Jaffa Orange Cake

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A fragrant Palestinian sponge cake rooted in the orchards of Jaffa, where sweet orange groves once supplied the region. Whole oranges are simmered until tender and blended into the batter, giving the crumb a deeply perfumed citrus flavor. Finished with a light orange-blossom syrup, it is traditionally served with strong black tea.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 16 gFat
• 2.5 gSaturated Fat
• 54 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 32 gSugar
• 7 gProtein
• 180 mgSodium
• 245 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 2 mgIron
• 28 mgVitamin C
• 55 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 medium Jaffa oranges (about 300 g), whole and unpeeled
• 1 cup fine semolina
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup ground blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the orange syrup

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Jaffa orange juice
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For finishing

• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions

1. Place the whole unpeeled oranges in a small saucepan, cover with water, and simmer for 40 minutes until very soft. Drain, halve, remove any seeds, and puree the flesh and peel in a food processor until smooth. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of orange puree; let it cool slightly.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 4-5 minutes until pale, thick, and tripled in volume. Beat in the olive oil and orange blossom water until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the semolina, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry mixture into the egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the warm orange puree, until just smooth and no streaks remain.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake on the middle rack for 45-55 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. While the cake bakes, make the syrup: combine the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water and lemon juice.
7. When the cake comes out of the oven, let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Poke the surface all over with a skewer and slowly spoon the warm syrup over the top, allowing it to absorb. Let cool completely in the pan before unmolding.
8. Transfer to a serving plate, scatter the toasted almonds and orange zest over the top, and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Slice into wedges and serve with mint tea or Arabic coffee.

Cook’s Notes

• Simmering the whole orange softens the peel and removes bitterness; do not skip this step or your cake will taste sharp.
• Use light, mild olive oil rather than extra-virgin for a neutral background that lets the orange flavor shine.
• The cake tastes even better the next day once the syrup has fully soaked in; store covered at room temperature up to 3 days.
• For a gluten-free version, substitute the wheat flour with an equal amount of fine semolina and add 1 extra tablespoon of ground almonds.

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