From Chef Oonagh Williams of Royal Temptations Catering

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (4 oz.) of soft butter
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoon almond extract
• Grated zest/rind of 2 medium- to large-sized oranges
• 2 cups almond meal or almond flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon finely grated fresh nutmeg (mix this with the almond meal)
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamon (mix this with the almond meal)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup golden raisins soaked in 2 Tablespoon brandy or rum
• ¼ cup finely chopped sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Put soft butter and cream cheese in mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in sugar, almond meal, nutmeg, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Depending on when you stop beating, mix will either appear as crumbs or thick dough.
3. Add vanilla, almond extract, and eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all eggs are added, beat well for 2 minutes and mix will become very fluffy.
4. Stir in orange zest, raisins with liquid, and sliced almonds.
5. Scoop batter into greased and gluten-free floured 10” Bundt pan and level the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes. Cake will be a golden brown across the top, no cracks, softly firm and flat (not domed).
6. Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes, loosen sides with thin spatula and then turn out onto cooling rack to finish cooling. Don’t let it go cold in Bundt pan as sugar content will make cake stick to pan.