Mini Flourless Orange And Almond Cakes (gluten-free)

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 75 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup caster sugar (75 grams)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup ground almonds (almond meal /40 grams)
• 1/3 cup desiccated coconut (30 grams)
• 1/4 cup fine polenta (cornmeal or 40 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (gluten-free if required)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed for best flavour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted (160 grams or gluten-free if required)
• 1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed is best
• orange zest, thin strips for decoration (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 180°c line 2 x 12 mini muffin pans with mini paper cases.
• 2 using an electric mixer- beat together the butter, sugar and orange zest for 5 minutes, or until pale and fluffy.
• 3 add the egg and beat until well combined.
• 4 in a seperate bowl- mix together the ground almonds/almond meal, coconut, polenta and baking powder.
• 5 stir in the dry mix to the butter mixture and then add the orange juice and buttermilk. stir well to combine.
• 6 divide the mixture into the paper cases and smooth the surface of the mini cakes with the back of a spoon.
• 7 bake approx 12 minutes or until the tops are firm when lightly toughed and a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake will come out clean.
• 8 remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 5 minutes. then transfer the cakes to a wire tray to cool- about 30 minutes.
• 9 to make the icing- place sifted icing sugar and orange juice in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until combined.
• 10 spread a small spoonful of icing over each cake and decorate with orange zest if desired.