Description
Nigella’s clementine cake is a moist, flavorful almond cake made with whole boiled clementines, eggs, caster sugar, and ground almonds. This gluten-free cake combines the natural sweetness and slight bitterness of clementine peel with a soft, dense texture, making it a delightful citrus dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 4 or 5 clementines (or any other oranges) – total weight approx 375g
Wet Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
Dry Ingredients
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
Instructions
- Boil the Clementines: Place the whole clementines in a large pan of cold water. Bring to a boil, then partially cover with a lid and simmer for about two hours. Drain and discard the cooking water. Allow the oranges to cool enough to handle, then cut them in half and remove the seeds.
- Puree the Oranges: Put the boiled clementines, including rind and pith, into a food processor. Blitz to create a rough puree. Alternatively, this can be done manually with a knife and mash or blender if preferred.
- Prepare the Cake Tin and Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, or gas mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 21cm round cake tin with baking paper to ensure the cake does not stick.
- Make the Batter: Add the eggs, caster sugar, ground almonds, and gluten free baking powder to the food processor with the orange puree. Pulse the mixture until it forms a smooth, even batter.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing and serving.
Notes
- The cake has a dense and moist texture because it contains the whole boiled fruit, including peel.
- Ensure the clementines are simmered gently and for the full two hours to remove bitterness from the peel.
- Using a food processor for pureeing and mixing helps achieve a smooth batter but can be done by hand for a more rustic texture.
- Check doneness with a skewer; the cake can slightly wobble at the center but the skewer should come out clean.
- This cake is naturally gluten free due to the use of ground almonds and gluten free baking powder.
