Mandarin Polenta And Macadamia Cake
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It has been an absolute mandarin fest in our home this month. After our very exciting mandarin picking adventure at a local farm here in Sydney and traipsing home with 11 kilos of mandarins, I have tried to use them in every recipe imaginable. I have been toying with the idea of doing a whole orange cake for a while now. So in staying true to my resolution of trying out new techniques and recipes that I have never experienced before, I baked a beautiful whole mandarin cake.
The cake has no flour and uses a generous amount of butter along with macadamia meal. The nut meal gives it that beautiful texture that stays with you after the last moist bit of cake is gone. The mandarins impart a delightful color to the cake and the toasted polenta adds that surprise crunch in the crusty golden exterior of the cake.
I consider peeling a mandarin as one of those unspeakable little joys of life. The whole exercise is a celebration of senses. Poking your finger in to break the peel, then slowly unraveling the mandarin while marveling at the smooth glossy exterior and fibrous inner texture. Then if your thumb happens to puncture a delicate fruit segment, the juice popping out and streaming down your palm as you catch that drop with a quick flick of your tongue and the citrus smell hitting your nostrils, is truly a complete sensory experience. This cake showcases the smell, texture and colour of the beautiful mandarin to perfection.
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recipe
MANDARIN POLENTA AND MACADAMIA CAKE
Preparation Time – 1 hour
Baking Time – 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves – 8 to 10
Baking Time – 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves – 8 to 10
Ingredients
4 small mandarins, unpeeled
2 cups macadamias, coarsely ground
250g butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup polenta, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon icing sugar
a pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Method
Cover whole mandarins in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to a boil. Drain and repeat the process again. Drain mandarins after second boil and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan -forced. Grease 22cm deep round cake pan and line with baking paper.
Halve mandarins, discard seeds and process to a pulp. Beat butter, sugar and extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Stir in polenta, mandarin pulp, nut meal and baking powder.
Spread mixture into the pan and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes until golden and cooked through in the middle. Stand cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then cool onto a wire rack. Alternatively, serve warm with a dusting of icing sugar.
Mmmh, I am still drooling when I think of your gorgeous mandarin cake. Thank you, for sharing the recipe – it will be at the top of my to-do-list … now I only need to get some more mandarins. We only got tiny ones left from our mandarin picking excursion.
Those are really beautiful mandarins you got there, I’m envious. The ones imported here are not as fresh and heavily waxed. Another good flourless cake recipe for when I need one.
Funny thing, I love mandarins but find their smell in my hands annoying. Lovely cake, I think it’d be great with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt or whipped cream.
I think you might be onto something Gaby. I think the yogurt would cut through the flavours perfectly. Must try!
What lovely crumbled cake it is! Love the orange hue to it. and wonderful ingredients.
That sounds so good! I have never tried baking anything like this before!I really wish i was daring enough to try new techniques in the kitchen like you
but yeah… one day i shall be!
Oh my goodness! Mandarins, macadamia AND polenta? This sounds divine!
Beautiful cake-love mandarins and macadamia nuts. Delicious!
This looks fantastic! I love mandarins. Used to have 2 nice Satsuma tree’s in huge pots by the pool. So yum to pick fresh and eat. Thanks for sharing
@alanecooke
ooh nice! lucky you
. These are Satsumas too .. the kids love that they are seedless, they are such little flavour bombs!
What a beatiful cake with mandarin and macademias! Sounds and looks yummy! Great clicks!!
I just recently made an orange and almond cake using whole oranges and it was divine! Never thought to use mandarins in place of oranges but I suppose it makes sense that you can substitute the citrus. And I love the sound of using macadamia meal too. Looks delish.
That is a gorgeous looking cake lovely!
This is one of my favourite cakes ever! It’s so moist and delicious!
Mmm, macadamia meal sounds so delicious. I’ve been having a serious macadamia craving lately and this cake is the perfect reason to indulge!
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Looks delicious! I bought some mandarins and polenta yesterday, so cannot wait to try this one!
Looks yummy, drooling over the photos, bet you enjoyed this meal
Feel free to check out my personal link, I’ll really appreciate it. Thanks.
Ohh Sneh, I’ve been going crazy “pinning” your cakes and craving them! Okay, I’m going to bake one now. Just confused which one to choose… Lemon cake? Childhood chocolate? Daisy? Or, this?!!
Girl, you are awesome. Really, really awesome!
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