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Clementine Cake
![Clementine Cake](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/04/02/dining/Clementine-Cake/Clementine-Cake-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 3¾ hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 5medium clementines (about 375 grams)
- Spray cooking oil
- 6large eggs
- 1cup sugar
- 1teaspoon salt
- 2cups almond flour or very finely ground blanched almonds
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- Powdered sugar, chocolate glaze or candied clementines, for garnish
Preparation
- Step 1
Place whole unpeeled clementines in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 2 hours, adding more water as needed. Remove clementines with a slotted spoon and, once cool enough to handle, halve and remove any seeds or other hard bits. Purée in a food processor or blender and set aside. (May be done up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.)
- Step 2
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking oil, line bottom with parchment paper and spray paper with oil.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together with the sugar, salt and clementine purée. Add the almond flour and baking powder and stir until just combined.
- Step 4
Pour into prepared pan and bake until edges are golden brown and starting to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack set over baking sheet. After 10 minutes, run a knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; remove cake from pan. Peel off parchment paper and return cake to wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with dusting of powdered sugar, or with chocolate glaze and/or candied clementines.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
My clementines were small, and I wondered how many to use, so I found the apparent original recipe from Nigella Lawson, which called for 375 grams. That's about 13.25 ounces, which turned out to be 8 clementines. The cake turned out well, perfect for a gluten-fearing guest, who asked for the recipe. The ganache was perfect, but I candied the clementines more simply, simmering very low for about 1 hour, cooling in the simple syrup, drying after on parchment. Cake looked like a magazine cover
What is your best recommendation for a substitute for almond flour? Would ratios change if I used regular wheat flour or cake flour? I have a nut allergy and sadly cannot have any tree nuts.
After the clementines are simmered do you peel them? Or purée them with the peel? It's not clear in the recipe
Some commenters on versions of this recipe complain that it is bitter, and recommend tasting the orange puree. This is not a good indicator of the final product, as the puree is almost inevitably bitter due to inclusion of the pith. Taste the completed batter instead. Also, consider adding 1 t vanilla extract to cut any bitterness.
This cake was a big hit at a dinner party. However, the recipe leaves out some details that can make a big difference: the weight of the flour and the volume of puree. I used 7.25 ounces of almond flour and 1.5 cups of puree. I also reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup, added 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and used a regular 9 x 2 inch cake pan. I beat the eggs and sugar until very frothy before adding the puree and folding in the flour. Finally, I made only a half recipe of the glaze which was plenty.
We've retested the candied clementine recipe after seeing notes from readers saying they did not get good results. The baking time was indeed too long; it should be 1 hour, not 2 hours. We've corrected that recipe and hope you'll give it a try.
Nigella Lawson says do the same cake with oranges or lemons of equal weight (13 oz.) - increase sugar to 2 cups with lemons.
Like the last reviewer, this cake has become my go-to dessert. It is as delicious as it is unlikely. The texture was especially interesting for a cake, because of the pureed clementines.
I used ¾ c sugar instead of 1 c. Perfect for my tastebuds. And last time I made it I substituted meyer lemons for the clementines. I think I liked it even better! (With the lemons, I used a full cup of sugar.)
Made this cake for Christmas, found it to be absolutely fantastic. A few nitpicks:
1. The candied clementine recipe actually crispy-caramelized my clementines when they came out of the oven. They were dark brown, not bright orange. I would skip the oven time altogether and just let the sugar-simmered clementines cool on some parchment.
3. I would cut the butter back some in the chocolate ganache, as the finished glaze was quite soft, took a while to set up, and was a little greasy.
I use this recipe, minus the frosting, in one spirit garden http://onespiritgarden.com, my tea garden here on Whidbey Island. I offer it as a gluten-free cake, though it goes pretty quickly, because everyone likes it. I use oranges instead of clementines; usually cook 2 large navels and then puree 1 1/2 of them. I glaze it, while hot, with an orange juice glaze. Then, serve it with fresh whipped cream. Freezes beautifully.
Made this and it came out looking and smelling glorious. Alas, I followed the (new) recipe to a T and should have listened to my inner voice as a long time baker telling me not to unmold the cake after 10 minutes - it broke into a million pieces. Each bit was very tasty, ended up improvising a mixed berry and whipped cream bowl with clementine cake crumbs and drizzles of chocolate. Next time, I'll remove the springform ring, but will wait much longer to take the cake off the springform base.
I started to make this cake and then realized I was out of almond flour. I did have walnuts however so I ground them in the blender with a big handful of cacao nibs which made a kind of dense marzipan-like flour. I used two cups of that mixture in place of the almonds and otherwise kept everything the same. It was an AMAZING cake (very moist, not too dense and reminiscent of German Christmas cookies) and I will definitely make it wrong again.
