Orange, Ginger & Honey Cakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

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These zesty orange, ginger and honey cakes are everything you want in a nourishing winter bake: warming, gut-friendly, naturally sweetened, and supportive of hormone health. Made with whole boiled oranges, almond meal, honey and ginger, these cakes are rich in fibre, healthy fats and antioxidants - without any gluten, dairy or refined sugar.

Whether you're navigating PMS, postpartum recovery or simply trying to reduce inflammation, these little cakes offer a nutrient-dense alternative to traditional baking.

Why these ingredients are hormone-friendly

Oranges – Using the whole fruit (peel and all) provides vitamin C, pectin and polyphenols that support adrenal function, detoxification and immune health (Li et al., 2022).

Almond meal – High in vitamin E and monounsaturated fats, almonds help modulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation and support hormone production (Chen et al., 2021).

Honey – A natural sweetener with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that is gentler on blood sugar than refined sugar (Pasupuleti et al., 2017).

Ginger – A warming spice that may help reduce PMS symptoms, nausea and cramping (Daily et al., 2015).

Orange, Ginger and Almond Cake

Ingredients

Makes approximately 24 mini cakes or 1 large cake

• 500 g whole oranges (approx. 2 oranges)

• 300 g eggs (approx. 5–6 large eggs)

• 200 g honey

• 250 g almond meal

• 5 g baking powder

• 2 g salt

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 50 g almond flakes (for topping)

Method

1. Boil the oranges (skin on) in water for 2–3 hours, or until very soft. Keep them submerged and top up water as needed.

2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Line a springform tin, muffin tin or silicone moulds.

3. Blend the oranges in a food processor until smooth, removing any seeds first.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the blended oranges, eggs, honey, almond meal, baking powder, salt and ground ginger.

5. Fill the prepared tin or moulds with the batter and sprinkle with almond flakes.

6. Bake:

   • Mini cakes: approximately 20 minutes

   • Large cake: 40–50 minutes
     Bake until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy with a cup of herbal tea or hormone-balancing hot chocolate.

More hormone-friendly baking recipes

• Easy 5 Ingredient Seed Crackers – Fibre-rich snacks for oestrogen clearance

• Tahini and Miso Cookies – Sweet-salty sesame treats for progesterone support

• Flaxseed Crepes – Ideal for seed cycling and blood sugar balance

Looking for more warming orange cakes?

Try my Orange, Pistachio and Ricotta Cake - another nourishing, citrusy treat that supports hormone and metabolic health.

References

Chen, C. Y., Blumberg, J. B., & Li, S. (2021). Almonds and cardiometabolic health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews, 79(2), 171–185. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa057

Daily, J. W., Zhang, X., & Park, S. (2015). Efficacy of ginger for alleviating the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhoea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Pain Medicine, 16(12), 2243–2255. https://doi.org/10.1111/pme.12864

Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Ma, X., & Liu, X. (2022). Health benefits of citrus flavonoids: A review. Food Science & Nutrition, 10(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2302

Pasupuleti, V. R., Sammugam, L., Ramesh, N., & Gan, S. H. (2017). Honey, propolis, and royal jelly: A comprehensive review of their biological actions and health benefits. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1259510