Why Is My Almond And Orange Blossom Cake Too Dark Brown?

Our answer

Nigella's Almond And Orange Blossom Cake (from HOW TO EAT) is a moist, aromatic cake that can be made in gluten-free form. It is more of a dessert cake than a regular sponge cake.

There can be a few reasons why the cake could be slightly darker in colour, but if there is a dark crust around the edge of the cake then it often means that the cake pan has been too generously greased with butter. If there is a lot of butter on the pan then it tends to brown quickly and will form a slightly thicker crust on the outside of the cake. If you can, melt a little butter and brush a light, even coating on the pan or use a little flavourless vegetable oil as an alternative. You can always run a thin-bladed spatula between the edge of the cooled cake and the pan to loosen the cake, before you unspring the pan. The amount of sugar in the cake is not particularly disproportionate to the other ingredients and is important for the moisture and structure of the cake. So unfortunately we can't particularly recommend reducing the amount of sugar.