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Flourless Orange Cake

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: November 12, 2021

Last Updated: February 16th, 2023↣8 Comments↣

This super moist orange cake is a cake you’ll come back to time and again. Soft, juicy and impossibly orangey it uses whole oranges to create something really very special.

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A flourless orange cake and slice of cake sit on plates on a colourful background of citrus fruit illustrations.

This orange cake is based on a recipe from one of my culinary idols, Claudia Roden. A flourless cake that is SO moist, so flavourful it’s almost too much! I just love flourless cakes, they are mid way between cake and pudding and have a texture like nothing else. This cake has an intense burst of citrus orange essence and that shouldn’t come as any surprise — there are two whole orange in it, skin, pith and all!

When I first baked this cake, many years ago, I was sceptical that boiling whole oranges and creating a puree would be anything other than gross, but on first taste I was convinced! My recipe doesn’t stray too far from Roden’s, but there are a couple of notable changes that I’ve incorporated that suit my palette a little more. You can check Claudia Roden's Orange & Almond Cake recipe here.

What's ahead?

What is a flourless cake?

Cakes come in all shapes and forms, to have a flourless cake generally refers to a cake made without wheat flour. This has become more helpful guide in recent years to those with either a wheat intolerance (coeliac) or those wishing to follow a gluten free/reduced diet.

Wheat flour is replaced with similar ground 'flour' from gluten free options like rice, maize, almond , buckwheat etc.

A flourless orange cake, dusted with icing sugar, sits in the foreground with a slice taken out of it. The slice of cake sits in the background out of focus.

Why this cake works

The orange flavour - Claudia Rosen first introduced to me the notion of using an entire fruit in a cake, peel and all. The results are a wholly orangey flavour! The sweet tangy orange but also a light bitterness from the peel. It's truly delicious.

The luxurious, moist texture - This cake has a definite and pronounced density to it, it's a richer, heavier cake than a sponge with a wonderful moistness to it. It feels like a TREAT without feeling unhealthy!

Stuff you'll need

Making this cake is so easy! There are hardly any ingredients!

Oranges - two of your favourite types. My favourites are Valencia.
Almond flour - (also known as almond meal) brings a nutty richness to the cake
Sugar - it's a cake, it needs sugar!
Baking powder - helps the cake rise a little, for a lighter texture.
Almond extract - the flour has plenty of flavour, but almond extract just amps up the taste.
Eggs - There are 6 eggs in this cake! They act as binder but also give the cake its structure.

Step by Step

There are a couple of stages to this simple cake. Nothing difficult at all, and for the first time in your life you'll get to boil some oranges!

Step 1 - Gently simmer the oranges in a pan for 40 minutes, then change the water and cook for another 40 minutes. Let them cool completely then using a food processor or blender, blend into a puree.
Step 2 - Beat all the ingredients together until smooth then tip into a lined springform cake tin.
Step 3 - Bake at 170ºC/340ºF for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer or knife when inserted to the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Step 4 - Leave to cool a little then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar / icing sugar just before serving.

Pureed orange with cake mixture in a bowl, ready to be combined.

Flourless orange cake batter sits in a baking tin, ready to be baked

Flourless Orange Cake, fresh from the oven, with a lightly browned top.

Serving and storing suggestions

My flourless orange cake is delicious served either at room temperature or chilled. I like to serve with a generous dollop of cream, marscapone or creme fraiche infused with a little honey, lemon and almond extract.

Storage - This cake will stay fresh for a few days on the countertop (covered or in an airtight container) or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing - I've had mixed results with freezing. Being quite moist, it can become a little soggy when defrosted from frozen, so I tend not to freeze it.

A slice of flourless orange cake sits on a plate with a fork. The rest of the cake is blurred in the background.

Ready to get cooking?

This citrus wonder is everything and more. For someone, like me, who doesn't bake a whole lot it's a cake I turn to whenever the urge takes me. I know it's going to satiate my sweet craving while giving a wonderful intense orange burst of flavour.

I recommend this recipe to my friends (and anyone who's listening) all the time. It's a fail-safe, tried and tested treasure. And one of my personal favourite sweet treats.

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about my flourless orange cake recipe. Let me know in the comments.

Why is my orange cake bitter?

The peel in this orange cake creates a slight bitterness in the overall flavour. Boiling the oranges first (and changing the water) lessens the bitterness considerably, but there is still a mild bitterness to the cake. This is intentional and is counteracted with sugar. It's a matter of personal taste whether this appeals or not.

Is flourless orange cake gluten free?

Yes, the use of almond flour eliminates any gluten making in 100% gluten free.

More sweet recipes

If you liked this recipe for my flourless orange cake, you'll be sure to enjoy more of my favourite sweet recipes.