Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake

GLUTEN FREE FRIDAY!

This gluten free Almond Orange cake is a fresh, dense cake suitable for any occasion. It’s sweetened with sugar, flavored with delectable sweet naval oranges and held together with Almond meal.

This Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake has meaning to our little family. It’s a cake that will always remind us of our first great chapter in New York. Of the many unique lives living in this world, of good values, kind hearts and God loving people. This recipe comes from a lovely New York family who lived right under us on 82nd street.

The Almond Orange Cake in #3S

We lived in a 4th floor walk-up on the Upper West Side for the first 4 years in New York City. This apartment was fitted with many great things…multi-generations of mice families, charismatic Hispanic super, the hippest of Columbia students having awesome rave parties right across the hall, and (the biggest draw)–a long hall…the perfect roadway for race car driving, foot racing, ball bouncing, box sliding, toddler walking/falling, scooter practice etc. You name it and my boys did it down that long hall. I can’t imagine the thundering noises the poor people in #3S heard below us. Luckily for us, the recipients of the noise on their ceiling, happened to be a lovely mother and daughter. Maria (94 yrs old) and Marie (mid 30’s).

They lived there for over 40 years. And, yet, they accepted the constant galavanting of our noisy children with love! Never a complaint or an eye roll.

One day, when my boys were particularly noisy and clunky, I apologized for the loud stomping down the hall. Sweet Marie (the daughter) said, “oh no, don’t apologize! Mom loves to hear the pitter patter of their feet.” haha I’m sure. The “pitter-patter” is the very opposite of what it was. It was stomping and thunderous at the least. As a thank you, I made sure to sprinkle them with goodies and flowers…a few times. Not near enough obviously. And they, in return, would send surprises up for the boys.

Maria, the elderly mother, never left the apt except to go to the hospital via ambulance or the doctor’s office, also via ambulance. Thus, we never met her in person the entire time we lived there. We knew of her simply from our exchanges of, “Oh I’m so sorry about the thundering noises above you. Theo can’t walk yet so we have a walker with WHEELS that Jude loves to push him down the hall at extreme speeds.” And Marie’s replies of, “Oh we love to hear the noise!” and other times, “Mom is so glad you are back from your trip! It was too quiet and she misses the boys running up and down!” We truly lucked out having such a nice mother/daughter duo below us.

When it was time to move apt’s a few blocks away, we thought it prudent to visit this sweet, elderly lady who had suffered through 4 years of slapping, falling, scooting, running and stomping down the hall. We thought if she saw their cute little faces it would soften the blow. Probably too late…but better late than never.

We asked if we could stop by for a quick in-person goodbye. Marie happily welcomed us into her home where we weaved through 40 years of cool artifacts and walls that didn’t exist in our apt just one floor above. It’s funny to go into a place that is technically the exact layout as the one you lived your life in– but that has another family’s story marked in the walls. That was this apt.

Maria was sitting in her chair. Her frail tiny body with the oxygen cannula draped on her face. Although we had never seen the whites of each others eyes, she welcomed us warmly like we had indeed been living with them the past 4 years. ha!

She was a Puerto Rican native and didn’t speak much English aside from, “Oh they are beautiful” and a few simple questions for the kids. She beckoned us to sit next to her and we talked for over an hour. During that time, Marie brought out this Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake that she wanted to share with us! It was delectable. And the company and surroundings made it taste even better.

Just a few months later, Marie told us Mom was in the hospital. Coincidentally, we happened to be near the hospital and popped in to say hello. She greeted us in her cute Spanish and thanked us for coming.

It was only days later Marie told us Mom passed quietly during the night. An end of an era and a life we got just a small glimpse of.

We did very little to improve Marie/Maria’s life, but they made a stamp in our New York lives and one we will always remember. To the lovely grandma who lived below us and encouraged the noise and life above her. Cheers!

Now for a couple tips about this Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake from the Bertrands in apt #3S…

PREPARATION for the Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake:

• Use the entire orange. Yes its true. Plop that whole orange in the pot. Rind and all. And then, after boiling it until its softer than a ripe avocado, blend the entire thing. Rind and ALL! Its the tartness of the rind that really adds to the flavor.
• Simmering in this recipe means bubbling still. The oranges will be so fragrant. Its wonderful.
• Almond meal is used instead of almond flour. Almond meal is more gritty than almond flour. This cake has a texture to it and its thanks to the almond meal. I ground my own using my blender. Just don’t blend it too long or it will become almond butter. You can also purchase it at the store. Just be sure it says ALMOND MEAL.

BAKING:

• It’s a dense cake, not light and airy. FYI.
• Under-baking will produce a soup. haha so use your toothpick correctly.

SERVING:

• I didn’t like it overly sweet which is why I served it with Honey yogurt as compared to Ice cream. I’m sure it would be delicious with ice cream if that’s your mojo.
• Any berries would add to its uniqueness!

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