Orange Saffron Cake Recipe

I don’t really consider myself a baker but this cake is really worth the effort. The cake is originally a Spanish recipe, which I took the liberty of modifying or rather “Indianizing”. I hope you will enjoy my version as much as my family and friends.

Saffron blended together with orange is an incredible and delicious combination. In a dessert, it’s absolutely heavenly! The spices add an extra but subtle layer of depth and flavor. It’s decadent but not overly sweet. It’s just perfect for entertaining and can be made in advance. It makes a wonderful dessert or you can serve it with afternoon tea. Either way, your guests will be impressed!


ORANGE SAFFRON CAKE

Ingredients:

1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of 1 large orange (grated or curls, not large strips)
pinch of saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp of milk
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of fresh cardamom powder
1 tsp of vanilla
3 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar (you can use Splenda for Baking)
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 and 2/3 cups of ground almonds (or almond meal or almond flour)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a saucepan on low heat, combine the orange juice with the orange zest. Add the saffron (along with the milk), the vanilla and the other spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom). Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool until needed.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until a frothy and light mixture is formed. You can do this by either by hand using a large balloon whisk or by using a hand held mixer. Either way gets the task done. Then gently using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour along with the almond flour, baking powder and salt. Next, fold in both the melted butter and cooled orange juice mixture. Gently fold until all of the ingredients are well combined.

Using a buttered 9-inch cake pan, slowly pour the cake batter into the cake pan.

Lightly tap the pan on the counter and smooth out the top. Make sure the batter is even. Bake for 1 hour or until you obtain a clean toothpick from the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes. Garnish with orange slices, orange peel and/or whipped cream, if desired.