This moist Blood Orange Almond Flourless Cake is naturally gluten-free, tender, and bursting with bright citrus flavor. A beautiful dessert for brunch, tea, coffee, or spring celebrations.
Updated May 2026: This post has been refreshed with clearer instructions, better baking tips, and updated recipe notes for a more reliable flourless cake.
Blood Orange Almond Flourless Cake
There is something so pretty about blood oranges. Their color is dramatic, their flavor is bright, and they instantly make any dessert feel a little fancy without trying too hard.
This Blood Orange Almond Flourless Cake is moist, tender, citrusy, and naturally gluten-free. It’s the kind of cake you can serve for spring brunch, Easter, afternoon tea, or anytime you want something simple but beautiful.
Why You’ll Love This Flourless Cake
- Naturally gluten-free
- Moist and tender texture
- Made with whole blood oranges
- No frosting needed
- Perfect for brunch, tea, or holidays
What Makes This Cake So Moist?
The secret is using whole boiled blood oranges. After boiling, the oranges become soft enough to puree, peel and all. As a result, the cake gets intense citrus flavor, natural moisture, and gorgeous color.
Since this cake uses almond flour instead of wheat flour, the texture is delicate, rich, and slightly dense in the best way.
Blood Oranges vs Regular Oranges
Blood oranges are slightly less sweet than regular oranges and have a beautiful red-orange flesh. They also bring a more complex citrus flavor to desserts.
However, if blood oranges are not available, you can use regular oranges. The color will be different, but the cake will still taste delicious.
Almond Flour or Almond Meal?
For the best texture, use finely ground almond flour. Almond meal can work, but it may make the cake slightly more rustic and grainy.
If using almond meal, sift it first to remove larger pieces.
Tips for Best Results
- Boil the oranges until very tender
- Remove any seeds before blending
- Use almond flour for a finer crumb
- Line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper
- Let the cake cool before removing it from the pan
- Dust with powdered sugar right before serving
Serving Ideas
This cake does not need frosting. In fact, a simple dusting of powdered sugar is perfect.
You can also serve it with:
- Fresh berries
- Whipped cream
- Greek yogurt
- Tea or coffee
- A little orange zest on top
If you try this Blood Orange Almond Flourless Cake, tag @LivingSweetMoments. I love seeing your creations!
Watch How to Make It
Here’s the video showing how I made this cake:
Blood Orange Almond Flourless Cake
Ingredients
For Cake
- 6 large eggs room temperatura
- 2 blood oranges
- 9.5 oz granulated sugar (by weight not volume)
- 8.8 oz almond flour (by weight, not volume)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For Topping
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds toasted (optional)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Wash the blood oranges thoroughly and place them in a saucepan. Cover with water and boil for 2 hours, or until completely tender.
- Drain the oranges and let them cool enough to handle.
- Trim off the stem ends, cut the oranges into quarters, remove any seeds, and puree the entire fruit (including the peel) in a food processor until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 4–5 minutes, until pale and slightly fluffy.
- Mix in the blood orange puree until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if using.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edges, release the springform, and transfer to a serving plate.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Boiling the oranges removes bitterness and softens the peel for a smooth batter.
- Remove seeds before blending.
- Almond flour gives a finer crumb than almond meal.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- This cake tastes even better the next day.
- Oven temperatures vary, so start checking around the 24-minute mark to avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular oranges instead of blood oranges?
Yes. Regular oranges work well, although the color and flavor will be slightly different.
Do I remove the orange peel?
No. The whole orange is boiled until tender, then blended with the peel. Just remove any seeds before pureeing.
Is this cake gluten-free?
Yes. This cake uses almond flour instead of wheat flour, making it naturally gluten-free.
How should I store this cake?
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It tastes even better the next day.
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how to replace 6 eggs??
I haven’t tried it using egg replacers so I can’t guarantee it’ll work but you can try flax seeds, Ener-G Egg Replacer, etc.
I absolutely loved this cake! I’m wondering if anyone has tried this recipe with a little less sugar. Does the cake still bake up like it should?
Hi Nicole! glad you liked the cake. Depending on the sweetness/ripeness of your oranges you can use 8 oz of sugar instead of 9.6 oz
Does this work with regular oranges… not blood oranges?
of course Roksana!
What size pan did you use and how did you prep it? Butter/oil and cornstarch?
Hi Lora! I used a 9 Inch springform pan and greased the sides and bottom with oil
Could a rectangle pan be used instead? And would you double the recipe for a 9×13?
yes!