Blood Orange Almond Paste Cake

This post is sponsored by Wilfa

Is it weird that I have a favourite cake texture? I’ll let you decide but I’m guessing its not quite normal. Weird or not, the fact is I do have an ideal cake texture and todays recipe is a perfect example, a cake that I am completely in love with. The texture is found most commonly in pound cakes and loaf cakes, it's a dense and buttery texture, almost velvet-like in its tenderness. It’s the type of cake that sits on your counter and demands you take a little nibble every time you walk past it, a cake that needs sharing before you ‘accidentally’ eat 3 slices in 1 day.

This particular cake, made with the secret ingredient almond paste, is an adaption of a recipe from Elisabeth Prueitt of Tartine Bakery fame, itself an adaption of a recipe from the legendary baker Flo Braker. I’ve made many versions of this cake over the years, but always with an element of citrus to brighten and balance the sweetness in the recipe. Todays version is made with early season blood oranges, but if you cant get your hands on those, it’s also great with regular oranges or, more traditional, with lemons. If you have made a version of this recipe before and you’re in the US you may notice the ratio of eggs is different from the original recipe and this is simply to reflect UK egg sizes (UK size large is a US size extra-large).

Another reason I love this cake is that is baked in a pullman loaf pan. If you’re subscribed to Second Helpings, you’ll know that a pullman loaf pan produces loaves that are perfectly square, like this weeks post for Shokupan. I cant help but love the clean sharp edges it gives to the cake, giving it a very ‘bakery style’ look. If you are in the market for pullman loaf pans, I get mine from Rackmaster (if you want the lid for making square loaves of bread they can be purchased separately).

Making this cake normally requires a stand mixer, the almond paste needs breaking down with the sugar to create a breadcrumb like texture and this takes quite a bit of power, not something many hand mixers could handle. Thankfully I used my Wilfa Smooth Mix Hand Mixer which has a powerful 500W motor that is more than up to the task at hand. If you are in the market for a hand mixer, or you’re looking for the ideal gift for someone new to baking, I can wholeheartedly recommend this mixer. It has a 5-speed action with a useful boost function as well, comes with both whisk and dough hook attachments, and also just look really smart. One of the reasons I agreed to be Wilfa’s ambassador was that I was really taken with how well built and how powerful their equipment is, and that of course stands true for the hand mixer.

For 20% off Wilfa products use my code THEBOYWHOBAKES at checkout.

Blood Orange Almond Paste Loaf Cake
Serves 10

Almond Paste Cake
120g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
250g almond paste (see note)
250g caster sugar
Zest of 3 blood oranges
280g unsalted butter, room temperature
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
A couple drops almond extract

Blood Orange Juice
100ml blood orange juice
100g caster sugar

Blood Orange Glaze
200g icing sugar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
A couple drops almond extract
Pinch of salt
1 blood orange

Note: this recipe uses almond paste, not marzipan. The one I use is 50% almonds (marzipan tends to have a much lower almond content) and can be bought from Ocado and either online or in-store from ScandiKitchen in central London, among other places. It is a brilliant ingredient and well worth tracking down for the occasions you want to make a version of this cake.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan) and lightly grease a 9x4x4 pullman loaf pan and line with a piece of parchment that overhangs the long sides of the pan, securing in place with metal binder clips.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the almond paste, in small chunks, to a large bowl along with the sugar and orange zest. Using the Wilfa Smooth Mix Hand Mixer mix together until the almond paste is broken down into a fine breadcrumb like mixture. If the almond paste remains in large chunks the final cake batter will have lumps. Add the butter and and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully combined before adding another. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix briefly to distribute. Add the flour mixture and mix briefly just until a smooth cake batter is formed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is baking make the simple syrup. Place the orange juice and sugar into a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer to dissolve the sugar.

Once the cake is baked, allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the syrup and allow the cake to fully cool before glazing.

To make the glaze whisk together all the ingredients with just enough blood orange juice to make a thick but pourable glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, teasing it over the sides of the cake so it drips down the sides.

Kept covered the cake will keep for 3-4 days.

Prune Tea Cakes

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying that brilliant time of year between Christmas and New Year where time seems to standstill and everyone survives on cheese and leftover ham and mincepies (or is that just me). For my last post of 2022 I wanted to post a recipe from my book Small Batch Bakes. The recipe is one I have been making a lot over the Christmas period and whilst not particularly festive its warming flavour is the perfect warming wintery treat, especially if you’ve run out if mince pies or Christmas cake and you need something else to accompany your evening plate of cheese and crackers.

