Serves 10-12
Ingredients
Cake
5 good-sized mandarins (200g)
⅔ cup sugar
3 free range eggs
½ cup natural, unsweetened yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g butter or oil
1½ cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
Syrup
3 mandarins, zested and juiced
½ cup honey or sugar
Method
Firstly, cook the mandarins for the cake by covering them in plenty of cold water and bring to the boil over a moderate heat until the fruit is soft and pulpy (30-40 minutes).
While they are cooking, prepare the cake tin (it can be made in small muffin tins if desired). Lightly grease a 22cm cake tin and line with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 160degC.
When the mandarins are soft, drain and allow to cool slightly. Keep two mandarins aside for garnishing the cake.
Using a food processor, lightly pulse the cooked mandarins.
Add the sugar, eggs, yoghurt and vanilla and lightly blend once again.
Add the butter and blend to combine.
Add the flour and baking powder and blend only until combined.
Pour into your prepared tin and bake until lightly golden and firm (30-40 minutes).
While this is cooking, make the syrup. Zest and juice the mandarins and add to a small saucepan along with the honey or sugar. Bring to the boil and reduce until you have a pourable syrup (10 minutes).
Set aside until the cake is cooked.
Finely chop the cooked mandarins for garnishing your cake.
When the cake is cooked, pierce little holes all over the cake and pour a little hot syrup over the cake. Allow to seep in.
When the cake is cool enough to remove from the tin pour over the remaining syrup.
Garnish with the chopped mandarin and enjoy.
This cake will last for three to four days and is perfect with yoghurt.
