ORANGE AND COCONUT CAKE WITH RICOTTA FROSTING (GLUTEN-FREE)
A couple of nights ago I dreamt that I decided to start a weekly feature here on Lucullian, Gluten-free Fridays, and when I woke up I thought that it was a pretty good idea so I have decided to follow my dream for once even though in this case it is not a dream dream but just a dream. At least I will try. Gluten-free baking and cooking has interested me almost since the beginning of my blogging career, don’t ask me why because no one in this family suffers from gluten intolerance, I just find it an interesting challenge to bake without gluten and so much of what I normally cook is naturally gluten-free. I am no expert of course and I might slip sometimes (hopefully not) but I have noticed that I have a lot of gf readers. My family eats my gluten-free cakes without even noticing the lack of normal flour and they are pretty picky so I think we can safely make gf cakes for anyone. And if you still don’t dare to try it, you can usually substitute the flour substitute in my baking with normal flour.
So here we go: Gluten-free Friday #1! This cake is a nice dense cake that you imbibe with an orange syrup and, if you feel like it, decorate with an orange and ricotta frosting. I also added thin strips of candied orange peel on top.
ORANGE AND COCONUT CAKE WITH RICOTTA FROSTING (GLUTEN-FREE)
cake:
4 eggs
200 ml/0,85 cup sugar
100 g/3,5 oz butter, salted and melted
125 g/4,4 oz fresh ricotta
150 g/5,3 oz almond flour
200 ml/0,85 cup rice flour
100 ml/0,42 coconut, grated. Fresh is best but dehydrated works as well
1 tsp baking powder
syrup:
5 oranges, the juice of. If the oranges are small, squeeze more
50-100 ml/1,75-3,5 oz sugar, it depends on how sweet the oranges are
frosting:
fresh ricotta
fresh orange juice
confectioner’s sugar
- Whip eggs and sugar fluffy, add butter and ricotta and mix well.
- Add rice and almond flour together with baking powder and the coconut and stir until perfectly mixed.
- Put the batter in a greased cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven (175°C/350°F) for 25-30 minutes or until it ready. Always best to do the toothpick test!
- While the cake is in the oven you prepare the orange syrup by simmering the fresh orange juice with the sugar until it has a syrupy feel.
- When the cake is ready, put it on a plate and make a lot of small holes or small cuts all over it. Then proceed to pouring small amounts of the orange syrup over the surface, trying to get it down the holes and cuts. I sometimes use a syringe without the needle to really get the liquid where I want it. When all the syrup is absorbed, leave it to cool down.
- Make the frosting by whipping the ricotta with a couple of tblsp of fresh orange juice and as much confectioner’s sugar yo need to get the consistence you like. Go careful with the juice, better to add a little at a time.
- Spread out the frosting over the cake and top with whatever you feel like, I used thin strips of candied orange peel.
I have one question: in the recipe stated – juice of five oranges, which they need to do? In the dough? Or they go to the glaze?
The orange juice is for the syrup, you make it with the sugar and the juice, I have separated it in the recipe so that it is easier to understand! I hope it will help you!
Thank you!
Hi- I love the sound of this recipe! Can you please explain what “85 cup rice flour” “85 sugar” and “42 coconut” means in terms of quantities? ….I am in the US and would like to make this. How large of a cake pan and how many does it serve? May I double it? Thank you for a great blog, just discovered you!
Hi Cynthia, Thank you for your kind words! I haven’t made this cake for ages so I’ll do my best. 0.85 cup is 85% of one cup. 0.42 is 42% of one cup. I can’t remember the size of the cake pan but around 22 centimeters probably. To be honest I use any pan that fits my mood and don’t put that much weight on the size. I’m pretty sure you can double it, I see no reason why not. I hope this is of help to you, let me know how it goes!
Many thanks – I will let you know how it comes out!