Orange and Almond Loaf Cake (Vegan Gluten-Free)
A moist, tender and delicious Orange and Almond Loaf Cake made with dairy-free, vegan and easily gluten-free ingredients. Packed with real orange zest with a crunch almond topping and orange glaze, this is the perfect Spring bake.
There is something so refreshing and Spring-like about an orange, they are packed with zesty flavour and are so juicy. So, I wanted to turn this much-loved fruit into a really special cake that will be the star of the show at any gathering, yet is easy enough to bake on a whim one morning. There are also four types of almond in this recipe, and the combination with the orange works so well. There’s an almond butter paste, almond extract, almond flour and flaked almonds on top for crunch. Get ready to bake, as this cake is so delicious, you will be coming back time and time again.
Why will I love this cake?
This cake is so good:
- Light, fluffy, moist and tender
- Fruity, zesty, nutty and delicious
- Packed with orange flavour
- Loaded with four types of almonds
- Topped with crunchy flaked almonds
- Drizzled in a sticky orange glaze
- Delicious with pistachios on top, too
- Great for Spring and Summer (or all year round)
- Made with more wholesome ingredients like olive oil and almond flour
- Naturally egg-free, dairy-free and vegan
- Easily gluten-free
- With nut-free options
- Delicious for birthdays or gatherings
- Ideal for a Sunday bake
- Comes together in just a few steps
- Bakes in 45 minutes
- Everyone will love it
If you already love the sound of this cake, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my favourites and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the almond paste:
- Smooth almond butter: this is the drippy, natural almond butter that contains only almonds (or some salt).
- Almond extract: for more flavour.
- Maple syrup: to make a thick paste, you can also use agave syrup.
- Soya drink: or your preferred dairy-free drink to thin.
As for the cake:
- Soya drink and apple cider vinegar: I used the new soya drink with added calcium from Rude Health which has quickly become my new favourite as it only contains 4 ingredients (water, soya beans, calcium carbonate and salt) and is perfect for baking, frothing and sipping. It’s also naturally higher in protein than other dairy-free alternatives but feel free to use oat, almond or coconut, too. the vinegar will curdle when mixed together, forming a buttermilk.
- Light olive oil: to add moisture, richness and a soft texture to the cake.
- Sugar: light brown and caster sugar combine for a soft, sweet cake that’s light and delicious but with some richer undertones.
- Orange: the zest and juice are used in this cake.
- Almond and vanilla extract: for flavour.
- Plain or GF plain flour: to keep the cake moist and fluffy. If making this gluten-free, make sure the GF blend contains xanthan gum or add ½ tsp of your own.
- Almond flour: to add nutty goodness and a lovely taste and texture. This is slightly finer than ground almonds, but you should be able to swap them in.
- Baking powder and salt: for the rise and flavour.
- Flaked almonds: to add some crunch on top.
And for the glaze:
- Icing sugar: to make it sweet and delicious.
- Orange: a bit of juice to make the glaze and some zest to decorate.
- Turmeric: this adds a touch of colour and is optional.
- Pistachios: for crunch on top, or you can use more flaked, toasted almonds.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This cake is easily gluten-free, as long as you use gluten-free plain flour (with xanthan gum, or add ½ tsp of your own). This cake contains a lot of almond, but you can swap the almond butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini, the almond flour for more plain flour, the almond extract for vanilla extract and omit the flaked almonds on top. The flavour will be different overall, but still delicious.
How do I make this?
This cake is ready to go in a few steps:
- Mix together the ingredients for the almond paste: until thick and smooth.
- Combine the soya drink and apple cider vinegar: and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Now combine all of the wet ingredients: until mixed.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk until smooth.
- Pour half of the batter into the tin: and smooth over the top.
- Drop spoonfuls of almond paste: over the cake.
- Repeat with the remaining cake batter and almond paste: and swirl togther.
- Top with flaked almonds: and place in the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes: or until well-risen, an inserted skewer comes out clean and it’s golden brown.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes: and then lift out the tin to cool fully.
- Mix together the glaze ingredients: and drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Top with some pistachios, almonds and orange zest: and enjoy.
How long will it last?
This cake will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a sealed container, or for 1 month in the freezer wrapped well.
What other recipes can I try?
For more spring bakes and cakes:
- Carrot Cake Banana Bread
- Strawberry Pistachio Crumble Cake
- Raspberry Lemon and Coconut Loaf Cake
- Lemon Berry Tres Leches Cake
- Mango Turmeric Cake
Orange and Almond Loaf Cake (Vegan Gluten-Free)
A moist, tender and delicious Orange and Almond Loaf Cake made with dairy-free, vegan and easily gluten-free ingredients. Packed with real orange zest with a crunch almond topping and orange glaze, this is the perfect Spring bake.
Ingredients
For the Almond Paste:
- 60g smooth runny almond butter
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp soya drink
For the Cake:
- 180ml soya drink + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 120ml light olive oil
- 100g light brown sugar
- 100g caster sugar
- 3 oranges, zested and juiced
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 250g plain or GF plain flour
- 50g almond flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 20g flaked almonds
For the Frosting:
- 60g icing sugar
- ½ tbsp orange juice
- Pinch turmeric, for colour only
- Crushed pistachios, to serve
- Orange zest, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a 9x5-inch loaf tin with baking parchment.
- Make the almond paste by stirring together the ingredients until smooth and thick.
- Combine the soya drink with apple cider vinegar in a small jug and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Pour the milky mix into a mixing bowl with the olive oil, both sugars, orange zest and 60ml of the orange juice. Add in the almond and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
- Sift in the flour and add the almond flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to a runny, smooth batter.
- Pour half of the batter into the tin and then add on scoops of the almond paste (use ½ of the mix). Top with the remaining cake batter and spoon over the almond paste. Now drag a blunt knife through the cake to swirl the almond paste.
- Smooth over the top and sprinkle on the flaked almonds.
- Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until well-risen, an inserted skewer comes out clean and it’s golden brown. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then lift out to cool fully on a wire rack.
- Combine the icing sugar, orange juice and turmeric into a thick glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and top with some crushed pistachios and extra orange zest.
- Slice and serve straight away or keep in a sealed container for 2-3 days (or for 2-5 days in the fridge). You can freeze the cake, wrapped well, for 1 month and allow to defrost before serving.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Orange and Almond Loaf Cake, so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With orange love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Rude Health but this blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
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