This easy Clementine cake is a little different from the usual kinda cakes I make. It uses Clementines, as in the whole thing. Yep, that's peel, pith, the lot. All the parts of the fruit you don't normally use, we're going to use them in this recipe. And the resulting cake is nothing short of spectacular!
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Clementine Cake
This is one of those cakes normally seen around Christmas time. Clementines are traditional Christmas fruits, and why is a pretty sweet story:
St. Nicholas (4th century Greek Bishop on whom many believe Santa Claus was modelled) heard from a very poor man with 3 unwed daughters. There was no money for the dowry, and so St. Nicholas poured 3 sacks of gold down the chimney to help him, and it fell right into the 3 daughters stockings, hanging over the fire to dry. Clementines in Christmas stockings these days symbolise the gold.
I love this story!
We always had Clementines in our Christmas stockings (which were I believe pillow cases, no matter what we called them :) and I never knew why. I still put them in my kids Christmas stockings, it would just feel all wrong to leave them out!
So...This cake, is also a gem of the cake variety. It's super fruity, bering made from the whole fruit, and although you might think the taste would be bitter because we're using the Clementine peel, the boiling process breaks iot down and later when it's combined with the other ingredients, the bitterness goes.
Fun fact: Orange squash, popular in Europe, is also usually made with Orange peel. The flavor is so intense it's the main ingredient of this juice drink. Of course there's a load of other, often questionable ingredients in it, but the peel is not wasted!
I use one cake pan to bake this, rather than sandwiching two, or three cakes together with frosting as I often do. The almond flour keeps this beautifully moist and fresh, and complements the orangey clementine-y flavors so well.
We eat this alone, or if we feel like it with some heavy cream, whipped. The cake has so much flavor though, you really don't need much else to have with it. I add a slice to lunch boxes, warps a piece in parchment paper and take it with me for a quick afternoon snack if i'm going to be out or have it with tea at home, if friends are over. I tend to leave this out on the work top in the kitchen. It looks beautifully and the kids are able to help themselves.
So you know, it's not a hugely sweet cake, instead, the Clementine flavor shines thorough which suits me just fine. It feels wholesome, it looks rustic and it tastes like a dream!
What Is A Clementine?
Clementines are a part of the citrus family of fruits and the smallest type of Mandarin Orange. As one of the sweetest of the citrus family, Clementines are popular with kids, who can peel them easily. And being sweet they're great for baking with, which is why we use them over other varieties, for this cake.
Clementines grow in lots of places all around the world and while are really native to Algeria and China, are now grown throughout the world. You shouldn't have too many problems finding Clementines, although I would say, try and buy them when they're in season to you locally. This way, they're cheaper, and fruit always tastes sweeter and juicier when it's naturally in season.
How Long Do Clementines Last?
Your Clementines will last for a week or so. I keep mine out of the sun (unless they need more ripening!) and even in the fridge if I want to make them last another day or two. They should be firm but not hard, and if you pushed gently with your finger nail, it should be easy to break the skin and peel the fruit.
Satsumas vs Clementines
While very similar in taste, these fruits have some difference, although you might be hard pushed to tell them apart, even knowing what the differences are! Clementines are firmer than Satsumas, and the peel on a Clementine is a bit thicker than a Satsuma.
If you can't find Clementines, use Satsumas. The end cake will be a touch less sweet, but still full of flavor.
How To Tell If A Clementine Is Bad
You can tell if a Clementine is bad just by looking at it. The peel should be firm and brightly colored, with no browning on it. Inside the Clementine, the segments os fruit need to be free from any browning, and look firm and juicy.
More Clean Eating Baking Recipes
How To Make Clementine cake
Ingredients
- 4 Clementines Whole, seedless
- 6 Medium Eggs
- ½ Cup Maple syrup
- 1¼ Cup Ground almonds
- ¾ Cup Flour Einkorn, buckwheat
- 1 tsp Baking powder
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°
- Line a 6 inch deep cake tin
- Boil your Clementines for 1.5 - 2 hours. The Clementines will be intact mostly, but super soft and have lost a lot of the bright color
- In a food processor, blend the Clementines until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl
- Add the eggs and the maple syrup and combine
- Add the flour, ground almonds and baking powder, mixing to combine but not over mixing it
- Bake for 1 hour until a skewer stuck into the middle comes out clean
Recipe For Clementine Cake
Clementine Cake
Ingredients
- 4 Clementines Whole, seedless
- 6 Medium Eggs
- ½ Cup Maple syrup
- 1¼ Cup Ground almonds
- ¾ Cup Flour Einkorn, buckwheat
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°
- Line a 6 inch deep cake tin
- Boil your Clementines for 1.5 - 2 hours. The Clementines will be intact mostly, but super soft and have lost much of the bright color
- In a food processor, blend the Clementines until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl
- Add the eggs and the maple syrup and combine
- Add the flour, ground almonds and baking powder, mixing to combine but not over mixing it
- Bake for 1 hour until a skewer stuck into the middle comes out clean
