Amazing Orange Almond Pound Cake (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3-1/2 cup grated orange zest (depending on how you like your orange flavor)
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
• 2 teaspoons brown rice flour
• 3 1/2 tablespoons potato starch
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 2 teaspoons tapioca starch
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (slightly less than)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup orange juice (start with less)

Syrup

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoon orange juice

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a loaf pan.

2. 2

   Combine buttermilk, orange juice and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.

3. 3

   Sift together flours, almond meal, xanthum gum, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set the dry ingredient mixture aside.

4. 4

   In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter (beat with electric mixer about 3 minutes, until fluffy).

5. 5

   Beat in eggs - one at a time - and chase it with the orange zest. Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredient mixtures to the batter, starting and ending with the flour.

6. 6

   Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

7. 7

   Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for at least five minutes.

8. 8

   Turn the pan over on a plate or rack. While the cake cools an additional five minutes, make the orange vanilla syrup.

9. 9

   In a small pot, combine sugar, orange juice, and vanilla. Heat on medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes a little thick (about three minutes). Spoon some or all of the mixture on top of the cake.

10. 10

    When you're ready to serve: in a small bowl, mix 1 - 2 Tablespoons of orange juice with the powdered sugar to form a thick orange glaze. Drizzle some or all on top of the cake.