AI-generated image
Oranjekoek
Almond paste cake with orange icing
Oranjekoek: Dutch almond-paste cake with bright orange icing for King's Day
On Koningsdag, 27 April, the whole of the Netherlands turns orange: flea markets fill the streets, boats crowd the canals and bakeries sell oranjekoek, a buttery cake with a hidden layer of almond paste under a thick orange glaze. It is cut into neat squares and eaten with coffee between bargain hunting. The almond paste filling is like the one in gevulde koek, sweet and lemony. Chef's tip: let the cake cool fully before icing, or the glaze slides off and goes patchy.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the almond paste
- 5 ½ oz ground almonds
- 3 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
For the cake
- 6 oz unsalted buttersoft
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 8 oz self-raising flour
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp orange zestfinely grated
For the icing
- 7 oz icing sugar
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 drop orange food colouring
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 20 × 30 cm tin. Mix the 5 ½ oz ground almonds, 3 ½ oz caster sugar, 1 egg and 1 tsp lemon zest into a soft paste.
5 minStep 2: Beat the 6 oz unsalted butter and 5 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the 3 eggs one at a time, then fold in the 8 oz self-raising flour, 3 tbsp whole milk and 1 tbsp orange zest.
10 minStep 3: Spread half the batter in the tin. Dot the almond paste over in small spoonfuls and spread gently, leaving a 1 cm border, then cover with the rest of the batter.
5 minStep 4: Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and a skewer pushed into the cake layer (not the almond paste) comes out clean. A common mistake is judging by the almond layer, which always stays moist.
35 minStep 5: Cool completely in the tin. Mix the 7 oz icing sugar, 2 tbsp orange juice and 1 drop orange food colouring to a thick, bright glaze, spread over the cake and leave to set before cutting into squares.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does oranjekoek take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ground almonds?
- Ground cashews, same amount.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Basque burnt cheesecake
This crustless cheesecake was created in the early 1990s at La Viña, a pintxos bar in the old town of San Sebastián (Donostia) in the Basque Country, and is now famous around the world. It's baked very hot so the top caramelises almost black and the sides rise and crack, while the middle stays soft and creamy, almost runny. There's no base and no water bath, and the rough, rustic look is the point: it's lined with crumpled baking paper. La Viña uses a spoonful of wheat flour; cornflour does the same job and keeps it gluten free. Chef's tip: take it out of the oven while the centre still wobbles like a soft set custard; it firms up as it cools, and if it looks set in the oven, the middle will be dry instead of creamy.
Spanish
Almond cookiesOat, coconut and almond cookies
A big batch of crunchy cookies with rolled oats, coconut, chopped almonds and chunks of cooking chocolate. For a change, use cashew nuts instead of almonds.
Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake
Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.