Blender orange and almond syrup cake (SCD & GAPS)

Grain-free, dairy-free and sugar free.

It’s amazing how a few, simple, whole ingredients can turn into a cake with the right kitchen tool! This fabulous blender cake begins not only with whole almonds in place of flour, but it also uses whole oranges, including the peel. Trust us; in under a minute the Vibe Blender System produces a smooth cake batter without a fleck of almond or peel.

With the whole food approach, the texture is not your typical, light and fluffy, nutritionally sparse tea cake. Blender orange and almond syrup cake is moist and dense like an old-fashioned pound cake. The secret? First, we simmer the oranges until the skins are tender. The bitterness gets washed away and the squishy, cooked oranges, puree down into a healthy, honey-sweetened marmalade tasting batter.

On its own, blender orange and almond syrup cake is the perfect healthy snack (especially spread with butter) but add the syrup and it’s special enough to serve as a dessert, either warm or cold. We highly recommend serving it with homemade yogurt, cultured cream or quark. The tang of yogurt is a perfect accompaniment with the delicious orange syrup glaze.

TIPS
You can use either whole blanched almonds or almonds with their skins on. Skins will produce a darker batter. If you have sensitive digestion or are on the SCD and GAPS diet, we recommend using activated almonds. If you don’t have whole almonds, substitute with 2 ½ cups of almond meal.  

With honey as a sweetener, the cake is SCD & GAPS friendly. On the downside, honey burns easily, so to avoid the top becoming too dark, lay a sheet of baking paper over the cake while it’s cooking.

Choose the cake shape to fit the occasion. Square is great for lunch boxes, round looks lovely as a dessert cake, use a tea-ring which looks awesome dripping with orange syrup and garnished with strips of orange zest. 

INGREDIENTS

Cake Batter
3 cups (430grams) whole almonds
2 whole oranges
4 large eggs (use 5 if small)
½ cup of honey
¼ cup coconut oil or butter melted (60 grams)
¾ teaspoon of bicarb soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Syrup
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons of honey

METHOD

1.   Preheat oven to 170°C / 340°F
2.   Line a 20cm tin with baking paper or grease a round tea ring liberally with butter or coconut oil.
3.   Place two whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and then gently simmer for 45 minutes. Add more water if you need to. When the oranges are done the skins will be soft and may have burst open.
4.   Slice the oranges in half, cut off the fibrous ends and remove the seeds then set aside to cool for 10 minutes. While the oranges are cooling prepare the remaining cake batter ingredients.
5.   Place the almonds in a thoroughly dry, Vibe blender jug and put the lid on. Pulse the nuts approximately four times. A chunky grind is all that is required. Run a blunt butter knife down inside the jug and under the blades to release the compacted nuts.
6.   Add all the remaining cake ingredients into the jug.
7.   Insert the tamper tool into the lid and place it securely into the jug.
8.   Blend on ‘smoothie’ mode for 40 seconds, using the tamper to push the wet ingredients down into the blades. Stopping once to scrape down the sides and under the blades. Blend for a further 20 seconds.
9.   Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
10.  Lay a piece of baking paper over the batter and bake for approx. 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when you touch it.
11.  When it’s done, turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.

For the syrup (optional)
12.  Juice two oranges and then strain to remove the pulp.
13.  Pour the juice into a small saucepan and add the honey.
14.  On the stove-top, gently simmer for 15 minutes. Stir every now and then to make sure it doesn’t burn. The juice will reduce and become a sweet citrus glaze.
15.  Pour half the glaze over the cake and a little more over each portion when you serve.
16.  Store the cake, air-tight for up to a week in the fridge.

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