A staple of Sicilian winters, this gluten free Italian orange cake creates a beautiful, warm aroma while it bakes.
By Veronica Lavenia
When Dad came home with the first boxes of juicy oranges of the season, my sisters and I were all happy. We already knew that Mom would make so much orange marmalade and that, part of this, would be used for filling, luscious tarts and other sweets. 
Oranges at breakfast were a ritual for my family for the entire winter season all the way until the beginning of spring.
My mother prepared a delicious blood orange juice with Sicilian lemons. A natural cure against the ills of the season, as she called it, and we girls were free from the traditional winter flu (to be honest, at that time, I appreciated only in part the benefits of that magical preparation and envied a bit my companions who, because of fever, did not go to school for a few days).
“Oranges for breakfast!” was the ritual phrase with which my mother gave us the alarm, letting us get out of bed without much effort. Waiting for us in the kitchen, there was always something baked with the scent of oranges, tarts, cakes or cookies.
Among the many sweet awakenings of my winter childhood, I will keep the memory, that was definitely one of the greediest. Those moments have inspired this cake made with all natural ingredients that has, as key ingredient, the fruit symbol of Sicily to which my mother was able to give a fitting tribute.
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Gluten Free Orange Cake
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
A staple of Sicilian winters, this gluten free Italian orange cake creates a beautiful, warm aroma while it bakes.
Ingredients
- 200 g 7 oz brown rice flour, sifted
- 50 g 2 oz almond flour, sifted
- 15 g ½ oz organic baking powder
- the juice and zest of 2 oranges
- 80 g 3 oz raw coconut sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 large organic eggs beaten
- 50 ml 2 fl oz mild extra virgin olive oil (or 80 ml/3 fl oz organic cold pressed sunflower oil)
- 100 ml 3 ½ fl oz rice milk-drink
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).
- In a bowl, add the sifted flour with the baking powder, the juice and oranges zest, sugar, pinch of salt and stir. Add the eggs beaten, oil, milk and work the ingredients until creamy and smooth. Pour the dough into a baking pan, lined with parchment paper, and bake for 35-40 minutes. Before turning out the cake verified that the inside is dry by inserting a toothpick. In case, cook for another 10 minutes.
- Category: Baking, Cake
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute the oranges with another type of citrus in this gluten free orange cake?
Yes, you can use lemons or blood oranges as alternatives, but keep in mind that this may alter the flavor profile of the cake.
What is the best way to incorporate the orange zest into the batter?
Grate the orange zest finely and mix it into the batter along with the other wet ingredients to ensure an even distribution of flavor.
How can I enhance the aroma of the cake while it’s baking?
Adding a splash of pure vanilla extract or a hint of almond extract can enhance the overall aroma and complement the orange scent.
Looks lovely. What’s the amount of juice in grams from the two oranges?