Gluten-Free Moroccan Orange Cake by Oliver McCabe

Ingredients:

• 200g dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• Zest of 2 oranges
• Juice of 1 orange
• 200g ground almonds

For the syrup glaze

• 130g caster sugar
• Juice of 2 oranges 
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon orange essence or Cointreau

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

Line a 22cm or 23cm round cake tin with parchment paper.

Beat the brown sugar, egg yolks, orange zest and juice in a large mixing bowl until fluffy and yellow. Gradually beat in the ground almonds.

In a separate spotlessly clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter with a metal spoon. Spoon the batter into  the lined cake tin. Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cake is golden brown. Leave to rest on a wire rack in the tin until it’s cool.

To make the glaze, simmer the caster sugar, orange juice and cinnamon stick in a saucepan for 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then add the orange essence or Cointreau. Pour the syrup over the lukewarm cake in its tin.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or natural yoghurt.