Nina calls it my “O Cake”. Oranges and Almonds in a skillet never tasted so damn good.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- orange zest, from one whole orange + 2 tablespoons of fresh juice
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more to grease the pan (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- Candied Orange slices from 1 orange (Made in advance-see recipe below) (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sanding sugar, or demerara sugar
- powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Grease a 9” cast iron skillet (or round cake pan) with butter. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, orange zest, and juice until well blended. Add the salt, vanilla, and almond extract; whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour to the bowl, and gently stir until well combined. Fold in the melted butter until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into greased skillet and smooth top with the spatula. Place sliced oranges on top of batter and sprinkle almonds in between orange slices.
- Bake at 350°F until top is golden and edges are slightly crisp. Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes before slicing or transferring to a serving plate. Garnish with a light dusting of powdered sugar; serve warm or at room temperature.
Candied Orange Slices (Made in Advance)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 navel orange, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup sugar for coating
In a medium skillet, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the orange slices and cook over moderate heat, turning them occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to a thin syrup and the orange slices are translucent, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until the syrup is thick and the slices are tender but still intact, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer the orange slices to a rack to cool. Coat with sugar and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Reserve the syrup in refrigerator for another use. It will last about two weeks as well.
Commandatore Of The Kitchen 