Homemade Orange Cake Recipe: The Perfect Christmas Dessert for Every Occasion!
I must confess something: this is not your typical afternoon snack cake recipe. No! When I started experimenting in my kitchen, the intent was clear: to create a Christmas cake that would unleash all the culinary creativity of the holidays. And here’s the result: my personal and delightful version of the orange cake with raisins and candied fruits.
Regardless of its perfect place as a dessert for Christmas festivities, this cake is so versatile that it becomes an excellent dessert for any other occasion throughout the year!
It is a simple cake at its core, which combines Ligurian tradition with the freshness of citrus, perfect for accompanying your autumn afternoons with a nice steaming cup of tea. Or, thanks to its rich texture and enveloping flavors, it will become your indulgent morning wake-up call, dipped in coffee and milk!
In short, not preparing this orange raisin and almond cake would be a real shame! Don’t forget to carefully note all the ingredients and measurements of my recipes and get to work right away!
Let the magic of Christmas, and the sweetness, begin!
Other ideas to make your holidays even sweeter!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 20 cm pan
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 cup g All-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup g Spelt flour
- 1/2 cup g Cornstarch
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 cup g Whole cane sugar
- 1/4 cup g Maple syrup
- 1/2 cup g Butter
- 1 Orange zest (untreated)
- 1 Fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup g Pine nuts
- 2 tbsps g Sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup g Chocolate sprinkles
- 1/4 cup g Candied fruits
- 1/4 cup g Sugar nibs (+ as needed for decoration)
- 1.4 oz ml Mandarin liqueur
- 1 packet Baking powder
- as needed Vanilla powdered sugar
- as needed Salt
Preparation
Sift and mix the two types of flour with the cornstarch and baking powder. Cut open the vanilla pod with a knife and extract the seeds with the tip (fig. 1).
Add a pinch of salt and the orange zest to the flour. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter with the whole cane sugar until creamy (fig. 2).
Add the eggs one at a time, at room temperature, and continue beating with an electric mixer, then gradually add the flavored flour (fig. 3).
Add the mandarin liqueur and the freshly squeezed and strained orange juice to the mixture (fig. 4).
Incorporate the pine nuts, candied fruits, and chocolate sprinkles, lightly floured to prevent sinking into the batter, or avoid over-mixing (fig. 5).
Pour the mixture into a pan lined with wet and squeezed parchment paper and sprinkle the surface with sliced almonds and additional sugar nibs (fig. 6).
Bake at 356°F for about 45 minutes, but keep an eye on your oven, as always, the toothpick test will be the proof! Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature before removing from the pan (fig. 7).
Dust with powdered sugar if you like. And voila… the orange cake with raisins, almonds, and candied fruits is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 The orange cake with raisins, almonds, and candied fruits can be stored at room temperature, away from heat sources and direct light. Like many fruit and nut-rich desserts, its aroma and texture tend to improve in the days following preparation. Make sure the cake is completely cool before storing it. If closed when it’s still warm, condensation will form, promoting mold growth.
