Eretz Yisrael Cake with Orange, Dates, and Marzipan

This cake uses ingredients commonly found—and associated with—the Land of Israel.

By Joan Nathan

Reprinted with permission from The Foods of Israel Today (Knopf).

 

Israeli chef Celia Regev created this orange cake to incorporate all the ingredients she loves from her adopted land. You can substitute store-bought marzipan, although Celia makes her own from almonds, sugar, and egg whites. Marzipan was used in the Middle East as early as the fifth century C.E. Always a delicacy of the Jews, it was also, according to Muslim tradition, a particular favorite of the prophet Mohammed.

The Recipe

YIELD: 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

 

3/4 cup sugar  

1/3 cup candied citrus peel, chopped

1/2 cup marzipan (see recipe below, or use store-bought)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grated zest of 2 oranges

4 large eggs

13/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped

3/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper cut into a circle.

 

2. Place the sugar, marzipan, and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle; beat to break up the marzipan until it is the texture of sand.

 

3. Replace the paddle with the whisk and add the eggs to the marzipan mix­ture. Whisk until light, fluffy, and pale yellow in color.

 

4. Take 2 tablespoons of the flour and sprinkle over the dates and candied cit­rus peel in a small bowl. This flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bot­tom of the batter.

 

5. Sift the remaining flour, the baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

 

6. Replace the whisk with the paddle and add the sifted dry ingredients, orange juice, and melted butter to the marzipan-egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Don't overmix-the batter should be soft and creamy. Fold in the dates and citrus peel.

 

7. Pour the batter into the springform mold, tap the mold a couple of times against the counter to remove the air bubbles, and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes.

Homemade Marzipan

YIELD: 11/2 CUPS MARZIPAN

 

1 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour

1/2 egg white (about 11/2 tablespoons)

1/2 cup sugar

 

Place the almonds and sugar in a food processor equipped with a steel blade and process, adding just enough egg white to bind the sugar and the almonds together.

 

NOTE:   Celia suggests adding a little cognac, rum, orange-blossom water, orange peel, cinnamon, coriander, or whatever flavor you like to the marzi­pan before processing. If it is too soft, add a bit more ground almonds or almond flour.

 

Joan Nathan lived in Israel for three yeas where she worked for Mayor Teddy Kollek of Jerusalem. She is the author of several cookbooks, contributes articles on international ethnic food and special holiday features to The New York Times, Food Arts, Gormet, and the B'nai B'rith International Jewish Monthly. This article is reprinted with permission from The Foods of Israel Today, published by Knopf. Copyright 2001 by Joan Nathan.