Clementine Cake

by Bob Sassone, Posted Feb 29th 2008 @ 6:36PM

Clementine Cake Yesterday I mentioned how much I loved and devoured oranges as a kid (they just don't seem the same nowadays). And that got me thinking about clementines. Not just eating them on their own, but a dessert that featured them.

This recipe for Clementine Cake (which sounds like the name of a Bond girl) comes from Nigella Lawson, and it actually looks quite easy to make: just clementines, almonds, eggs, sugar, and baking powder.

Clementine Cake

4 to 5 clementines (about 1 pound total weight)
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/3 cups ground almonds
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds. Then finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in the processor (or by hand, of course).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines. I don't like using the processor for this, and frankly, you can't balk at a little light stirring.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover the cake with foil after about 40 minutes to stop the top from burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, in the pan on a rack. When the cake is cold, you can take it out of the pan. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it anytime.

I've also made this with an equal weight of oranges and lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups and slightly Anglicize it, too, by adding a glaze made of confectioners' sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

Tags: almonds, clementine cake, clementines, dessert, nigella lawson

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-08-2008 @11:26PM White On Rice Couple said... Our mandarin tree is bursting with fruit now and this is perfect! So easy and no flour? Wow!
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3-01-2008 @3:07AM Lear said... For a moment I thought I was suffering from Deja Vu

The Kuidore post mentioned in the earlier Slashfood post even mentions it's similarity to Nigella's Clementine cake.

I made the cake from the earlier post it was pretty good, the pith made it a bit bitter though. I almiost want to try it again... and de-pithing after stewing.

http://www.slashfood.com/2006/07/22/food-porn-flourless-orange-cake/
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3-01-2008 @8:36AM Anna said... I make this cake a lot and love it! It's nice with icing on top too - I just blend some icing sugar and clementine juice together to make a thick paste. Spread it over, top with some crystallised violets and enjoy.
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3-01-2008 @1:23PM Satchel said... Smitten Kitchen didn't care much for this:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/anything-but-clementine-clafoutis/
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3-01-2008 @2:56PM Eric said... If you have a serious citrus jones, look for produce from Rising C Ranch / RipeToYou.com - their stuff is dead-ripe, they use intensive cultivation techniques to get maximum flavor (their heirloom navels are some of the best grocery-store citrus I've ever eaten) and they ship with care. I've got no connection to them other than being a ridiculously satisfied customer.

E

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