Dessert: Mini Almond Orange Cakes

Baked in five individual 4-inch kugelhof pans or a family-sized 8-inch kugelhof pan, this is a perfect winter cake. It's easy to put together and fills the house with a tempting fragrance while it bakes.

Ingredients

3/4 c. candied orange peel
1 tbsp. orange liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
3/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 c. ground blanched almonds
1 tsp. baking powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease five 4-inch kugelhopf pans, or one 8-inch kugelhof pan.
Macerate the candied orange peel in the liqueur for 1 hour at room temperature.
Combine the butter, salt, confectioner's sugar, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the wire whisk attachment to whisk together till light and smooth.
Blend in the orange juice and orange zest.
Transfer the mixture to a larger bowl, if necessary, and fold in the flour, almonds, baking powder, and macerated orange peels. Set aside 15 peels, for garnish.
Cover the batter with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for 2 hours.
If using 4-inch kugelhopf pans, place 3 orange peels inside each pan and fill 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. If using an 8-inch kugelhopf pan, place all the orange peels inside, fill 3/4 full with batter, and bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes on the wire rack before removing from the pan.
Cool fully before serving, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.