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A Citrus Almond Cake Everyone will Love

Cakes & Cookies · David Scott Allen · Dessert · Provencal Recipes · Taste

Almonds, olives, tomatoes, and citrus fruit are some of the culinary signatures of the Mediterranean climate. In Provence, the citrus groves are found on the Côte d’Azur near Menton. There is no question that a visit Menton one year during the Fête du Citron is on my travel bucket list.

However, when it comes to desserts, I would like to say that I am divided between the almonds and citrus. Apparently not. After looking at my recipe files, almond desserts seem to have the upper hand (Read: Obsessed). This recipe for a citrus almond cake is a delicious combination of the two flavours.

Citrus Almond Cake

Citrus Almond Cake

David Scott Allen I Cocoa and Lavender
This recipe combines citrus and almond in a sweet dessert. It was minimally adapted from the recipe by Claudia Roden, "The Food of Spain." The cake is also gluten-free and dairy-free if your guests have food sensibilities.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine Spanish
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 large eggs separated
  • 1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
  • grated zest of 1 Tangerine
  • grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 8 oz almond flour
  • confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions
 

  • Grease a 10-inch springform pan, preferably nonstick, with butter and dust it with flour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar to a smooth pale cream.
  • Beat in the citrus zests and almond extract.
  • Add the almond flour and mix well.
  • With clean beaters, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold them into the egg and almond mixture (the mixture will be very thick; you will need to turn it over quite a bit to incorporate the egg whites).
  • Spoon the cake batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 40 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch. Let cool before turning out.
  • Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar.
Keyword Almonds, Cakes, Citrus, Dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Angel Food Cake with Citrus Sauce
This recipe was minimally adapted from the King Arthur Flour cookbook. Angel Food Cake is a "light" option for dessert. You can add spices to the batter, or change the sauce from citrus to berry or another flavor to suit your tastes.
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Madeleines with Orange Blossom Water
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David Scott Allen

David Scott Allen is the author, photographer, and cook behind Cocoa & Lavender, a weekly food blog based in Tucson, Arizona. Passionate about travel, he especially enjoys eating traditional foods and learning local customs, whether in the United States or around the globe.

David's first trip to France took place when he was 14, and he returned as often as possible thereafter. However, it wasn't until his 50th birthday that he finally made it south to Provence. The beauty, history, charm, warmth, cuisine, and - of course - the rosé wines captured his heart. He shares his Provençal recipes here on Perfectly Provence, and his food and wine pairings monthly on the Provence WineZine.

David is a firm believer that sharing a meal with friends around the table is one of life's greatest pleasures. And if it happens to be in Provence, all the better!

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