Orange, Almond & Coconut Cake

Decadently moist ORANGE, ALMOND AND COCONUT CAKE with the most incredible citrus cream chese icing - gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan, dairy free, egg free, begoodorganics

Orange, Almond & Coconut Cake

Serves 12 (makes one 19 cm/8 inch cake).

Takes 15 mins + 60 mins bake (+ 60 mins pre-boil).

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Orange boiling time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 308kcal

Author Buffy Ellen Gill

Ingredients

Dry

1 c almonds
1 c coconut flour
1/2 c coconut sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp guar gum optional, see notes below

Wet

2 whole oranges
1 c orange cooking water
1/2 c coconut cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 drops orange essential oil optional

Citrus Cream Cheese Icing

1 c cashews soaked 2 hours, rinsed & drained
1/3 c coconut oil melted
1/4 c water
1/2 lemon juice, flesh & zest
2 tbsp coconut nectar
Pinch sea salt

Instructions

Day/hour before: Pop both oranges (skin on) in a pot with water, bring to the boil, then put the lid and reduce to a low simmer for one hour. Keep one cup of the cooking water aside.
Bake day: Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) on fan bake, and line the sides and base of a small 19 cm (8 inch) spring form cake tin with baking paper and then sunflower or another neutral oil. Make sure the baking paper comes up just over the tin (to hold your icing in place).
Blend the almonds in a food processor until a fine flour forms. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and blend again until combined. Turn out and sift into a large bowl - any bits that won't sift through, just pour on top of the other dry ingredients.
Next, blend all wet ingredients in your processor or blender until super smooth, including the two whole cooked oranges and the reserved orange cooking water. Fold the liquid mix into the dry ingredients, lifting gently as you pour to create air pockets, until only just combined.
Pour into your tin and bake for 60 minutes in the middle of your oven (not too high as these flours can brown easily). Test with a skewer at 55 minutes, and remove once it comes out relatively dry. If still wet at 60 minutes, bake for another 5-10 minutes.
Leave on the bench to cool, and after 5 minutes, pop open the springform outer of your tin to let the sides cool also.
Icing: Once cool, blend all icing ingredients in a high speed blender until super silky smooth like a cream, scraping down the sides and blending again as necessary. Close the springform tin again so the baking paper "party hat" is nice and tight around the cake once more. Then pour your icing on top of the cake - the baking paper and springform tin ring will hold it in place - place in the fridge overnight to set (or even in the freezer if you're in a rush).
Once firm, remove the tin outer and base, and baking paper, and using a sharp knife, run around the edge of the cake to remove any bits of icing that have bulged out (it tends to). Try to refrain from eating said icing off-scrapings. Fail (but enjoy it immensely). Decorate with edible flowers and serve with natural coconut yoghurt and fresh mandarin segments if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

I love adding a few drops of orange essential oil to the "Wet" ingredients to really enhance the orange's flavour. If you choose to do this, make sure you're using a high quality, food grade essential oil - I personally use (and love) these ones here. If you'd like to learn more about the incredible therapeutic benefits of plant-based essential oils, and how you can use them in your life, check out my introductory workshop here.
This slice is naturally gluten and wheat free due to the use of almonds and coconut flour, and also egg free. This makes the texture very different to a regular cake, much more moist, dense and delicate (as opposed to light and fluffy like regular white wheat flour cakes). It should still slice cleanly (as in my images above), but will be soft, tender and moist when scooped into with a spoon. Test with a skewer and cook for an extra 10 minutes if it still comes out quite wet. If you prefer a more robust strong cake, I recommend adding 1 1/4 teaspoons of guar gum to your flour mix (a natural plant-based bean which will help hold the flours together, in the absence of gluten and eggs).
Note that all oven temperatures are slightly different, so definitely skewer test this cake before removing, and add extra bake time if it's still quite wet (and thus your oven is cooking a little 'under' than mine). The size of your oranges will also determine whether your mix is a little more wet, and thus may need an extra 10 minutes of baking to dry them out sufficiently. Have a play! Enjoy!
It will be very moist, almost fudge like, but it should still slice cleanly. It won’t have the same texture as a traditional egg and flour cake, as I've used almond and coconut flour and no eggs, so it is more like a moist torte. You need to leave it to cool completely and after icing put in fridge to set.
Boiling the oranges helps to enhance their flavour, so if you have time, I highly recommend it. I have also tried this recipe with two fresh oranges, and whilst it is still delicious, the flavour is much more intense (and superior) with the cooked option. Try both if you like, and decide what you prefer!
In case you're wondering, yes you do boil the oranges whole - skin, pith and all! Then blend them again whole with the wet ingredients and reserved cooking water. The inclusion of the orange skin gives a richer orange flavour as well as a hint of bitter orange zest, which is lovely contrasted against the sweet lemon icing. If you'd prefer to not have this bitter contrasting element, you can remove the skin and just blend the flesh (possibly better if this is for kids, although Mila loved this version as is).
If you forget to reserve some of the orange cooking water don't fret, just replace with plain water - it will just have slightly less flavour, so you may want to increase the coconut sugar by 1-2 tablespoons.
You can pre-boil the oranges the day before if you like, then just leave on the stove or in the fridge until you're ready to blend.
I've used quite a small cake tin, a 19 cm (or 8 inch). This makes the cake nice and high which makes it look extra decadent. Be sure to line your cake tin both the base and the sides with baking paper - that way you can pour in the liquid icing and it will set nicely on top of the cake, like in my pictures.
Sifting the dry ingredients, and then folding in the wet without over mixing, will help to give you a nice light cake (in the absence of eggs, which normally make cakes light and buoyant).
This cake freezes brilliantly, either without the icing, with the icing on, or even sliced into individual slices. Simply pull out what you need onto the bench or fridge to defrost for a couple of hours before serving (less for individual slices).
A handful of poppy seeds are also a fantastic addition to this cake, adding a lovely crunchy contrast to the moistness of the cake.

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