour.
  • Fresh ginger and fresh zest aren't optional flourishes; they're what separate a decent cake from one people ask you to make again.
  • If your oven runs hot, you'll pull this out at thirty-five minutes; if it runs cool, you might not touch it until forty-two—trust your skewer more than the timer.
03 -
  • Toast your sliced almonds for two minutes in a dry pan before scattering them on top—they'll turn golden and nutty instead of pale and plain.
  • If you make a gluten-free version, use a blend that includes xanthan gum; it behaves almost identically to all-purpose flour here.

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