Orange Syrup Cake with Candied Oranges

I am a huge fan of syrup infused cakes.  The first one I had ever eaten was a Lemon Polenta Cake that my friend Jhumpa had made.  Although it still remains my all-time favorite, this ultra-moist Orange Syrup Cake with Candied Oranges is definitely a keeper.

Orange Syrup Cake with Candied Oranges

Makes: 1 (10") cake-10-12 servings

Orange Cake Ingredients:

4 oranges, zested

1 lemon, zested

14 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

10 ounces almond flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, at room temperature

pinch of salt

Syrup Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange and lemon juice ( squeezed from the zested citrus)

6 Tablespoons granulated sugar

Candied Orange Slices Ingredients:

1 orange

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup water

1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350'.  Spray a 9-10" springform pan that was lined with parchment paper with baking spray.

2.  Grind the citrus zest in a food processor with the 1 1/2 cups of sugar until it's finely ground.  

3.  In a bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the butter with the zest-infused sugar until well-combined.

4.  In a separate bowl measure out the almond flour, all-purpose flour and salt.  Stir together.

5.  Add half of the almond flour mixture to the butter, then add the eggs one by one, stopping the machine a few times to scrape the sides down. Then add the remaining almond mixture, stirring just until incorporated.  

6.  Scrap the batter into the pan.  Level the top of the batter, and bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out relatively clean, but a little moist.

7.  While the cake is baking, make the syrup by heating the 3/4 cup citrus juice and 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar is dissolved, then set aside.  When the cake comes out of the oven, brush the syrup liberally over the hot cake.  Let cool completely in the pan.

8.  To candy the oranges, cut the orange into 1/4" slices.  Put the slices in a nonreactive saucepan, and add enough water to cover them well, and bring to a simmer.  Blanch the slices for ten minutes, or until they are tender and translucent.

9.  Put the oranges back in the saucepan and add the 2/3 cup sugar and 2/3 cup water and cook the oranges at a simmer for about ten minutes, or until they are tender and translucent.  Save the syrup, do not discard!

Serving: Serve slices of the cake with whipped cream, and a slice of candied orange along with some of the syrup from when you candied the oranges.

Reciped from: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/04/orange-syrup-cake-recipe/