I believe it's safe to say that most of us are sick of winter at this point, and I envy you if you live somewhere where you don't have to deal with it. This is my least favourite time of year because, while knowing that spring is almost here, it can't come quickly enough. We had a little taste of spring in Montreal last week, but it was only a tease, and we have already returned to frigid winter weather. However, one advantage of this time of year is the abundance of citrus available. I love citrus and have consumed a wide variety over the last six months. While I enjoy baking with citrus, particularly lemons and limes, I don't use oranges as often as I should. So when my mother delivered some incredibly sweet and juicy oranges to my flat (her attempt to keep me healthy), I knew I had to try baking with some of them.
Over the weekend, while reading through Claudia Roden's The Book of Jewish Food, I came across this recipe for Orange Cake, which is popular in the Sephardi community. This was exactly the type of meal I was looking for, but what made it even more tempting was the information I discovered regarding the Jewish community's history with oranges. When one thinks of Jews and citrus, the first thing that comes to mind is the etrog, which is a key component in Sukkot celebrations. However, Jews have a lengthy connection with the orange that dates back centuries. According to Gil Marks in the Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, while Arabs brought oranges to Western Europe along with innovative agriculture and irrigation techniques, Jews also had an important role in citrus production in Europe. The etrog was vital to the group, but they also incorporated other species into their crops as they became available. "It was no coincidence that mediaeval citrus agricultural centres exactly corresponded to Jewish population centres." In the nineteenth century, Sephardim were among the first merchants and distributors of citrus, while Ashkenazi peddlers began selling oranges in numerous locations across Europe. The Jaffa orange, an important and popular Israeli product, has continued the association with oranges.
This is a cake that I will make again and again, whether for a formal dinner or a simple get- together with friends. The way the oranges are blended into the cake is what I appreciate best about this recipe. Unlike most other recipes I've seen, this one uses the full orange to flavour the cake, not just the zest and juice. After boiling for an hour and a half and becoming very soft, the oranges are pureed and added to a mixture of eggs, sugar, orange blossom water, and coarsely chopped blanched almonds. After baking, the cake is extremely moist, almost pudding-like in substance, with a nice crunch from the chopped almonds. As soon as you bite into this cake, you can taste the orange flavour. Unlike the brilliant flavour supplied by orange zest and juice, what you get here is a deep, rich orange flavour with a faint bitterness, similar to the taste of marmalade. Finally, the orange blossom water adds a delicate flowery scent. This is a great everyday cake that would be as delicious at the end of a dinner topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
I hope this cake helps you forget about the cold outdoors and makes the last days of winter more tolerable.
Orange Cake Ingredients
- The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden
- Two oranges
- 6 eggs
- 14 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. orange blossom water
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 12 cup coarsely ground blanched almonds
Orange Cake Recipe
- Wash the oranges and boil them for 12 hours, or until they are very tender.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix in the orange blossom water, baking powder, and almonds.
- Remove the seeds from the oranges and purée in a food processor (I used a hand blender which worked just as well). Pour into a 9-inch oiled cake pan coated with matzo meal or flour, ideally nonstick and with a removable base, and mix thoroughly.
- Allow it cool for an hour before turning out.
Try it once, and forget the rest!
