Clementine Cake
By Ashley MoorePublished on December 13, 2018
Time
2 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and 1 hour setting
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Cake
9 ounces (255 grams) clementines, unpeeled, stemmed (about 5 clementines)2 ¼ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) sliced blanched almonds, toasted1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces and softened1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar 5 large eggsCandied Clementines
4 clementines, unpeeled, stemmed1 cup water 1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar ⅛ teaspoons saltGlaze
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) confectioners' sugar 2 ½ tablespoons water, plus extra as neededPinch saltBefore You Begin
Look for clementines that are about 2 inches in diameter (about 1¾ ounces each). We recommend using a mandoline to get consistent slices of clementine to arrange on top of the cake; you can also use a chef’s knife. We found it easier to slice the clementines when they were cold. You will have a few more candied clementine slices than you will need; use the nicest-looking ones for the clementine cake’s top.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray, line bottom with parchment paper, and grease parchment. Microwave clementines in covered bowl until softened and some juice is released, about 3 minutes. Discard juice and let clementines cool for 10 minutes.
- Process almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt in food processor until almonds are finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to second bowl. Add clementines to now-empty processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add clementine puree and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce speed to low and add almond mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir by hand. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Slice clementines ¼ inch thick perpendicular to stem; discard rounded ends. Bring water, sugar, and salt to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat and cook until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Add clementines and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer clementines to prepared sheet and let cool for at least 30 minutes, flipping halfway through cooling to blot away excess moisture.
- Whisk sugar, water, and salt in bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency with extra water as needed, ½ teaspoon at a time, until glaze has consistency of thick craft glue and leaves visible trail in bowl when drizzled from whisk.
- Carefully run paring knife around cake and remove side of pan. Using thin metal spatula, lift cake from pan bottom; discard parchment and transfer cake to serving platter. Pour glaze over cake and smooth top with offset spatula, allowing some glaze to drip down sides. Let sit for 1 hour to set.
- Just before serving, select 8 uniform candied clementine slices (you will have more than 8 slices; reserve extra slices for another use) and blot away excess moisture with additional paper towels. Arrange slices around top edge of cake, evenly spaced. Serve. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
for the cake
for the candied clementines
for the glaze
Time
2 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and 1 hour settingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Cake
9 ounces (255 grams) clementines, unpeeled, stemmed (about 5 clementines)
2 ¼ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) sliced blanched almonds, toasted
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces and softened
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
5 large eggs
Candied Clementines
4 clementines, unpeeled, stemmed
1 cup water
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoons salt
Glaze
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) confectioners' sugar
2 ½ tablespoons water, plus extra as needed
Pinch salt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cake
9 ounces (255 grams) clementines, unpeeled, stemmed (about 5 clementines)
2 ¼ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) sliced blanched almonds, toasted
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces and softened
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
5 large eggs
Candied Clementines
4 clementines, unpeeled, stemmed
1 cup water
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoons salt
Glaze
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) confectioners' sugar
2 ½ tablespoons water, plus extra as needed
Pinch salt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cake
9 ounces (255 grams) clementines, unpeeled, stemmed (about 5 clementines)
2 ¼ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) sliced blanched almonds, toasted
1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces and softened
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) granulated sugar
5 large eggs
Candied Clementines
4 clementines, unpeeled, stemmed
1 cup water
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoons salt
Glaze
2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) confectioners' sugar
2 ½ tablespoons water, plus extra as needed
Pinch salt
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To achieve the maximum amount of bright, floral clementine flavor, we put clementines both inside and on top of our Clementine Cake. For the batter, we relied on the standard creaming process but added clementines that we had softened in the microwave and pureed. We baked the clementine cake in a greased springform pan to allow it to soufflé slightly in the oven. And while it was baking, we quickly candied some sliced clementines in a sugar solution. For a showstopping white glaze that set off the bright orange candied fruit slices, we whisked together a mixture of confectioners’ sugar, water, and a pinch of salt.
Before You Begin
Look for clementines that are about 2 inches in diameter (about 1¾ ounces each). We recommend using a mandoline to get consistent slices of clementine to arrange on top of the cake; you can also use a chef’s knife. We found it easier to slice the clementines when they were cold. You will have a few more candied clementine slices than you will need; use the nicest-looking ones for the clementine cake’s top.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray, line bottom with parchment paper, and grease parchment. Microwave clementines in covered bowl until softened and some juice is released, about 3 minutes. Discard juice and let clementines cool for 10 minutes.
- Process almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt in food processor until almonds are finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to second bowl. Add clementines to now-empty processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add clementine puree and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce speed to low and add almond mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir by hand. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Slice clementines ¼ inch thick perpendicular to stem; discard rounded ends. Bring water, sugar, and salt to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat and cook until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Add clementines and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Using tongs, transfer clementines to prepared sheet and let cool for at least 30 minutes, flipping halfway through cooling to blot away excess moisture.
- Whisk sugar, water, and salt in bowl until smooth. Adjust consistency with extra water as needed, ½ teaspoon at a time, until glaze has consistency of thick craft glue and leaves visible trail in bowl when drizzled from whisk.
- Carefully run paring knife around cake and remove side of pan. Using thin metal spatula, lift cake from pan bottom; discard parchment and transfer cake to serving platter. Pour glaze over cake and smooth top with offset spatula, allowing some glaze to drip down sides. Let sit for 1 hour to set.
- Just before serving, select 8 uniform candied clementine slices (you will have more than 8 slices; reserve extra slices for another use) and blot away excess moisture with additional paper towels. Arrange slices around top edge of cake, evenly spaced. Serve. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
for the cake
for the candied clementines
for the glaze
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments