Made with whole clementines and ground almonds. This is an easy flourless cake recipe and is gluten-free.
Add the mixture to a blender (or food processor) and give it a quick blitz - simple!
The recipe is based on one by Nigella Lawson.
Clementines (or oranges)
Don't even consider using fresh orange juice instead as it's the skin of the clementines that gives the cake batter substance.
Orange juice will mean you'll have a liquid mess on your hands. 😨
Eggs
When baking, eggs provide structure and stability and will assist with the cake rising.
Sugar
Caster sugar is better if you have it as it's smoother, but you can use granulated sugar.
Ground almonds (almond meal)
Almonds give the cake a nice nutty flavour and also add structure to the cake. As almonds have natural oils there’s no need to add butter.
You can make your own from whole raw almonds; just blitz in your blender until finely ground.
Baking powder
If you need your cake to be gluten-free, remember to use gluten-free baking powder, such as Dr. Oetker.
Cakes made in a blender or food processor
Normally using a blender or food processor for cake recipes made with flour would overwork the gluten in the batter, resulting in a hard and horrid rubber-like cake.
As there's no flour in this cake you can blitz the clementines, cool, then bung in the cake mixture and blitz again until mixed thoroughly.
If you're using a blender for the whole mixing process, check first that it is big enough to hold the lot; otherwise, you might meet with a slight problem! 😨
But you can always use it to blitz the clementines (cut smaller than in half) and mix the cake batter in a large bowl before adding and mixing in the blitzed clementines. Case solved!
What equipment do we need?
- You will need a blender or food processor, I used the main jug in my Ninja Foodi Power Nutri Blender 3-in-1
Boiling the clementines (or oranges)
Don't be tempted to skip this!
Boiling intensifies the natural sugars of the clementines and retains the lovely citrus flavour of the rind.
It will also lose the bitterness from the pith; you will get the same result in boiling oranges.
So, when cooked this way the bitterness is removed and the softened clementines make the cake moist and sticky on the inside. 😉
Some recipes skip this, but the cake will be bitter. So yes, you do need to cook the clementines before making the cake.
Put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
Partially cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, boil for 45 minutes, then drain and discard the water.
You need to repeat this so, put the clementines back into the pan, cover with cold water, boil over medium-high heat and cook for another 30-40 minutes.
Changing the water produces the nicest-tasting cake.
Now discard the water and run under a cold tap to cool.
Once cooled cut each clementine in half and remove and discard the pips (if there are any).
Flourless cake ingredients
- 380g clementines (approx. 4) or small oranges to roughly the same total in weight
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 225g of white caster sugar
- 250g of ground almonds (almond meal)
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder (baking soda)
How do we make it?
Full instructions are in the printable recipe card below.After cooking the clementines, put them, skins, pith, and fruit into a food processor give it a quick blitz and leave to cool completely.
They must be cooled before adding to the cake mixture or you'll have scrambled eggs! 😩
Preheat the oven to190ºC/fan 170°C/375ºF and butter and line a 20cm / 8-inch springform tin.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds and baking powder.
Give it a quick mix as we're going to blitz fully in a blender.
Add the mixture to the food processor with the whizzed-up clementines and give it another quick blitz until it's mixed well.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for an hour, or when a cocktail stick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool, on a wire rack but still in the tin.
You can take the cake out of the tin when it's cold.
Storage
As with all almond cakes, they will stay moist and taste even better the next day. It will keep well for the next few days if covered with cling film.
How to serve it
This cake is moist and flavourful enough to eat plain. But if you want something to dollop on the side, you could slightly warm the cake (microwave one or two slices at a time for 20-25 seconds on HIGH).
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delicious dessert. 😋
Plain or Greek yogurt or creme fraiche will work, but I'll go for the ice cream thank you!
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Clementine Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 380g clementines (approx. 4) or small oranges of roughly the same total weight
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 225g of white caster (superfine) sugar
- 250g of ground almonds (almond meal)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (baking soda)
Instructions
- Put the clementines in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Partially cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, boil for 45 minutes, then drain and discard the water.
- Repeat: Put the clementines back into the pan, cover with cold water, boil over medium-high heat and cook for another 30-40 minutes. Drain and discard the water. Run under a cold tap to cool.
- Once cooled cut each clementine in half and remove and discard the pips (if there are any).
- Put the clementines, skins, pith, and fruit into a food processor give it a quick blitz and leave to cool completely. They must be cooled before adding to the cake mixture or you'll have scrambled eggs!
- Preheat the oven to190ºC /375ºF/fan 170°C
- Butter and line a 20cm / 8-inch springform tin.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs.
- Add the sugar, almonds and baking powder, and give it a quick mix. Add the mixture to the food processor (with the whizzed-up clementines) and give it another quick blitz until it's mixed well.
- Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for an hour, or when a skewer comes out clean. After 40 minutes, cover the cake with non-stick foil to stop the top burning.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack but still in the tin. You can take the cake out of the tin when it's cold. It’s ready to eat now but will stay perfectly fine for the next couple of days, covered with cling film.
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