As if you needed another reason to whip up a cake, this recipe uses the whole clementine, rind and all, meaning there is no food waste. It’s the perfect cake to make when you have the weeknight baking bug. The batter comes together quickly in the food processor leaving you with very few dishes to wash. This clementine cake is elegant enough for celebrations and casual enough for snacking. Let’s gear up for all you need to make this vitamin C packed treat.
The Pith Is Magical
The thing that makes this cake really special is that the entire clementine is used, no need to peel, zest, or compost! It’s no secret that citrus zest has so much flavor. But it can also be quite bitter on fruits with thicker piths, like lemons and grapefruit. The bitterness of a clementine is scaled back because the pith is thin, which makes it perfect for this recipe. Once it’s puréed, the whole clementines become thick and creamy resulting in a dense but moist cake. It also means the batter doesn’t need as much added fat.
Bathtime for Clementines!
Clementines are more than just a snack. These sweet little goodies are an often-seedless hybrid of mandarins and navel oranges. They are at their peak flavor when the pith feels soft and is easy to peel away. It is important to wash the clementines with hot soapy water to remove the waxy coating. This wax helps protect them on the long journey from its tree to your kitchen, but you won’t want to eat it.
To Boil or Not to Boil
There are some recipes out there for whole clementine cake that call for boiling them. This method breaks down and softens the fruit while decreasing the bitterness. I skipped this step and instead increased the sugar slightly and used less clementines. The sugar helps balance the bitterness. Plus, the boiled clementines soak up water, making it difficult to get the proportions of the remaining ingredients just right.
Almonds + Clementines = Perfect Flavor Marriage
Almonds have a special affinity for citrus. Nutty almonds and floral oranges are a well-known couple in the world of cooking, and I did not feel it necessary to break them up. Here, I use almond extract to add that subtle flavor in the batter and then chopped roasted and salted almonds get sprinkled on top of the cake.
Top It Off
Creamy and smooth homemade whipped cream spiked with almond extract gets dolloped on top of the cake. Then chopped, roasted, salted almonds are sprinkled on for the ultimate crunch with each bite. Alternatively, you could simply dust with powdered sugar, drizzle with melted chocolate, or slice up fresh berries to serve on the side.
The Best Citrus Swaps
The key to a good cake is to use citrus with a very thin pith. Kumquats are great for cooking whole, are delightfully tart, and would be a nice substitute. Key limes are also a good choice. They are juicy, tart, and boast the perfect thin pith you want in a whole citrus cake. Steer clear of lemons, limes, grapefruits, and navel oranges. Lemons and limes are incredibly sour and would need more sugar. Grapefruits and navel oranges both have very thick piths.
Other Delicious Swaps That Work
As for the other ingredients, use equal amounts of almond flour instead of the all-purpose flour to make this a gluten-free dessert. I tested the cake with olive oil and found it too bitter when paired with the clementines. I suggest sticking with a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
Storage Instructions
For longer storage, leave off the whipped cream and simply wrap the cake with plastic wrap, then with foil. It can sit out at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for 1 week. If the whipped cream has already graced the top, flip a large mixing bowl over the cake so that it remains covered and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The whipped cream will lose some volume and seep into the cake making it a little denser, but rest assured it’ll be delicious.
More Citrusy Treats to Try
Orange Bread Cranberry Orange Nut Bread Almond Pound Cake With Orange Glaze Triple-Layer White Cake With Orange Curd Filling Orange Cornmeal Cake
Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing the pan 4 clementines, unpeeled and quartered (9 1/2 ounces) 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup whole milk 1 1/2 cups (349g) sugar 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups (325g) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the whipped cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream, cold 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract Pinch kosher salt Zest from 1 clementine (about 1/4 teaspoon) 1 tablespoon almonds, roasted, salted, and chopped
The batter comes together in the food processor. I used a 14-cup food processor, and it didn’t overflow. Don’t use anything smaller than a 9-cup food processor. The cake can stay on the counter for up to 3 days without the whipped cream on top. Tightly wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and then again in foil. To refrigerate it, brush the top of the cake with simple syrup, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Did you love the recipe? Leave us a review below!