If you like sticky toffee pudding you will love these little cakes. Made from a similar set of ingredients, these squidgy little cakes are made with prunes which add both a lot of flavour and help keep the cakes moist for days. Whilst the cakes might look a little underwhelming or maybe even boring I can safely say they are wonderful, they’re actually my boyfriends favourite recipe from Small Batch Bakes, they’re simple but with layers of flavour coming from every single ingredient. Brown sugar is supplemented with a little treacle to add depth, rye flour is used in place of white flour which has no inherent flavour of its own, the prunes are soaked in tea to add even more flavour

Buy yourself a copy of Small Batch Bakes here!

Prune Tea Cakes
Makes 6

40g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
115g ready-to-eat prunes, halved
150ml brewed black tea (I like earl grey)
75g light brown sugar
1 tbsp black treacle
1 large egg
75g wholemeal rye flour
25g plain flour
¼ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and lightly grease a six-hole muffin tray.

Put the prunes in a small saucepan, pour in the hot tea and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid has been absorbed by the fruit.

Meanwhile, put the butter, sugar and treacle in a bowl and beat for about five minutes, until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg until fully combined. In another bowl, whisk the flours, salt and baking powder, then add to the butter mixture and mix briefly just to combine.

Take the pan of prunes off the heat, add the bicarb and stir just until it starts to foam. Add to the batter and mix briefly until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray, sprinkle liberally with demerara sugar, then bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cakes spring back to a light touch. Remove and leave to cool for five minutes, then carefully turn out and put on a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes will keep in a sealed container for at least four days.

Eggnog Bundt Cake

This post is sponsored by Wilfa

Every year I like to create a special cake for those of you who don’t love the traditional fruit cake, who despise all things dried fruit. This years cake is, I think, something rather extra special and I think you’re going to love it! I happen to love eggnog, be it the traditional version made with eggs, dairy and rum, or an apple cider version I have been making for the past few years, or even the vegan version I came up with this year. What I am saying is that If you’re making eggnog, I’ll happily take a glass or two. This year, I have taken those classic flavours and turned them into a truly fabulous bundt cake. The cake itself is a relatively classic pound cake, rich and buttery and spiked with lots of nutmeg and a good glug of rum. The cake also has a surprise up its sleeve; when whole it will resemble a very simple pound cake with a little white chocolate glaze, but when sliced the secret is revealed. A little bit like the classic ‘tunnel o fudge’ bundt cake, this recipe has a hidden layer of eggnog whipped cream, made with rum, nutmeg and vanilla. The cake has all the warming toasty flavours of eggnog with the same creamy cosiness you’d expect with the drink.

You’ll see in the recipe I suggest using a little toasted milk powder in both the cake itself and in the whipped cream filling. If you saw my video guide on how to make this magical powder you know it has the same flavour profile as browned butter and adding small amounts to these elements really acts as a wonderful flavour enhancer. I jokingly refer to it as the MSG of baking but its probably pretty accurate, it’s like a secret baking seasoning. It adds a gentle toasted, almost caramel like, flavour and whilst you may not be able to detect it as a distinct flavour it really adds depth and character to the recipe.

To make the cake I used my Wilfa Probaker, the amazing stand mixer I introduced to you last month. After that first post one of the main questions I received was, can it make more than bread (something it does better than any other domestic mixer I have ever tried), and the answer is of absolutely, yes! The Probaker is a multifunctional mixer, with attachments for whisking, for kneading and for beating. The other question I received multiple times was, is the mixer only good for big batches and the answer is no, this can be used as a regular domestic mixer, for single batches of cakes and cookies as well as making big batches, it is designed to work just a well making small batches as it is making big batches, its the best of both worlds. This cake was made with the flexible rubber ‘flexiVISP’ beater which scrapes both the sides and base of the mixer as it beats your ingredients together, which means it is more efficient and the bowl needs scraping down much less frequently than with a traditional metal beater. The other thing that I love this mixer for, when making cakes, is that you can have the mixer running and add dry goods into the bowl without them flying out of the bowl in a giant cloud of flour and icing sugar, a feature of the mixer that makes me very happy!

To get 20% off Wilfa products make sure to use the code THEBOYWHOBAKES at checkout.

Eggnog Bundt
Serves 12-15

340g unsalted butter, room temperature
450g caster sugar
3 tbsp toasted milk powder (optional)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 a nutmeg, freshly grated
375g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
200ml sour cream, room temperature
50ml dark rum

Filling
250ml double cream
1 tbsp light brown sugar
25ml dark rum
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp toasted milk powder (optional)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

To Decorate
100g white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

To make the Bundt preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan). Lightly grease a 12-cup capacity Bundt pan (I used this one) with softened butter and dust with flour, tapping out any excess.

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of the Wilfa Probaker with the flexivisp (silicon edge beater) attached. On medium/high speed cream together the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the milk powder and vanilla and beat briefly to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, with the mixer running on medium speed. Once each egg is fully mixed into the butter mixture, add another. Meanwhile whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Grate the nutmeg into the mixer bowl and then add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the liquid ingredients (starting and finishing with flour). When you’re adding the flour mixture keep the mixing to a minimum, you want to mix just until evenly mixed but avoiding mixing for too long and making a tough cake.

