Tunisian Orange Quinoa Cake

A flourless orange cake with quinoa & ground almonds.

Posted by Cat Morley

About

I invented this cake for my Mum's birthday after we discovered we loved Tunisian orange cakes. To make it even more appealing to my Mum, I put quinoa in the batter.

I had a test trial with a one layered cake which was delicious and then got fancy for her birthday, making a two-tiered cake with whipped cream in the middle and lychees on top.

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You Will Need (9 things)

  • 100 g Quinoa
  • 300 g Sugar
  • 3 Oranges
  • 3 Eggs
  • 3 tbsp Poppy Seeds
  • 200 g Ground Almonds
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 1 pinch Saffron

Steps (16 steps, 50 minutes)

  1. 1

    Before you start cooking, soak the saffron in a small bowl with 4 tbsp of warm water for 30 minutes.

  2. 2

    Place two of the oranges in a pan, fill with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and then rinse the oranges under cold water.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile cook the quinoa.

  4. 4

    Chop up the cooked oranges and place in a blender.

  5. 5

    Blend until smooth.

  6. 6

    Whisk together the eggs and 200 grams sugar.

  7. 7

    Add the orange puree, ground almonds, cooked quinoa, poppy seeds, baking powder and salt.

  8. 8

    Fold to combine.

  9. 9

    Spread the batter into a greased cake tin.

  10. 10

    Bake at 180'C for an hour.

  11. 11

    Meanwhile, peel the skin from the third orange and cut into thin slices.

  12. 12

    Simmer in a pan of hot water for 20 minutes and then rinse under cold water.

  13. 13

    Squeeze the juice from the orange into the pan and bring to the boil with the remaining 100g of sugar until dissolved.

  14. 14

    Add the orange peel and saffron with it's water.

  15. 15

    Simmer for 15 minutes until it has thickened into a thick syrup.

  16. 16

    Pour the syrup over your cake and serve!