Orange almond cake

I am always looking for a good citrus cake recipe as it is our weekend brunch staple. Michel Roux's recipe, which has a higher egg/flour ratio, is distinctly different from my favorite one. I was intrigued.

This recipe tastes more airy than Dan Lepard's butter cake (Dan's version is by no means dense). The texture is lighter, however not in terms of calories. Since my first attempt, I have tried substituting double cream and rum with plain yogurt. Works out marvelously.

Orange almond cake (adapted from Michel Roux's Lemon Drizzle Cake)

- 140 g plain flour

- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50 g butter, melted
- 3 medium eggs
- pinch of salt
- 125 g white sugar
- zest from two lemons (I used orange extract)
- 75 g double cream
- 40 ml rum (can be replaced with milk)
- 2 tsp rum to brush on the baked cake (optional)
- Lemon drizzle: (I skipped this step and simply scattered almond flakes on top)
   - 40 g powder sugar
   - juice from ½ lemon

Preheat oven at 200C.

Beat together eggs, salt, sugar and lemon zest for 20 seconds. Whisk in double cream until combined.

Sift in flour and baking powder. Gently fold in for 30 seconds. Add in rum. Mix in melted butter. Do not overwork the dough.

Pour the batter into a lined 20-cm round cake tin (or a loaf one). Bake at 200C for 10 minutes and reduce to 190 for another 30-35 minutes. The total baking time is 40-45 minutes. Rotate the cake tin half way through to ensure even baking. Perform the toothpick test on the cake starting at 40 minutes.

Optional steps: brush 2 tsp rum on top of the baked cake. Drizzle lemon icing on top of the cake. Put back to the oven at 240C for 20 seconds.