Orange-Almond Cake with Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour 
• 0.3 teaspoon almond extract 
• 10 servings almonds whole
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 4 large eggs 
• 10 servings mint leaves fresh
• 10 servings chocolate icing 
• 1 slice cranberry-orange relish 
• 1.5 cups orange juice fresh
• 3 large cranberry-orange relish 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups sugar generous
• 1 cup butter unsalted room temperature
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup almonds whole
• 1 cup milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• hand mixer
• peeler

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) in strips from oranges. Coarsely chop enough peel to measure 1/2 cup.
2. Combine flour, 1 cup almonds, baking powder and salt in processor; blend until finely ground.
3. Transfer to medium bowl.
4. Place 2 cups sugar and orange peel in processor; blend until peel is finely minced.
5. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until blended.
6. Add sugar mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
7. Mix milk and both extracts in small bowl. On low speed, beat flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Divide batter among prepared pans.
8. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Boil 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice and remaining generous 1 tablespoon sugar in small saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes.
9. Brush warm juice mixture over tops of cooled cakes.
10. Place 1 cake layer, orange syrup side up, on cake platter.
11. Spread 1 cup Chocolate Icing over. Top with second cake layer, then 1 cup icing. Top with third cake layer, syrup side up.
12. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.) Arrange additional almonds, orange triangles and mint leaves around top edge of cake. Slice cake and serve.