Tunisian · Dessert
Tunisian Orange Cake
A moist Mediterranean cake made with whole pureed orange including the peel, olive oil, and vanilla for a unique citrus flavor. This rustic Tunisian dessert showcases the intense orange taste throughout and has a tender, aromatic crumb.
The Method
Instructions
First things first, let's get your oven ready. Preheat it to 190 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 5 . This temperature will give the cake a lovely rise and golden crust. While the oven is warming up, grab a 23cm round springform tin and give it a good grease all over. You want to make sure the cake doesn't stick, so don't be shy with the oil or butter here.
Now, take your orange and carefully cut off the hard ends at the top and bottom. This removes any tough bits that won't blend well and keeps the texture smooth. Slice the orange into rounds and pick out all the seeds , nobody wants little surprises in their cake! Once that's done, pop the sliced orange along with its peel into a food processor. Puree it until it's smooth and juicy. This is where the magic happens, because keeping the peel adds that beautiful citrusy zest and some natural bitterness that balances the sweetness.
Next, add about a third of your caster sugar and all of the olive oil to the orange puree. Switch the food processor back on and blend everything together until it's nicely combined and creamy. The olive oil will keep the cake moist and add a subtle fruity note , trust me, it's a game changer.
In a separate bowl, sift together your flour and baking powder. Sifting helps to mix them evenly and keeps the batter light by breaking up any lumps.
Now, in another large bowl, crack in your eggs and add the remaining two thirds of the sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, beat this combo for at least five minutes. You want to see it turn pale and very fluffy , almost tripling in volume. This step is key to a light and airy cake, so don't rush it.
Once your eggs are beautifully whipped, gently fold in half of the flour and baking powder mixture. Be gentle here , use a spatula and carefully fold so you don't knock out all the air. Next, fold in the orange puree along with the splash of vanilla extract. Finally, fold in the rest of the flour mix. The batter should be well combined but try to avoid overmixing; you want to keep it nice and light.
Pour your lovely batter into the prepared springform tin and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. This will help the cake bake evenly and look pretty when it comes out of the oven.
Pop the tin into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 190 C / Gas 5 . After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 2 , and continue baking for another 30 minutes. This gradual temperature drop helps the cake cook through without burning on top.
You'll know the cake is done when it's a beautiful golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Don't worry if it looks a little shiny on top; that's the olive oil doing its thing.
Once out of the oven, let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 minutes so it firms up a bit. Then gently release the springform and transfer the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step is important because it helps the cake set perfectly and makes it easier to slice.
Now, take your orange and carefully cut off the hard ends at the top and bottom. This removes any tough bits that won't blend well and keeps the texture smooth. Slice the orange into rounds and pick out all the seeds , nobody wants little surprises in their cake! Once that's done, pop the sliced orange along with its peel into a food processor. Puree it until it's smooth and juicy. This is where the magic happens, because keeping the peel adds that beautiful citrusy zest and some natural bitterness that balances the sweetness.
Next, add about a third of your caster sugar and all of the olive oil to the orange puree. Switch the food processor back on and blend everything together until it's nicely combined and creamy. The olive oil will keep the cake moist and add a subtle fruity note , trust me, it's a game changer.
In a separate bowl, sift together your flour and baking powder. Sifting helps to mix them evenly and keeps the batter light by breaking up any lumps.
Now, in another large bowl, crack in your eggs and add the remaining two thirds of the sugar. Using an electric hand mixer, beat this combo for at least five minutes. You want to see it turn pale and very fluffy , almost tripling in volume. This step is key to a light and airy cake, so don't rush it.
Once your eggs are beautifully whipped, gently fold in half of the flour and baking powder mixture. Be gentle here , use a spatula and carefully fold so you don't knock out all the air. Next, fold in the orange puree along with the splash of vanilla extract. Finally, fold in the rest of the flour mix. The batter should be well combined but try to avoid overmixing; you want to keep it nice and light.
Pour your lovely batter into the prepared springform tin and smooth out the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. This will help the cake bake evenly and look pretty when it comes out of the oven.
Pop the tin into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 190 C / Gas 5 . After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius or Gas mark 2 , and continue baking for another 30 minutes. This gradual temperature drop helps the cake cook through without burning on top.
You'll know the cake is done when it's a beautiful golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Don't worry if it looks a little shiny on top; that's the olive oil doing its thing.
Once out of the oven, let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 minutes so it firms up a bit. Then gently release the springform and transfer the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step is important because it helps the cake set perfectly and makes it easier to slice.
Pairs Well With
