Ingredients
for the cake
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond paste
1/2 cup confectioners sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup crème fraise
for the glaze
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup pureed mango
3 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 6-cup Bundt pan with butter and flour.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine milk, saffron, and orange zest and bring to a low simmer. Remove from the heat and let sit at least 10 minutes.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until combined.
In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with the almond paste and beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add the confectioners sugar and beat on the same speed for another 2 minutes until fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the additional egg yolk, the almond extract and orange juice. Add the flour mixture, in two increments, alternatively with the crème fraise until just incorporated. Finally, add in the milk-saffron mixture, and beat until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-25 minutes, until the top of he cake springs back when you touch it and a wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix corn starch and water to make a slurry and set aside. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine pureed mango, orange juice and confectioner’s sugar. When it has come to a simmer, add in the corn starch slurry and let return to a boil to thicken. Once thickened, remove from the heat and immediately drizzle over the cake. Much of it will absorb into the cake.
Dust the cake with additional confectioners sugar and serve.
