This Orange Almond Tea Cake is one of the simplest, easiest cake you'll ever make. Redolent of almond paste and orange rind with few other ingredients, this cake has incredible flavor like no other.
This marvelously moist and flavorful cake was inspired by a recipe from the late Flo Braker’s book, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking - one of the earliest and best books on baking to be found.
Oranges and almonds have an affinity for each other. I first used this flavor combination in my first book, The New Pastry Cook and it remains one of my favorites. I have included a processor version and a mixer version – both work equally well.
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Be sure to take a look at How to Make Almond Paste to make your own. There are two recipes. My favorite is the one with the simple syrup.
If you are a lover of almond paste, be sure to check out: Apricot Crumb Coffee Cake, Orange Almond Petit Fours, Almond Macaroons, Blueberry Crumb Muffins, Caramelized Peach Tart, Brandied Chocolate Cherry Almond Garmish, A Quick and Easy Summer Teacake, Twice Baked Brioche, Amaretti Cookies.
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Why is it called a Tea Cake
A Tea Cake is what it sounds like. In the olden days when the pace of life was a lot slower, afternoon tea was often served. While English tea cakes include buns of some kind, the cake version is usually a single layer of a straight forward cake simply finished which is why it needs to be perfectly balanced and packed with flavor, which this cake is. Now it is, most likely, a snack or dessert cake.
Why You'll Love This Tea Cake
- It is super simple and fast to make, especially in the food processor.
- The depth of flavor is amazing.
- It stays moist for days and days if it lasts that long due to the almond paste
- It has only a few ingredients.
- It makes a great gift sure to please.
Recipe Ingredients
FRONT ROW: Baking Powder, unsalted butter
MIDDLE ROW: Almond Paste, orange zest
BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, eggs, granulated sugar
Key Ingredients
The almond paste can be purchased or easily made at home. My post on How to Make Almond Paste - or Not shows you two ways to make it. My preference is the simple syrup method.
Finely grated zest of an orange gives this tea cake a deeply satisfying flavor.
Unsalted butter gives the purest taste and is recommended.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Spray the center only of a 9" round cake pan with a non-stick baking release. Step 2. Line it with parchment paper and spray the center of the paper. For a complete explanation of how to bake flat cake layers, please see my post on How to Bake a Flat Cake. Step 3. Tear the almond paste in pieces and place it along with the sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a processor. Step 4. Process until it is very fine.
Step 5. Cut the butter into pieces and add it to the processor. Step 6. Process until the butter is completely mixed in. Step 7. Add the eggs. Step 8. Process to incorporate.
Step 9. Add all of the flour and baking powder to the processor bowl. Step 10. Process to combine. Step 11. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Step 12. Some of the batter will want to remain in the bowl.
Step 13. To easily remove the batter, place the top back on the processor and pulse several times. The batter will be slung off the blade. Remove the blade and add the remaining batter to the cake pan. For more really useful information see my post on Food Processor Tips When Baking. Step 14. Using a small, flexible metal spatula go around the edge of the baked cake being careful to keep the spatula to the edge of the pan so it doesn't tear the cake. Release the cake onto a serving dish keeping it upside down. Step 15. For a pretty finish to the top of the cake, a cake stencil can be used. I have a set of Kaiser stencils that can be found on Amazon. Step 16. Place the stencil on top of the cake, dust powdered sugar fairly heavily covering the stencil. Carefully, lift the stencil, leaving only the design on top. A paper doily can also be used. No stencil? Just dust it with powdered sugar.
Recipe FAQS
In the 1840's simple cakes known as tea cakes which were served with tea, hence the name, were served in the afternoons to keep hunger at bay until the dinner meal.
Tea cakes are generally more dense than regular cakes and made in single layers.
The name tea cake is also given to cookies, small cakes, buns or simple sweet rolls.
Storage and Freezing
The cake, without the powdered sugar, can be frozen, wrapped well and kept frozen for several months. Thaw at room temperature, then apply the powdered sugar.
The cake can also be held, covered, for several days at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- The cake can be made in a food processor or a mixer.
- For the mixer version, follow the same directions as for the processor but in a mixer.
- Either purchased or homemade almond paste can be used.
- The cake can be served as is or with fresh fruit.
More simple but delicious cakes
If you love this Orange Almond Tea Cake, It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you.
Orange Almond Tea Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup +2 T almond paste (290 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (140 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup +2T all-purpose flour (85 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the center bottom of a 9x2 inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment; spray the center only and set aside.
Processor Method
- Place the almond paste, sugar and orange rind in the processor bowl. Process until mealy. Add the butter; process until mixed. Add all the eggs at once and process until smooth. Lastly add the flour mixture and process until completely combined. Pour into the prepared pan, level and smooth the top.
Mixer Method
- Place the almond paste and sugar in a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle. Beat until large crumbs form. Add the butter and orange rind beating until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. Combine the flour and baking powder whisking to mix. Add all at once to the above and mix on low just until completely combined. Pour into the prepared pan, level and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes, release edges and remove from the pan. Place on a rack, bottom side up to cool completely.
- Place a stencil or doily on top of the cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar fairly heavily. Carefully remove the stencil or doily to retain the design.
