Flourless Orange/Lemon Cake

[CarolynF]

Just made a Orange-Pineapple-Coconut version............yummy.

Here is my recipe.

1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/3 cup of unsweetened coconut
1 orange, microwaved in water for 7 minutes, and then processed.
1 15 ounce can of well-drained crushed pineapple in its own juice
5-6 eggs
1 cup of Splenda (more if you like it sweeter)
1/2 tsp. of coconut extract
1/2 tsp. of pineapple extract
3/4 tsp. of baking powder
3/4 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of salt

Process orange in the processor. Put in drained pineapple and whirl a minute until all mixed.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and Splenda together. Add flour/coconut and extracts and
baking powder and soda and mix well. Then add the pureed fruit and mix together well.
Pour into prepared pan/pans.

I use a Bundt pan and cook for around 32 minutes at 325, but you can use whatever pan you want and adjust the cooking time/temp. Be sure to really spray/grease the pan very well.

Think pina colada..

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Just made a Orange-Pineapple-Coconut version............yummy.

Here is my recipe.

1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/3 cup of unsweetened coconut
1 orange, microwaved in water for 7 minutes, and then processed.
1 15 ounce can of well-drained crushed pineapple in its own juice
5-6 eggs
1 cup of Splenda (more if you like it sweeter)
1/2 tsp. of coconut extract
1/2 tsp. of pineapple extract
3/4 tsp. of baking powder
3/4 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of salt

Process orange in the processor. Put in drained pineapple and whirl a minute until all mixed.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and Splenda together. Add flour/coconut and extracts and
baking powder and soda and mix well. Then add the pureed fruit and mix together well.
Pour into prepared pan/pans.

I use a Bundt pan and cook for around 32 minutes at 325, but you can use whatever pan you want and adjust the cooking time/temp. Be sure to really spray/grease the pan very well.

Think pina colada..

YUMMY! Have you tried it, yet?

[CarolynF]

Yuppers, Melle..Just made it and had a piece. DS had one too, and thought it was great!

I didn't spray my pan as well as I should have, so I had to cut it out of my pan piece by piece, so I just put each piece in a baggie for further consumption.

Now, you can "up" the pineapple flavor or the coconut flavor by increasing the extracts or using flavored oils. I just "taste" as I go.

[Charski]

Try brushing your pan with melted butter - mine doesn't stick when I do that - it was the way the folks who made the Bundt pan I have suggested greasing it.

Your version sounds good, Carolyn! My DH hates coconut though so will have to make this one when he's gone to training or something!

I made mine and for the icing, I used 8 oz. softened cream cheese, maybe 2 tablespoons cream, 1/2 cup water, about 1/3 cup leftover lemon pulp from the cake, a dash of vanilla, 1/2 pkg. sf instant lemon pudding mix, and enough Splenda Quickpack to make it sweet to taste. Will give reviews later!

[CarolynF]

Char: I used softened butter with a paper towel and then sprayed it with Pam. I'll try the melted butter the next time. I usually have no problem with "sticking" but at least each
piece came out fine.

You can surely leave out the coconut and do a Pineapple Orange Cake on its own. It's a bit carbier, but worth it.

[Tweaker Geek]

Char - how did the cake you took to your Dad's turn out? Did you boil the lemons for the second cake or did you try the micro? Did you make any changes or make it just like the first one?

Carolyn - approximately how may carbs do you think the pineapple and coconut add to a slice. I'm thinking that the carbs can't be too bad in the lemon version.

Has anyone figured the carb count yet?

I'm making this tomorrow anyway - can't wait to try it! I'm making a strawberry/rhubarb pie for DH also so he probably won't even want to try this but I'm hoping he will. I'll make the cake first and entice him with the wonderful smells I'm sure it has when baking!

[CarolynF]

Tweaker: For the fruit..one orange, can of pineapple, dejuiced, and the coconut approximately 55 carbs. The 3 oranges would have about 30 carbs. I can get
12 servings from this cake, so the carb count isn't bad at all.

I love doing my fruit in the microwave..It is so easy and they come out great!

[Charski]

Originally Posted by Tweaker Geek

Char - how did the cake you took to your Dad's turn out? Did you boil the lemons for the second cake or did you try the micro? Did you make any changes or make it just like the first one?

I made the cake exactly the same as the first time - since we liked it so much, and were taking it to dinner at somebody else's, didn't want to experiment! So yes, I boiled the lemons again. I MAY try the microwave next time, we shall see.

Everyone LOVED it! The cream cheese icing was great too - DH liked it even better than the first time icing.

