It’s the middle of our relatively short blood orange season, so I’m buying them while I can. Despite their gruesome name, blood oranges are a wonderfully sweet and beautifully coloured citrus fruit. They tend to be a bit smaller than regular oranges, the inside flesh is a brilliant dark pink, maroon, or even dark blood red. They are one of the most versatile citrus fruits, and can be used as a substitute for most citrus varieties including oranges, lemons and limes. I have used them in this recipe, just for a change, and of course this is a gluten- free recipe too.
Mini Flourless Orange & Cardamon Cakes
Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 oranges, 3 if small
- 250g caster sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups (250g) almond meal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cardamon
- 3/4 cup almond flakes, toasted
- ** The Icing
- 500g icing sugar, sifted
- 125g cream cheese, room temperature
- juice & zest of 2 oranges
- 25g butter, softened
Instructions
The Oranges
Place the oranges in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and and simmer for 1 hour or until soft. Drain, and discard the water.
This can be done a day ahead, just store them in the fridge.
The Cakes
Preheat oven to 170C, fan-forced, grease the holes of muffin pans or line with paper cases.
My silicone mini muffin pan has 24 holes, each holding about 30ml or 2 tbs. There was also enough mixture to fill 6 larger friand moulds.
Quarter the oranges and remove the core or any seeds.
Blitz in a food processor until smooth.
Add the sugar and blitz again.
Add the eggs and process until just combined.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the almond meal, cardamon and baking powder.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tins and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes.
Cool slightly in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Spread the top of each cake - I turned mine upside-down - with icing and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
For the Icing
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Notes
If you have any icing left over, store it in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. Great for that time you forget to buy the cream cheese.
