(Almost) Gluten Free Mandarin Cake

This is the stickiest, syrupiest and oh so very moist mandarin cake I have found..

This one was inspired by a Nigella recipe but I have made little touches when I wanted a sweeter, sticker outcome. You can make it gluten free by ensuring your baking powder is gluten free.

Ingredients

• 7 small mandarins

• 500 grams White sugar (I will try this with brown next and let you know! Hit me up if you find it nicer with brown sugar)

• 250 grams crushed nuts (Literally any kind you like! I used crushed flaxseed and a selection of mixed nuts ground in a processor) The wider the selection will provide with a more diverse texture.

• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

• 1 orange

• Dash of vanilla essence

• Tablespoon of honey

• 6 eggs

• 250ml dry Pinot Grigio

Method

The Cake

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190ºC/170°C Fan/375ºF. Butter and line a 20cm / 8 inch Springform tin.

• Place mandarins with skin on in a pot of deep cold water and bring to the boil. Allow this to boil on high for an hour or two (I usually just do an hour because I am so impatient but the longer you boil them, the sweeter they will be, and you will see that they take on a soft, candied texture).

• Once cooled, half the mandarins and make sure there are no pips. Place mandarins with the skin on into a processor and blend until you have a puree of mandarin. You will want to have pulp and bits as it adds beautiful texture and flavour.

• In a large bowl cream 6 eggs with 225 grams white sugar (and save the rest of the sugar for a glaze). Once blended, add the ground nuts and baking powder and combine. The nuts may clump in the egg mixture but just keep smoothing with the end of a fork, don't worry too much if you find it has small clumps.

• Add the blended mandarins and combine.

• Pour batter into the prepared tin/ dish and bake for about one hour. By about forty five minutes check the top and you may have to cover the cake if it is browning too much to prevent burning. Use a knife inserted into the cake after this point every five or ten minutes just incase as some cooking times will vary.

• While you are waiting, pour the pinot grigio into your favourite glass and watch some Greys Anatomy.

• Once ready, a knife should come clear when poked into the cake.

• Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before using a fork to gentle poke holes all over the cake (trust me, the more the better!).

• Once you are happy with the glaze, gently pour one third evenly over the holey cake and wait for it to seep in (about 5 minutes). Repeat the process twice more for the rest of the glaze - the liquid will seep in leaving a beautiful pulpy and sweet layer on top. Allow the cake to settle for about 10 minutes before serving.

The Glaze

• Prepare a medium pot and halve the orange. Squeeze the orange into the pot through your hands to catch any seeds. Turn the halves inside out to really take the juice out.

• Add the 275G white sugar to the pot and add 200ml water.

• Add the honey and vanilla essence and bring to medium heat and stir.

• Cook the glaze for 10 minutes or to taste and thickness, so long as the water has been made to a syrup type flavour.

Your cake is ready to eat! It will get better within a few days as the syrup really soaks in and the sweet mandarin is preserved inside. Enjoy!!