Clementine Cake with Candied Orange Slices

Name: Clementine Cake with Candied Orange Slices
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 4 h 35 min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 c. granulated sugar; 2 clementines, thinly sliced (about 12 to 14 slices total); Cooking spray; 2 c. cake flour, spooned and leveled; 1 tsp. plus a pinch kosher salt, divided; 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature; 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract; 5 tsp. clementine zest, plus 6 tablespoons clementine juice, divided; 1 c. confectioners’ sugar

This sweet winter loaf cake is giftably delicious!

By Torie CoxPublished: Nov 27, 2023

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clementine cake with candied orange slices

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Yields:

8 serving(s)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 35 mins

This quick-cooking loaf cake is for those of you who love the smell of fresh winter citrus, who swoon to the scent of of a freshly opened clementine, who impatiently wait for crates of fresh clementines to appear in the supermarket each winter.

These cakes are pretty enough to be given away as holiday gifts, but you'll want to keep at least one on the counter, to enjoy as an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee, or to serve for dessert at a winter dinner party.

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Ingredients

For Candied Clementines:

1 cup granulated sugar
2 clementines, thinly sliced (about 12 to 14 slices total)

For cake:

Cooking spray
2 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. plus a pinch kosher salt, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
5 tsp. clementine zest, plus 6 tablespoons clementine juice, divided
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Step 1Make Candied Clementines: Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Add clementine slices, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slices are translucent, 28 to 30 minutes.
2. Step 2Remove slices from syrup with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in a single layer on prepared rack. Let stand at room temperature, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. Step 3Make cake: Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in the middle position. Line an 81/2- by 41/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease parchment and pan. Whisk together flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
4. Step 4Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, 1 to 2 minutes. With the machine running, gradually beat in granulated sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and sour cream alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until incorporated. Stir in vanilla, 4 teaspoons of zest, and 1/4 cup of juice.
5. Step 5Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, then use overhangs to transfer to rack; cool completely.
6. Step 6Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, remaining pinch of salt, remaining 1 teaspoon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons juice until a thick glaze forms, adding more juice as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency. Spoon glaze over cooled cake, and top with candied clementines just before serving.

Tip: To save a step, buy premade candied clementines. Trader Joe’s also sells sweetened dried orange slices that are very pretty and work well with this cake.

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