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I wouldn’t be myself if I hadn’t baked this cake ;). It had been on my mind for quite some time. I have to admit, though, that it isn’t to everyone’s taste – the opinions online were rather mixed – so perhaps that’s why I kept putting off making it. Now I know it was definitely worth the wait!
The clementines are the key here – and they really should be clementines. I wouldn’t experiment with other types of mandarins, as the cake may develop an unpleasant bitterness. The clementines are boiled whole, with their skins on, and then blended with the remaining ingredients. It really couldn’t be any simpler. And yet, boiling the clementines is the most enjoyable part of the preparation for our senses. That smell! Warm, citrusy and gently spiced – it smells like Christmas. Although I have to admit that making it in the middle of a heatwave is an equally unforgettable experience ;). The cake is moist, dense and wonderfully aromatic. It’s at its best the following day, once all the flavours have had time to come together. It’s delicious with crème fraîche and, in my opinion, pairs absolutely perfectly with chocolate. The recipe comes from Nigella Lawson, who also made versions with oranges and lemons. For the lemon version, she increased the amount of sugar to 250 g and drizzled the cake with a simple lemon icing made from icing sugar, lemon juice and a little water. I’m very curious to know whether this cake will win you over too. Let me know!
Ingredients for clementine cake:
- 4–5 clementines (about 375 g), preferably seedless
- 6 large eggs
- 225 g caster sugar
- 250 g ground almonds
- 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Wash the clementines and place them whole, with their skins on, in a saucepan. Cover with water and simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Drain and leave to cool. Cut in half and remove any seeds. Blend to a purée. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until combined (for example, in a food processor). The resulting batter will be quite runny.
Pour the batter into a 21 cm round cake tin lined with baking paper.
Bake for about 1 hour at 170°C, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake may rise during baking and then sink slightly once removed from the oven. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Before serving, you can dust the cake with icing sugar or drizzle with chocolate glaze.
Enjoy!
Recipe by Nigella Lawson.
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