Mandarin Orange Cake

My ode to Ottolenghi continues. Though, I have to label my attempts as 'Almost Ottolenghi' as I usually trespass slightly from his written methods! Given that I mostly follow the recipes, all results, yes all resulting creations have been epicurean.

So it is with this same intention I try to replicate the clementine cake from his cookbook Jerusalem. His recipe calls for almonds and almond flour, items I cannot use. So I add more flour, some baking powder and whisk away. Other steps are in tandem with Ottolenghi. The  burnished results are just what the patissier ordered for a damp rainy day!

The main reason for making the cake is the sweet ending to a 'thanks'giving meal for the Louis family. Recently we celebrated a wedding pandemic style. They helped us maneuver the events in innumerable ways, too many to describe. The multi course meal is our tribute to these stalwarts, who took up knives, spoons, forks, gardening shears, scrubbers, silver polish, thereby pouring out their graciousness into wedding preparations. We are eternally grateful.

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 8-10

3/4 cup Butter plus more to butter the baking pan

2 cups Sugar + 1/2 cup Sugar

4 seedless Mandarin Oranges

1 Lemon

5 Eggs

1 1/4 cups all purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

A pinch of Salt

Candied Orange Peel

Orange Segments

Butter a 9 inch springform pan.

Line the base with parchment paper. 

Bring butter and eggs to room temperature.

Heat your oven to 350F/180C.

Place soft butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle beater.

Beat butter and sugar for few minutes till light and fluffy.

Zest oranges and lemon right into the butter. Combine on low speed. 

Add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides as you add them. 

Sift flour and baking powder and add them slowly to the batter. Try not to over mix.

Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top of the cake. Tap the pan gently to get rid of air bubbles. 

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes. Poke the center of the cake with a skewer or knife making sure it comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, juice the oranges and lemon. 

Put the juices in a small saucepan. 

Add 1/2 cup sugar to juice and bring to a boil. Allow juice to boil for a minute, them take it off the heat.

Cool cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. 

Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick. 

Ladle boiled juice over the cake making sure to cover the entire cake. You will not need all the juice. Use about half of the juice and save the rest for another use.

Let cake sit in the pan for at least 20 minutes. 

Run a blunt knife along the edge of the pan, then undo the rim. 

Place cake on a platter and serve with candied peel and orange segments. 

NOTES

The cake can be made up to 3-4 in advance. Keep it covered in an airtight box. 

The original recipe called for almonds as a garnish. Feel free to improvise.

Our lengthy meal ends with a slice of cake and nugget of semolina halva as it is Dussehra. An opportune ending on an auspicious day. 

Pin It