Clementine Cranberry Cake: Grain Free and So easy, moist and delicious

Written by on in Bread and Breakfast, Dessert
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This clementine cake is based on Nigella Lawson’s viral clementine cake which is based on Claudia Roden’s orange almond cake with a couple of fantastic upgrades. First I add butter even if I am not adding the cranberries. It gives just the right touch of richness. Second I add brandied cranberries – it is basically a cranberry upside down cake if you add the brandied ones because they won’t stay suspended in the batter – but they are oh so delicious. The dried ones make a prettier but less delicious cake. I like to top the whole thing with lemon glaze but this is optional. We eat this cake for breakfast and I bring it to lots of holiday gatherings.

Clementine cake manages to be light but moist and a little syrupy but not too sweet all at once. It should come with a serious warning label.

I’ve made a couple of other accidental improvements: use pistachio flour instead of almond flour for a green tint and unmistakable flavor and/or add a splash of orange blossom water.

Clementine Cranberry Almond Cake - Gluten Free and Grain Free

Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert

Equipment

  • 8 or 9 inch cake pan the 8 inch pan works without the cranberries or if you have a springform pan or another pan that's 3 inches or so deep
  • sheet parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 4 to 5 clementines about 1 pound total weight
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar 7 oz
  • 2 cups almond flour 7 oz
  • 1 cup brandied cranberries see recipe or dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup butter melted

To top

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions
 

  • Wash clementines, put in a bowl of water and microwave until tender (about 10 minutes) or boil on stove in a pot of water until tender (about 20 minutes). Let cool (it's ok if they are still warm, you won't want to cook the eggs but I never get around to doing this for very long).
  • Prepare your pan - line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides of your pan.
  • If you are using the brandied cranberries - put them in the bottom of the pan.
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Put clementines in food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add sugar and eggs if your food processor is big enough. Alternatively you can beat the eggs until foamy (about 5 minutes) in stand mixer. Add sugar to blend, then clementines.
  • Whisk in almond flour, baking powder and butter. Fold in dried cranberries if using.
  • Pour into prepared pan and bake, until a skewer comes out clean, 30-45 minutes.
  • Let cool in pan, then unmold onto a cake plate.
  • Mix powdered sugar with lemon juice if you want and top cooled cake with glaze.

Notes

This is delicious with pistachio flour instead, and I love to throw in a splash of orange blossom water.  The glaze isn't really necessary but it is delicious.  

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