Scrape the finished batter into the prepared Bundt pan and level out. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place the Bundt pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before inverting and turning out the cake. Allow to cool fully before adding the filling; when making bundt I often make this in the evening and leave overnight before assembling.

For the filling add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until medium/stuff peaks form. Place the cake back into the cleaned Bundt pan and use a pairing knife to score a channel in the base of the cake and then use a spoon to scoop out the channel making a tunnel in the base of the cake. Add the filling to this channel and smooth out so the filling sits flush with the base of the cake. Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving plate or cake stand.

To decorate pour over the melted and cooled white chocolate and finish with a few festive sprinkles. The white chocolate needs to have cooled but still be pourable, that way the chocolate doesn't just run immediately off the cake.

Once the filled the cake needs serving on the same day or refrigerating for a day or two. Unfilled the cake would keep for 3-4 days.

Cinnamon Bun Slices

I am back from my US book tour and am in that place where I am very happy to be home, exhausted from all the travel, but also kind of wishing I was still on the road. Firstly, I cannot tell you how amazing it was to spend the last three weeks flying around the states and doing a whole bunch of events in celebration of my new book Small Batch Bakes. We had a launch party at Ovenly in NYC, events at Williams Sonoma stores in Minneapolis and LA, and book store events in Seattle, SF and LA. The absolute best part was meeting so many of you along the way. I cant tell you how amazing it is to hear your stories of baking, the recipes of mine you my make and how they’ve become regulars in your kitchen. It still blows my mind that my baking reaches all that way and that it gives you the same pleasure it gives me. If you want to see more behind the scenes moments from the tour and, more importantly, read all about the bakeries I visited whilst on the tour make sure you are subscribed to my Substack newsletter. The newsletter has tons of free content and will also be home to lots of exclusive content and recipes just for paid subscribers.

Now that I am back in London it is, of course, pouring down with rain and cold so I was in the mood for a delicious cinnamon bun, something warming to counteract the miserable weather. But after the tour, making something yeasted that involves kneading sounds like far too much work. Instead let’s make the Cinnamon Bun Slices from Small Batch Bakes, a super simple recipe that gives you all the warming toasty goodness of a homemade cinnamon bun but without any of the work. Made with a simple cake, made with melted butter for speed, it is swirled with cinnamon butter which sinks and melts into the cake as it bakes. The cake is finished with a simple vanilla bean glaze that sets as it cools giving the same effect as a glazed doughnut. It is the perfect cake to whip up when a craving hits and perfectly paired with a big mug of coffee. It’s a teensy little cake which makes just 4-6 slices depending how hungry you are which means if your staying inside to avoid the rain nothing has to go to waste. If you like the idea of Small Batch Bakes you can get a copy of the book anywhere books are sold. If you’re in the US the following places also have limited amounts of signed copies, which can be shipped anywhere in the US:

Book Larder - Seattle
Omnivore Books - San Fransisco
Now Serving - LA

The following Williams Sonoma stores have copies available exclusively in store

Williams Sonoma - LA Farmers Market
Williams Sonoma - Edina, Minnesotta

Cinnamon Bun Slices - Small Batch Bakes

Cinnamon Butter
25g unsalted butter, at room temperature
25g light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine sea salt

Cake Batter
50g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
65ml double cream
¼ tsp vanilla bean paste
100g plain flour
¾ tsp baking powder
Pinch of fine sea salt

Vanilla Glaze
50g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp whole milk
¼ tsp vanilla bean paste 

Preheat the oven to 180º (160ºC Fan) 350ºF, Gas Mark 4.

Lightly grease a 23 x 13cm loaf tin and line with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the long sides, securing it in place with metal clips.

First, make the cinnamon butter: place all the ingredients for it in a bowl and beat together until a very soft paste forms. Set aside.

To make the cake, melt the diced butter in a small pan over a medium heat, then set aside. Place the sugar, egg, cream and vanilla in a bowl and whisk together until smooth and combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk again, just until a smooth batter forms.

Pour in the melted butter and stir gently with the whisk, just until fully combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly.

Spoon little dollops of the cinnamon butter over the batter, then use a skewer or chopstick to gently swirl them in. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back to a light touch and is just starting to come away from the sides of the tin. Turn off the oven and set the cake aside for 15 minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.

When the cake is cool, reheat the oven to 180º (160ºC Fan) 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix together until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze all over the cake, then return it to the oven for a couple of minutes, or until the glaze is set. (this step is optional, the glaze will eventually set at room temp but for that classic doughnut style glaze the heat helps)

Serve thin slices of the cake alongside big mugs of coffee. Once sliced, it is best eaten that day, but the slices can also be frozen for up to a month.