Notes
Nutrition
Alison says
This is the third and final almond cake recipe with almond paste I have tried as it is the best one. Very successful! Moist, flavorful. I used an 8 oz packet of almond paste (I did not add the extra 2T and it was perfect). I decreased the sugar to 3/4 c and it was still a little sweet for me, decreased the butter to 9T. I also appreciate the recipes for almond paste which I may try.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Alison - It's also so easy and versatile. Thanks for the kind words.
T. Burton says
This is YUM delicious. I made the Almond Paste (again yum delicious) and then the cake and this came together very quickly. I only had an 8" cake pan handy and the baking time was almost an hour. The cake has a gorgeous golden crispy crust with a very moist and flavorful center I cannot wait to share this with family and friends, thank you Helen, you never disappoint.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi there, thank you so much. I love the color of this when baked.
Tami says
Your recipes are always so delicious and detailed, thanks so much for that. Makes a huge difference when there’s no guessing!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Tami, Thanks so much for the kind words. I want everyone to be able to bake and try to think of as much as I can to help.
Mary says
I love a cake with Marzipan as one of the ingredients. Always stay lovely and moist. Almost impossible to purchase Marzipan here and if you do find it, one has to practically take out a mortgage. So, I will be making it myself.
Looking forward to making your lovely cake.
Mary :))
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Mary, just to make sure you know that almond paste and marzipan are two different things. The recipe I include is for almond paste. But I agree, buying it is very expensive.
Mark Mayer says
Hi Helen,
This recipe reminds me of the Crystal Almond Pound Cake in Flo’s Simple Art of Perfect Baking. It was one of two books I used when teaching myself how to bake. The translucent glaze always struck me as too sweet. I tried her dried Cherry and almond paste version instead and it has become a most requested recipe by my family. Thank you for this recipe. I made it today and served it to one of my husband’s childhood friends with whom he recently connected. Some of the cake is now in transit from Maine to NJ. The only thing I changed was the orange. Rather than zest a summer orange with the microplane I added 1 tsp. Of Boyajian orange oil. Perfect!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Mark, I gave credit to Flo in the opening of the article. She made it with almond alone. I added the orange. Glad to hear it was enjoyed.
Mark Mayer says
Helen,
Double thanks! I ‘ve had so many guests this month that I’ve taken to baking cakes that freeze well, pre-slicing, defrosting and then presenting the guests with a mixed cake plate. Next week I host some peanut butter lovers ( have never liked this ingredient …. perhaps the only child who never ate a PBJ sandwich!) . The pre slices are dwindling, so some of your remaining orange almond tea cake will make it to the plate. This will require a lot of discipline!
Helen S Fletcher says
What a great idea Mark. You can enjoy your guests, give them great food and not work too hard. Do me a favor and go back and give the cake a star rating. These help in the battle for google ranking. Thanks.
Mark Mayer says
Fool proof, delicious, and because of the almond paste… it will stay fresh for days. Another A+ for Helen. Now, I’m giving her the chance to earn extra credit. Time to find the right peanut butter recipe for chocolate and peanut butter loving guests.
Helen S Fletcher says
You're the best Mark. Thanks. Go over the the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake. It will hold well on a dessert plate.
Pam says
This cake is delicious. My alterations were halving the recipe (except still using the zest of the whole orange) and using a 6.5" pan with a removeable bottom. Your instructions on the almond paste were revelatory, and following your instructions, the cake came out flat! I loved that. I don't know whether this was meant or not, but it came out with a crust that was delicately crispy, balanced with soft pillowy cake inside.
The reason why I gave it a four is that I zested a whole orange and still didn't get as much orange flavor as I was looking for. The 'boiled whole orange' cakes deliver lots of orange flavor, but they tend to be too dense and not as good a cake as this one. If the answer is putting in orange essence, I'll give that a try. But it's a great cake.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Pam, how did you zest your orange? It also depends upon the orange. Use a navel orange and a microplaner and you should have plenty, especially if you halved it. Yes, it always comes out flat. Happy you enjoy it.
Ginny says
Could I make this GF? I have typically used America's Test Kitchen GF flour blend, which does not contain any xanthum gum. So, if it *can* be made GF and I want to use ATK GF flour blend, do you know how much xanthum gum I need to add to the batter? I think it's typically 1/4 tsp per cup of flour, but I've seen other quantities as well. This always stumps me because a lot of people use a premade GF flour blend, which already contains xanthum gum.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Ginny - I haven't tested it with GF Flour, much less the one you use. The only thing I can say is to try it. I my Strawberry Lemon Cake, which is gluten free I used 1 teaspoon xanthum gum for 2 1/2 cups almond flour and 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal. Without it the cake sunk really badly. With this small amount of flour in the Orange Almond Tea Cake, I would assume 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon would be plenty. Hope this helps.
Terry says
Hi Helen! This sounds delicious! What is the measurement for the orange zest?
Thanks!
Terry
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Terry - Just the zest of a medium to large orange. It is hard to give a measurement because when zested sometimes it's wet and sometimes dry according to the orange and what is used to zest it.
Kim says
Helen, this simple cake will a nice addition to the tea party I set for my grand girls, ages 2 and 4. They enjoy helping me make the treat we serve when we enjoy a tea party together. Thanks for all the suggestions and the recipe.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Kim, so happy you pass along the baking. I have two grandsons. I baked with both. It really took with one, the other appreciates home baked goods. It's a treasure for both you and the girls to remember.