It's no secret ... my obsession with blood oranges is so real! And this time of year, when things are grey and dull, these oranges are the perfect pop of vibrant color. Not to mention, they are the perfect pick me up because they make your house smell great and taste delicious in anything you add them to! I LOVE them so much that I decorate AND bake with them! Can you tell that I am totally giddy with excitement?!
Last week, I shared a quick and easy tablescape using my Christmas decor and blood oranges (linked here). Obviously, I had to show you what to do with these blood oranges! Who doesn't love a tablescape that they can eat? You are in for a treat today, because I am going to share an easy almond-with-a-touch-of-chocolate-cake topped with candied blood oranges. This sounds so complex, but don't be intimidated, because it's really simple!
If you are looking for an ultra-chocolate-y recipe, stop right here, because this is NOT it! This recipe is much more nutty in flavor and combines a touch of chocolate and citrus to pack a fresh punch! It's a great tasting cake, but just not full of the chocolate flavor if that is what you are going for.
Here are a few tips when making this cake:
1) if you don't like the taste of almonds or don't have almond flour, just substitute with all purpose flour.
2) save the syrup! when you candy the blood oranges, you are left with a delicious sticky, sweet blood orange syrup that you can drizzle on top of the cake. This drizzle not only moistens the cake, but it also allows the orange topping to stick to your cake.
3) more garnish! if you want that wow factor, or if you are obsessed with citrus (like me!), you can pile on the kumquats to add extra color and flavor.
Course: Dessert
Type: Cake
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Ingredients:
CAKE:
1.5 cups all purpose flour
0.5 cup almond flour
0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter softened (1.5 sticks)
1.5 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup milk
CANDIED BLOOD ORANGE TOPPING:
1 cup raw cane sugar
3/4 cup water
2 blood oranges sliced into rounds
Instructions:
CAKE:
1) preheat your oven to 350F. Grease four 6 inch cake pans.
2) in a medium sized bowl, whisk all purpose flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder together and set aside.
3) using your stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip butter and granulated sugar at medium speed, until the mixture appears fluffy and white. Add in one egg at a time, whipping well between each egg. Add vanilla to this mix.
4) add your flour mixture to your butter/sugar/egg/vanilla mixture, and whip well.
5) add milk and whip well.
6) pour cake mixture evenly into each greased pan.
7) bake for 35 minutes or until the center comes out cleanly when pricked with a toothpick.
8) place cakes on wire rack in their pans to cool. For a quicker cool, remove cakes from their pans 10 minutes after they come out of the oven and keep on cake rack until they cool completely.
CANDIED BLOOD ORANGES:
1) in a medium flat frying pan, combine raw cane sugar and water and heat at medium temperature until sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to high and bring to boil.
2) reduce heat to medium and add blood orange slices one at a time. Blood orange slices can overlap along the edges.
3) allow blood orange slices to cook for 45 minutes on lower temp (low to medium heat). The syrup should be bubbling, but not boiling.
4) after 45 minutes, carefully pull out blood oranges and place them on parchment paper.
5) carefully pour the remainder of the syrup into a cup and save for assembly.
ASSEMBLY:
1) level the tops of your cake layers.
2) pour 1/5 of the syrup over each layer of your cake. Using a basting brush, brush the syrup into your cake layers.
3) layer your cakes one on top of another. Use the remainder 1/5 of your syrup to coat the sides of your cake and the top of your cake.
4) coat your knife with vegetable or olive oil and cut your blood orange as desired. I prefer to cut the slices in half.
5) add your blood oranges to the top and/or sides of your assembled cake. They should stick to your cake, since you have coated your cake with syrup.
6) top with kumquats if desired.
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below, tag me in a photo on instagram using #thisissimplicite or send me an email. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
