Clementine Cake

We had a bunch of clementines in the fridge that needed to get used up, so I went searching around for a recipe that would help empty out the fridge. I found a recipe that was originally for an orange cake, so I took that and substituted the clementines. I also made some clementine juice just by juicing them by hand. Deliciously sweet!

Clementine Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

grated zest of 12 clementines

3 eggs

1/4 cup clementine juice (you can substitute orange juice)

STEPS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Combine the flour and baking powder and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the zest and combine.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.
• Alternating, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the juice, ending with the flour mixture. Stir until fully combined then pour into loaf pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. With about 15-20 minutes remaining, check to ensure that the top doesn't burn. If it is getting dark, lightly cover it with foil.

Anna Olson's Tea Loaf

I was on a search for a recipe that I could whip up quickly and toss into the oven without much effort. I came across Anna Olson's recipe for a tea loaf that sounded like it fit the bill perfectly. Here's my version of the recipe which adds a bit more spice to the loaf.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups hot brewed earl grey tea

1 cup raisins

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup butter

STEPS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pour hot tea over raisins and set aside to soak.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and spices. Cut in butter until blended thoroughly.
• Pour in tea and raisins and stir to mix until smooth.
• Pour mixture into a greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

I didn't make the glaze that Anna did, but it might be good. I thought the loaf was okay, but still needed more flavor. Next time, I will try it with a different tea, maybe use cranberries instead of raisins and add some orange zest. That might make it a bit more exciting.