Spanish Almond and Orange Cake

Here is a beautiful gluten free, flour free Spanish almond & orange cake. This recipe comes from Nutritional Therapist Bea Lyus and uses just four ingredients.

You will need:

2 oranges, washed & roughly chopped (skin on)

2.5 cups of ground almonds

5 eggs separated

1 cup of coconut sugar or 2/3 of a cup honey.

1. Place the chopped oranges in a small saucepan. Add 1 tbsp water, then cover the pan and simmer gently for 30 min or until the oranges are soft and all the excess liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line the bottom and sides of a 23 cm (9 in.) springform cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Finely chop the oranges in a food processor or blender, or with a sharp knife.
   
4. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
5. Gradually add half the caster sugar, then beat for 1 minute.
   
6. Place the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in another bowl and, using the same beaters, beat for 2–3 min or until pale and quite thick.
7. Add the oranges and beat to combine well.
8. Carefully fold in the ground almonds with a large metal spoon.
   
9. Stir in 3 spoonfuls of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
10. Transfer the mixture to the pan and level the surface.
11. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
    Bake for 50–55 minutes or until the orange and almond cake is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
12. Check the cake after 20 minutes and again at 30 minutes, and cover lightly with foil if it is browning too quickly.