Claudia Roden's Almond and Orange Cake

This cake is a wonder! 

It starts by boiling two oranges for two hours then grinding them up and adding almond flour eggs and sugar. I first read about it on Catherine Bedson's blog from Australia http://www.farmhousehome.com.au/2012/08/orange-and-almond-cake.html 

I found that that the original recipe appears in a classic book on Middle Eastern Food written by the renowned author and cultural historian, Claudia Roden.

I bought the book online; "A Book of Middle Eastern Food" Knopf 1968  and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in cooking authentic food that has been passed down through the centuries by generations of dedicated cooks. Reading Claudia Roden on food and culture  is a joyful experience!

Below see a link to a fascinating interview of  Ms. Roden by the Guardian:

 http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/18/claudia-roden-spanish-food-interview

There are a number of other Sephardic Jewish Cakes in her book all are gluten free or nearly and easily adapted.  These were devised for Passover using almond meal instead of flour. I am anxious to try them as they are all  likely to be both easy and delicious.

Here is Claudia Roden's original recipe for Orange and Almond Cake  from "A Book of Middle Eastern Food" Knopf 1968

2 Large Oranges
6 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Ground Almonds
1 cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Butter and Flour for Cake Pan

Wash and boil the oranges (unpeeled) in a little water for nearly 2 hours (or for 1/2 hour in a pressure cooker).
Let them cool, then cut them open and remove the pips.

Turn the oranges into a pulp by rubbing them through a strainer or putting them in an electric blender.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the other ingredients, mix thouroughly, and pour into a buttered and floured cake pan with a removable base if possible.

Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (400 degrees) for about 60 minutes. Have a look at it after 1 hour-this type of cake will not go any flatter if the oven door is opened. If it is still very wet, leave it in the oven for a little longer. Cool in the pan before turning out. This is a very moist cake.

Cooks notes:
I use juice oranges and scrub the wax off in hot water using a plastic scrubber to make sure I do not ingest the wax. As suggested in Catherine Bedson's blog I cook the oranges when it is convenient..even a few days ahead. This makes it a very easy cake to make. Catherine uses caster sugar instead of regular sugar. I see no difference having made this both ways. I grind the oranges in a miniprep, (not available in 1968 when the original recipe was published). I substitute either sugar or rice flour for the regular flour used to butter and flour the pan. I remind you to always have all of your ingredients at room temperature before beginning. If you want the cake to be not too moist I suggest that the color be a dark golden brown when it is done. It does not do well sitting in a humid house as it tends to take in the surrounding moisture..although you can pop it into the oven at a low temp, (200-250) to dry it out again.