Best Orange Almond Cream Cake Recipes

MOLE CAKE WITH CHERRY-ALMOND ICE CREAM, TAMARIND ANGLAISE, AND ORANGE CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• To prepare the ice cream, place the cherries and sherry in a mixing bowl and let soak for 20 minutes. Place the cream in a saucepan, add the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, almond extract, almonds, and cherries with their soaking liquid, and bring to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and slowly add the cream mixture while continuing to whisk vigorously. Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat while whisking continuously, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Strain into an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions (discard the cherries and almonds).
• To prepare the cake, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, place the chiles, sugar, canela, cloves, and pumpkin seeds and grind until superfine. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk, whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract on low speed. Add the chile mixture and whisk for 10 minutes longer. Add the melted chocolate, whisk to incorporate, and slowly add the butter until combined.
• Pour the batter into 8 lightly oiled 4-ounce ramekins and place in a water bath. Transfer to the oven and bake for 13 to 14 minutes; the cakes will feel only slightly firm. Remove the ramekins and keep refrigerated until 1 hour before serving. Cakes are even better slightly warmed in the oven.
• To prepare the anglaise, place the cream, sugar, vanilla, and tamarind in the saucepan and slowly bring to a boil, breaking up the tamarind with a wooden spoon. Whisk the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and slowly add the cream mixture while whisking vigorously. Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat, while whisking continuously, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain and let cool; keep covered.
• To prepare the caramel, heat the sugar and 1 cup of water in a heavy saucepan over high heat. When the sugar turns from golden brown to amber, turn off the heat and slowly whisk in the orange juice, the caramel may turn hard but it will melt again when reheated. Turn the heat back on to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely.
• To serve, place the ramekins in a shallow pan of very hot water for 1 minute. Invert the ramekins and tap on the bottom to turn out the cakes. Transfer to serving plates and bring to room temperature. Top with a scoop of the ice cream and spoon the anglaise and caramel around the cakes.

ORANGE-ALMOND CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• For cream filling:
• Bring milk and orange peel to simmer in heavy medium saucepan; remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat yolks in large bowl to blend. With machine running, add sugar and beat until mixture is light yellow and thick, about 4 minutes. Add flour, beating until well combined. Gradually beat in hot milk mixture. Return custard to same saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer cream filling to medium bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface. Refrigerate cream filling overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For syrup:
• Bring sugar and 1 cup water to boil in small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 5 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Cool syrup slightly. Stir in Grand Marnier. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line each pan with parchment paper round. Bring milk and butter almost to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large bowl on high speed 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until mixture is light yellow and thick, scraping down sides occasionally, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high; add vanilla. Gradually beat in hot milk mixture in steady stream. Immediately add dry ingredients and beat until just blended, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl (batter will be thin). Mix in 3 teaspoons orange peel. Quickly divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake until cakes are golden, pull away from sides of pans, and spring back when pressed in center, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes; peel off parchment paper. Turn cakes right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and let stand at room temperature.)
• Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from oranges. Working over strainer set over large bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Transfer orange segments to paper towels to drain.
• Beat cream and 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold 1/2 cup whipped cream into cream filling, then fold in crushed amaretti and remaining 1 teaspoon grated orange peel. Using serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally in half, creating 4 layers. Place 1 layer on plate, cut side up; brush generously with syrup (about 6 tablespoons). Spread 3/4 cup filling over. Arrange 1 layer of orange segments (about 20) over filling. Repeat layering twice more with cake, syrup, filling, and orange segments. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Brush cake with syrup. Fill pastry bag fitted with large star tip with 1 cup whipped cream. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Pipe cream in rosettes around top edge of cake. Cover center with orange segments. Brush oranges with melted apricot jam. Refrigerate cake 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• *Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE WITH MASCARPONE CREAM (FLOURLESS)

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Place the whole oranges in a pan and cover with cold water.
• Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for two hours.
• Check periodically that they don't boil dry and add water if needed.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C Grease and line with baking paper (including sides) a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan.
• Remove the oranges from the water; cut in half and remove any pips.
• In a bowl, combine the sugar, ground almonds, and baking powder until well mixed.
• Place the oranges in a food processor, skin and all, along with the lemon juice, and puree till the oranges are well broken down.
• To the food processor, add half of the eggs and half of the almond/sugar mixture; process until well combined.
• Add the remaining three eggs and the remaining almond mixture and process till thoroughly combined, scraping sides of bowl, as necessary.
• Transfer batter to the springform pan and bake for 45 minutes.
• Let cake cool before serving, and serve with a generous dollop of the mascarpone cream.
• FOR THE MASCARPONE CREAM:.
• Transfer the mascarpone to a bowl, and soften with a spatula until smooth.
• Add the vanilla sugar and incorporate completely.
• It is now ready to serve!