[Tweaker Geek]

Thanks Carolyn and Char. I'm putting my lemons on to boil now!

[ouizoid]

I made this for company last night and people loved it--served it with a little bit of carbsmart vanilla icecream and some strawberries--the combo of lemon/vanilla/strawberry was wonderful

[Zib]

I did my lemons in the mini crock pot for 2 hours on high and they were so soft one was collapsing. I started with hot water. Next time I may do them for 90 minutes.

The microwave is a good option if you don't have the time, so I'm keeping that in mind.

[CarolynF]

Honestly, I love the microwave..So quick and so easy..

Hmmmm..I "might" be trying a chocolate almond version of this cake this afternoon..

For the "other" ingredients..cocoa, maybe some unsweetened melted chocolate, more splenda and almond extract. Let you know how "much" I added and how it tasted..

My other "ideas" are making a blueberry one and an apple one..

[Tweaker Geek]

The cake smelled wonderful cooking and it tastes great! I had a little sliver when I took it out of the oven, it's cooling now and I'll frost and have a "real" (read as much larger than a sliver!) piece later tonight.

[CarolynF]

TG: Yup..it's a rule that cooks have to "take a sliver" from the warm cake. I just made my
chocolate almond and frosted it. It is not as moist as the lemon/orange ones, but it does taste pretty good!!!

[Tweaker Geek]

And you are going to share that recipe, right Carolyn?

[CarolynF]

Well, TG:

It was the basic recipe..but I added 1/2 cup of cocoa, more Splenda, 1 tsp. almond extract, 2 melted unsweetened chocolate squares in one Tbs. of butter (in the microwave).

I baked it in a bundt pan for about 25-30 minutes.

Next time, I think I would add more butter..maybe 4 Tbs. of melted butter with the unsweetened chocolate.

DH thought it was great! I made some cream cheese/butter/splenda/vanilla frosting for it.

[Charski]

Yeah, you're not really subbing enough for the missing 1.25 cups of lemon puree, I think! If you didn't want to add more butter, and didn't mind a few more carbs, I think applesauce would work, or even pumpkin - I THINK the chocolate would overpower any flavor from the pumpkin. Or I bet even something as simple as pureed, peeled zucchini - anything to "take up the space" of the lemon pulp while contributing moistness.

This is a fun recipe, I am gonna try it with pureed strawberries probably tomorrow!

[jacksmixedtape]

Pumpkin, hmm... I've heard that can be added to brownies. Interesting thought, Char! I might try a pumpkin spice or a chocolate variation.

This is such an adaptable recipe!

[theislandgirl]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Waiting for someone to make this...

Goodness, Carolyn, don't you remember the Orange (and then Peach) cake, almost identical, we played with in October 2006 ?

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lo...mond-cake.html

A great cake...

[rexsreine]

Okay, help! Made this today. Divine flavor, wonderfully moist, but my cake (made in Budnt pan) actually collapsed onto itself while cooling! Yes, I left it in the pan 10 minutes before removing. Anybody have any idea what happened? Have never seen this in 40+ years of baking. Made a soft lemon frosting as a topping for the very flat, but very delicious slices. Baking powder is pretty new. Oven could be off, but it was brown and tested done with a cake tester.
DH loved it and I will try again, but have to wonder...

Ginny

[Soobee]

Ginny, I wonder if your lemons were extra juicy or eomething like that. The puree could have been thinner. In that case you would need more flour or more baking time. I can't imagine what else it could be.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Soobee

Ginny, I wonder if your lemons were extra juicy or eomething like that. The puree could have been thinner. In that case you would need more flour or more baking time. I can't imagine what else it could be.

Ginny, I'd like to know if your puree was thin, also. I'm wanting to try this with frozen blueberries, and I know they'll be thinner than the orange/lemon puree, that I used the first time. If your's was thin (like blueberries would be), then I'll probably need to add more flour, too.

Also, guess I'm strange, but I don't like the taste of the orange/lemon peel. If I use them again, I just want to use the pulp, which would be thinner.

[Charski]

Ginny, how long did it bake, total? I find mine requires about 55 minutes at 350* in my convection oven.

I had that happen once with Shawneesioux's lemon bundt pound cake - it TESTED done, but when I turned it out, it started to collapse - I quickly put it BACK in the pan and back in the oven and salvaged it, but it wasn't pretty! LOL!

I test mine with a long wooden pick, but I also look for pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan. I don't find the pick is always reliable on a bundt cake.

