Ambrosiakaka: Ambrosia Cake 

Ambrosiakaka: Ambrosia Cake is one of my all-time favorite cakes! Not strictly for Christmas, I have served this many times in all different seasons and it’s always a hit. It has a tender crumb and is full of orange flavor. 

Get this and 23 more Swedish Christmas recipes in my ebook: 24 Days of Christmas! 

From my Grandmother

The recipe for this cake comes from my farmor, my paternal grandmother. I don’t remember her making it often when I was a child but in my late teens I was introduced to it and started making it on my own. It is definitely my go-to cake. Every party, every picnic, every gathering of any kind, this cake is a hit!

Not Just for Christmas

This cake is definitely not just for christmas. I have made it all year and it’s always great. I decided to make it for my 12 Days of Christmas 2023 for several reasons. The first being that I really needed one last recipe to fill out the list. I had been testing some other ideas, they weren’t working out and I had run out of time. I needed a recipe that was delicious, festive and that I didn’t need to test at all. Ambrosiakaka: Ambrosia Cake was exactly what I was looking for. This cake also works in this list because oranges are a winter fruit and I do try to bake seasonally. 

Candied Orange Peel

I have always made my own candied orange peel. I like to do it and I think the results are well worth the effort. However, if you google Ambrosiakaka: Ambrosia Cake you will see that most people do not make their own peel. They buy the ready made stuff and just sprinkle it over the top. This is great too! I just like to make myself do extra work. Whether you buy or make your own, the cake will be delicious and beautiful.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Ambrosiakaka: Ambrosia Cake

Not strictly for Christmas, this cake can be served in all different seasons. It has a tender crumb and is full of orange flavor.

Ingredients

Candied peel

• 2 large oranges
• 300 g water
• 300 g sugar

Cake

• 200 g butter
• 270 g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 180 g flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp chopped candied peel
• 1 lemon zested
• 90 g water boiling

Icing

• 2 Tbsp water OR lemon juice
• 200 g powdered sugar

Instructions

• First begin by making the candied orange peel.
• Using a potato peeler, peel the oranges. You only want the outer orange layer with as little of the pith as possible.
• Put the peels in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, strain the peels. Repeat twice more with new cold water each time.
• Boil the water and sugar together. Once the sugar has dissolved add the blanched peels.
• Turn down the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
• The peels should be translucent and shiny. Turn off the heat and let cool.
• Once cool, strain off the syrup (save for later).
• Cut the peels into diamonds.
• Finely chop leftover scraps and reserve for the cake.
• Toss the diamonds in sugar to coat.
• Place in a single layer on a piece of parchment and let dry for a few hours or overnight.
• Once the candied peels are dry, begin making the cake.
• Butter and flour a 23cm(9in) cake pan.
• Cream the sugar and butter together until white and fluffy.
• Stir in the eggs one at a time.
• Add the lemon zest and reserved chopped peel.
• Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the batter.
• Stir together.
• Add the boiling water and stir.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 180C(350F) for 50 minutes, but start checking at 30 minutes. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
• After it comes out of the oven, run a knife around the edge of the cake and flip onto a plate. While the cake cools, make the icing by mixing together the water or lemon juice and powdered sugar.
• Brush the cooled cake with the reserved orange syrup.
• Pour the icing onto the cake and spread to the edges.
• Decorate with candied peels.