Mandarin and Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

• 155gm Caster Sugar
• 4 Eggs, separated
• 3 Mandarins, rinds freshly grated
• 125ml Vasse Virgin Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 60ml fresh Mandarin juice
• 115gm Plain Flour
• 85gm Almond Meal
• Splash of Cointreau (optional)
• Icing Sugar to dust over the top (optional)

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line the base and sides of a 22cm spring-form cake tin. Reserve 2 tablespoons of sugar. Use an electric beater to beat egg yolks, mandarin rinds, and the remaining sugar in a large bowl until it has doubled in size. Combine the olive oil and mandarin juice in a jug. Combine the flour and almond meal in a small bowl. In alternating batches, add the olive oil mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture, beating constantly on a low speed until just combined.

Use clean electric beaters to beat the egg whites and reserved sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Use a spoon to fold half the egg whites into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold the remaining egg whites in just the same. Pour into the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. In the meantime, make the syrup by combining mandarin juice, caster sugar, mandarin zest and a splash of cointreau. Drizzle syrup over the cake whilst it is still warm. Enjoy!