Tunisian Orange Cake is a bright, citrusy cake with a moist, tender crumb. This straightforward recipe from Ballymaloe Cookery School is remarkably easy and reliably produces a zesty, syrup-soaked cake. It adapts well for gluten-free or dairy-free diets and makes a brilliant make-ahead dessert or afternoon tea treat.
At Ballymaloe this cake is well known for two reasons: it tastes fantastic and it’s exceptionally simple to make. Serve it with a spoonful of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt for an elegant finish. You don’t need a mixer to make the batter, and the recipe even calls for placing the tin in a cold oven before turning the heat on—an odd trick that works every time. The cake keeps well in an airtight container for several days.
The ingredient list looks almost too simple to yield a cake, but it does. The texture comes from ground almonds and soft white breadcrumbs, and the final flourish is a sticky citrus syrup poured over the warm cake. The syrup soaks in and creates an intensely flavoured, moist dessert with a lovely texture.
Table of Contents
- Why you will love this recipe:
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here’s how to make Ballymaloe’s Tunisian orange cake:
- Cooking Tips:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Ballymaloe’s Tunisian Orange Cake Recipe
Why you will love this recipe:
- No oven preheat required—place the tin in a cold oven then set the temperature.
- Only one bowl and no electric mixer needed.
- The cake stays moist and citrusy thanks to the syrup poured over it while warm.
- Made with ground almonds (almond meal) for a naturally gluten-free texture—use gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep it fully gluten-free.
- Accidentally dairy-free: no butter, milk, or cream in the cake batter.
Ingredients:
The full printable recipe is in the recipe card below.
White breadcrumbs – Best results come from blitzing a couple of slices of slightly stale white bread to make soft breadcrumbs. If using store-bought, choose a soft white variety rather than very fine, processed crumbs.
Ground almonds – also called almond meal. This provides the cake’s characteristic texture. Do not substitute with plain almond flour blends; use pure ground almonds.
Caster sugar – superfine sugar works best; golden caster is acceptable. Granulated sugar hasn’t been tested here.
Substitutions and Variations:
Sunflower oil – any neutral-flavoured oil such as canola (rapeseed) or vegetable oil will work.
Syrup spices – cloves and cinnamon can be added to the citrus syrup for warm aromatic notes, but they are optional.
To make it gluten-free – use gluten-free bread to make the breadcrumbs.
Here’s how to make Ballymaloe’s Tunisian orange cake:
Below is a concise step-by-step guide. The full recipe card with exact quantities appears further down.
ONE: Line a 20cm (about 8 inch) cake tin, roughly 5cm (2 inches) deep, with baking parchment.
TWO: In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, caster sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.
THREE: Add the eggs and stir in the oil until evenly combined.
FOUR: Stir in the zest of one orange and one lemon, mixing well to distribute the citrus flavour.
FIVE: Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Place the tin in the cold oven, then set the oven to 180°C (355°F). Bake for 45–60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top is golden.
SIX: While the cake bakes, make the citrus syrup. Combine the sugar, orange juice, lemon zest and juice (and optional cloves or cinnamon) in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, ensuring the sugar dissolves, then simmer gently for about 3 minutes.
SEVEN: When the cake is baked and still warm (not hot), turn it out so the golden top becomes the underside. Prick the surface all over with a skewer and pour the warm syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in. If syrup runs off the sides, spoon it back over the cake so the top soaks fully.
Cooking Tips:
No preheating required – this recipe calls for putting the cake tin into a cold oven before turning it on, which simplifies the process and gives consistent results.
Zesting citrus – a fine microplane grater is ideal for zesting oranges and lemons cleanly and evenly. It’s a versatile tool for zesting, grating and fine mincing.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe relies on ground almonds (almond meal) for moisture and a light texture. Substituting plain wheat flour would produce a heavier, less tender cake. Ground almonds are naturally gluten-free and give a distinctive, pleasing crumb.
Ballymaloe is a respected cookery school and organic farm in Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland, founded by Darina Allen. It is known for teaching practical, timeless cookery techniques and has produced many notable alumni.
Yes—use soft white breadcrumbs rather than dry, finely processed crumbs. Soft breadcrumbs give the correct texture in this cake.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like this Tunisian Orange Cake, try other citrus or simple baking recipes on the site for more easy bakes and desserts.
Easy Baking Recipes
Lemon Loaf Cake
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Jaffa Cake Cake
If you try this Tunisian Orange Cake or another recipe from the site, please leave a comment or rating to share how it turned out.
Ballymaloe’s Tunisian Orange Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 50 g white breadcrumbs, ½ cup + 1 tsp (use slightly stale or gluten-free bread if needed)
- 200 g caster sugar, 1 cup
- 100 g ground almonds, ½ cup + ⅓ cup
- ½ tbsp baking powder
- 200 ml sunflower oil, ½ cup + ⅓ cup
- 4 eggs
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 lemon, zested
For the citrus syrup:
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1/2 lemon, zested & juiced
- 75 g caster sugar, 6 tbsp
- 2 cloves, optional
- pinch of cinnamon or cinnamon stick, optional
For the garnish:
- chopped pistachios, optional
- crème fraîche, to serve
Instructions
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Line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. To make a neat circle, fold parchment into quarters, cut along the curved edge and unfold.
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In a large bowl mix the breadcrumbs, sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.
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Add the eggs and sunflower oil, then fold in the orange and lemon zest until evenly combined.
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Pour the batter into the lined tin, place it in the cold oven and set the oven to 180°C (355°F).
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Bake for 45–60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the top is golden.
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Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes, then turn it out onto a plate so the golden top is now on the bottom.
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Make the syrup by combining the syrup ingredients in a pan. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for about 3 minutes.
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While the cake is still warm, prick the surface with a skewer and pour over the warm syrup. Re-spoon any syrup that runs off back onto the cake so it soaks through evenly.
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Once absorbed, scatter chopped pistachios over the top, slice and serve with crème fraîche and extra orange zest if desired.
Notes
To store: Keep covered at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Freeze the baked sponge before adding the syrup. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and foil for up to 3 months. Defrost, then pour over the citrus syrup before serving.
Make ahead: Prepare the cake a day ahead—the syrup soaks in overnight and the flavours deepen.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.