Clementine Cake Recipe (inspired by Nigella Lawson)
Difficulty: Simple
Makes: One 8-inch cake
Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 45 clementines (about 1 pound / 375 g)
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (225 g)
- 2 1/3 cups finely ground almonds (250 g)
- 1 generously filled teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
Cook the clementines: Place whole clementines in a pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 2 hours. Drain and cool until you can handle them.
Prepare the fruit: Cut the cooled clementines in half, remove any seeds, and finely chop (or pulse in a food processor) the pulp, peel, and pith together.
Preheat oven: Heat the oven to 375F (190C).
Prepare pan: Generously grease an 8-inch (2021 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Make the batter: In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the sugar, ground almonds, and baking powder, and mix until combined. Gently fold in the chopped clementine mixture by hand (avoid overworking with an electric mixer).
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour. Check doneness with a thin skewer it should come out clean. Around 40 minutes in, loosely cover the top with foil to prevent over-browning if needed.
Cool and serve: Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, carefully unmold. The cake keeps well and often tastes better the next day.
Optional Variation
- Use a mix of oranges and lemons equal in weight to the clementines; increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups if using this variation.
- Finish with a glaze made from confectioners' sugar mixed with a little lemon juice and just enough water to form a thick, spreadable icing.
Enjoy: A fragrant, moist cake that's perfect as a dessert or with afternoon tea.
