Upon seeing this recipe in a French magazine, I realized I had never eaten a cake made from clementines. Well, I was missing out! The cake came out flatter than I expected (just so you are not surprised), but it is moist and deliciously fragrant. While the clementines take a little time to prepare, the syrup imbibes the cake and the candied peels add a lightly bitter contrast that makes this cake unique. Perfect for a teatime snack or with a little whipped cream for an elegant, light dessert.
Clementine Cake
Servings: 8
Active time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Need: 9-inch springform pan
6 clementines
7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (180 g) light brown sugar
1 1/3 cup (180 g) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Prepare the clementines. Clean and dry them well. Use a microplane or fine grater to zest
three of the clementines (see picture). Cut all of the clementines in half and juice them. Set aside the peels of three non-zested clementines to use for the topping.
Preheat oven to 340° F (170° C). In a large bowl, beat the butter, eggs and light brown sugar for 1 minute. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and beat for 1 minute.
Pour half of the juice and all of the zest from the clementines into the batter. Beat for 1 more minute.
Grease or butter a 9-inch springform pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 minutes. It will be done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake is cooking, prepare the topping. Cut the peels of the 3 non-zested
clementines in half again. Remove the pulp and use the tip of a knife to scrape out most of the white interior (this is the bitter part). Cut the peels into thin strips.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Put in the thin strips of peels and let cook for 5 minutes. Pour into a strainer and discard water. Add the remaining clementine juice and the granulated sugar to the saucepan; bring to a simmer. Put the strips of peels in the bubbling juice and let simmer over medium-low heat for about 35 minutes. The liquid should reduce a little and become like a thin syrup.
When the cake is done, let cool for at least 25 minutes before removing it from the pan. Place on a serving platter and gently pour the syrup over the cake, spreading the candied peels evenly over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature. Also delicious served with whipped cream.
And bon appétit!
Adapted from Saveurs N°271
