My latest “What’s in season?” I hear you ask is all about Clementines
Here is a very moist, soft and fruity cake that is dairy-free and can be made gluten free as well.
Ingredients:
- 5 Clementines
- Butter or Vegetable for greasing the tin
- 275g Caster Sugar
- 300g Ground Almonds
- Seeds from 8-10 Green Cardamom Pods, ground to a powder
- 1 tsp Baking Powder (gluten free can be used)
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 6 large Eggs, lightly beaten
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
Method:
- Put 3 Clementines in a pan of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 2 hours until really tender. You might have to add more water if necessary. Drain them and leave to cool a bit. Cut them in half and take out any seeds, then whizz the fruit, skin and flesh to a pulp in a food processor.
- Preheat the oven to 180c/160fan/gas 4. Grease a 23cm Springform Cake Tin and then line the base and sides with baking paper.
- Put 225gof the Caster Sugar, the Almonds, ground Cardamom and Baking Powder in a large bowl. Stir in the pulped Clementines, Vanilla, and Eggs, then mix into the dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Put in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- In the meantime, squeeze the juice from the remaining 2 Clementines into a saucepan. Add the Lemon Juice and the remaining 50g Caster Sugar. Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved, then add the Cinnamon Stick and simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and pierce the top in a few places with a skewer. Drizzle over the citrus syrup, then leave for 1 hour to soak in. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