[rexsreine]

No, my puree was not at all thin. I used my VitaMix to make it and it was a lovely, pudding-like consistency and velvety smooth. I used a 350 deg. regular oven, which could be somewhat hotter - but that would equate to Charski's 350 convection oven. It took around 28 minutes. I believe Carloyn said hers did not take 55 minutes. Maybe under baking did it, but it would have been mighty brown at 55 minutes, even covered with foil.
Also, my cake sunk in the middle, even while baking in the oven, which might be another clue as to what happened. Cake did pull away from sides of pan. I'm going to do a little research on a few baking sites to see if I can find out more. Also, I used an erythritol/isomalt/xylitol blend for the sugar, so I don't think it was lack of "sugar" bulk.

Thanks for your responses, Ladies. Much appreciated.

Ginny

P.S. This just proves personal tastes are, well, so personal, Melle. We really liked the taste of the lemon/orange puree. In fact, I even put a tablespoon of it in my pitcher of Crystal Light lemonade. Very refreshing. I'm going to make some puree and freeze it in ice cube trays to add to pitchers of drinks. And, I know where all the lemon/orange bitterness went. We tasted the water after the simmering was done...LOL

[brittone2]

Originally Posted by rexsreine

No, my puree was not at all thin. I used my VitaMix to make it and it was a lovely, pudding-like consistency and velvety smooth. I used a 350 deg. regular oven, which could be somewhat hotter - but that would equate to Charski's 350 convection oven. It took around 28 minutes.

Any chance too much air got whipped into it by thee Vitamix? I'm not an expert baker by any means...just tossing out a possibility.

[Tater Head]

Originally Posted by rexsreine

I used a 350 deg. regular oven, which could be somewhat hotter - but that would equate to Charski's 350 convection oven. It took around 28 minutes.

I have double ovens, one was suppose to be convection, builder made mistake. My neighbors have the convection, they have told me the convection cooks in less time then regular oven does. I think the problem was you needed more time.. If it got that brown at 28 minutes then put foil on top rack. Plus direction says 1 hour cook time.

Btw, am I getting a taste of this at lunch tomorrow



Debbie....

[Tweaker Geek]

Ginny, my cake also sunk somewhat, but the flavor is delish. I attributed it the almond meal. I've made bundt cakes with Kevin's flour blends and they rise right to the top of the pan and stay there. I've even been toying with making this cake with one of those flour blends (of course, then it won't be a flourless cake will it?), but it'll be awhile before I need another cake. I know my baking powder was ok cause I just used it on a pumpkin bundt and that one rose beautifully. I'm still going with it being the almond meal.

Carolyn - I like the chocolate almond idea! I think the pumpkin idea works Char, but the zucchini sounds even better as the filler for the lemon puree. Then you'd really get the chocolate/almond flavors because I think the zucchini would "hold" onto them more than they would overtake the pumpkin. Clear as mud?

Also, I baked mine for 50 minutes at 350 but I think next time I'd check at 30 and not go any more than 40 mins.. I made the icing that Char posted with the cream, water, splenda, pudding etc.. It is yummy but next time I think I'd leave the water out cause I needed to add quite a bit of powdered E to thicken it up.

[Charski]

Ginny, have you checked your oven with a thermometer to see if it's actually at 350* when you set it there? I know my convection automatically turns the oven down 25* so when I set it for 350* on convection it actually heats to 325* - maybe lowering the temp/longer cook time. Honestly, I can't think of anything else? Mine hasn't sunk either time I've made it. Have you tested your BP to make sure it's still active? I dunno! Out of ideas!

Tweaker, try beating the whipping cream a bit first, til it just starts to thicken, then add the water and beat more until it's getting a consistency like cake batter, THEN add the pudding mix - I didn't have to add anything to mine to further thicken it, just to sweeten it up more.

Or try the cream cheese version, we liked that even better anyway!

I'm gonna try to get the strawberry cake made this afternoon. Will post results!

[rexsreine]

Deb, yes, I'll have to hide a piece tonight to make sure you get a taste!

Tweaker, I'm going to do the test on the BP anyway, even though it's not anywhere out of the expiration date.

Charski, I've had a few issues with this particular oven before, but thought that was over. Guess I'd better buy an oven thermometer, though I read someplace those things aren't accurate either...Oh, by the way, I made your pudding mix/cream/water frosting. We thought it was quite wonderful and complemented the cake very well.

I can see we're eating this cake faster than I thought we would, so I'll be making it again soon. I'll report.

Thanks to all, Ginny

[Charski]

Ginny, I think once you open the can, it can go south pretty fast - I've taken to writing the date I open it on the bottom with a Sharpie permanent marker, and when it gets to 6 months, I replace it. Of course we have much more humid conditions here than you do in S'dale!