The 5-Ingredient Italian Cake I Make On Repeat

Every year, I go through the ritual of asking my husband what dessert he’d like for his birthday. Every year, we pretend he won’t answer the same way, just for fun. But year after year, he answers with a smile, “Orange cake.”

Years ago, I came across a popular recipe on NYTimes Cooking by Claudia Roden for Orange and Almond Cake, pulled from her 1980s cookbook Everything Tastes Better Outdoors. I was intrigued by the idea of using whole oranges in the cake, and I was certainly surprised to find the cake contained no flour and no oil or butter—usually essential for a good cake.

As soon as I made the cake, my idea of what was required to make a cake went right out the door. I loved it, and it goes without saying my husband did, too. Over the years, I’ve tweaked the 5-ingredient recipe to make it quicker, easier, and simpler. Now, I make the ultra-moist, fragrant cake for just about every occasion, and it always disappears in minutes.

The Magic of Whole Oranges

It might seem a bit nuts to include whole oranges in a cake, including the bitter white pith, but it works wonderfully with a couple of caveats. In Roden’s original recipe, she has you use two large navel oranges and simmer them whole in a pot for two (count them, two) hours. If you’re using large, thick-skinned oranges, this method works; however, I find an hour is long enough (or you can pressure cook them in water for 30 minutes using a natural release).

Or you can do what I do: skip cooking the oranges altogether. The key is your choice of citrus. Look for very juicy, thin-skinned varieties. I like most types of mandarin oranges and tangerines. You’ll need to use more since they’re smaller than navels, but there’s no need to cook them at all. That means you can prep this cake in under 10 minutes flat.

Because this cake only contains almond flour, eggs, sugar, oranges, and baking powder (plus a little salt), it’s naturally gluten-free and lactose-free. And even though there’s no oil or butter, it stays moist for days, with a texture bordering on cheesecake.

Tips for Serving

The great news is you really don’t need to do anything else to this cake, since it’s perfect just as-is. To make it a bit prettier, I either dust with powdered sugar or add a thin layer of orange marmalade on top. You could also top with whipped cream and/or candied citrus. My husband also loves the combination of orange and chocolate, so I’ve also topped it with a simple chocolate ganache before.