This is the most unlikely recipe, but I became completely addicted this winter. If you came to dinner at my house, you were having clementine cake for dessert. The bitter edge to the sweet cake is perfect. I made the cake alternately with almond flour and ground almonds. I found I liked the texture of the ground almonds better.
I've made the Nigella Lawson recipe for this cake many times. She uses a "heaping" teaspoon of baking powder. I mix the bp with the almond flour before adding; otherwise the bp clumps. I also use a parchment-lined loaf pan, with one continuous sheet of parchment so you can lift out the cake easily. My glaze is about 1/4 cup high-rind melted orange marmalade and topping is toasted, sliced almonds. Surround plated cake with orange/yellow flowers such as mums, roses, marigolds.
As my tween son said, "This cake is really weird. Can I have another piece?"
This IS a weird cake. Moist, aromatic, delicious, but almost mealy from the almond flour.
A few observations:
-- I used the chocolate glaze on this, but found it overpowering. Will try with just powdered sugar next time. If using chocolate glaze, allow at least 2 hours to set.
-- The almond flour was mealy. May try again with wheat flour.
-- Springform pans leak. Put a foil lined tray underneath the pan.
I use monk fruit sugar instead of real sugar. Makes this cake a lower calorie and carbohydrate option but just as delicious.
Love this cake, I do have a Q here…I’ve made it twice and both outcomes were uniquely different. Perhaps because I am the worst baker I know and /or the almond flour quality was different in both trials. So help me here, do we like to pack the flour or is a loose scoop is the preferred technique with this measurement. ( I don’t have a scale) Thank you!
I followed Nigella’s measurements for clementine, about 375 grams. I separated the eggs and whipped the whites to stiff peaks. I mixed the remainder of the ingredients in the same food processor used for the fruit, then incorporated the whites delicately. I brushed the baked cake with a clementine syrup, then sprinkled King Arthur non-melting powdered sugar. This cake is a masterpiece!
What is the finished texture of the candied orange slices? Are they soft or crunchy? Thanks!
Citrus fruit is waxed or coated with other things. I have not seen any comments about this. Can anyone confirm that the coatings used are ok to eat
Indeed, citrus fruit is waxed and fumigated for transport/storage before reaching most markets in the US. The wax can be removed by scrubbing the fruit under hot water, just like you would if you were using the citrus zest or any other part of the peel. Considering that the recipe calls for the boiling of the whole fruit for two hours I highly doubt there is any wax left before you process it. Just discard the water.
Also very good made with blood oranges. I boiled five smallish ones, which were more than enough for 1 1/2 purée. The cake you get with a 9” springform is a little thin. 8” makes a prettier cake, with a better ratio of browned crust to moist crumb.
8 cutie mandarins. Don’t forget the sugar. 1t vanilla. Do not unmold after 10 minutes; wait till really cooled.
Public service tip re the candied clementine slices: skip the parchment paper for submerging them bc (1) not necessary and (2) most parchment has PFOA & PFAS (aka forever chemicals).
This is such an easy dessert to make. Someone here suggested an alternative using Meyer lemons. This is terrific in and of itself, but I'll love trying the Meyer lemon recipe as well!
would storing this cake for a few days in the fridge be recommended? Or wrapping tightly?
Insanely good. Everyone raved. My pastry chef friend was even impressed and that is RARE. Did recipe as is EXCEPT just added 1 tsp vanilla and made the 2 tsp baking powder HEAPING teaspoons. Also, 8 small organic “Cuties” clementines and microwaved them. Skipped the candied fruit topping and chocolate glaze. Both myself and the Chef agreed that either would have overpowered this delicate taste. My flour was Bobs Red Mill Natural Almond Flour (with almond skin on). WILL MAKE AGAIN!!
I baked this 40 minutes WITH FOIL ON and then 10 more minutes with foil OFF. Came out perfect.
My discerning dessert friends simply rave about this cake (made it with ganache but not the candied slices). Once the fruit is cooked and cooked this is incredibly simple! I used mandarins instead, and added 3/4 tsp almond extract, which I don't think was noticeable and therefore maybe unnecessary. The candied slices are great for presentation but a pain to prepare and slice on the finished cake (depending how arranged), so I don't bother unless I know the guests love candied citrus).
I made this in a loaf pan. It was delicious. I added a tsp of vanilla extract. It needed only about 40 min. I am not adding a glaze. If I were to do that, I would use 3/4 cup sugar. The recipe is a keeper.
I had this at a friends and loved it but tried it with a 1/4 cup less sugar. It was divine!
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