RECIPE
Esther Sánchez celebrates the clementine in this seasonal bake designed to brighten the darkening days HOME COMFORTS
N ovember is here, about the sweet, fresh aroma of citrus filling the kitchen as the colder days arrive. This month, I’m sharing a deliciously moist clementine, polenta and cinnamon cake that’s perfect to enjoy with a warm cup of tea. The combination of ground and so is clementine season! There’s something wonderful
clementines bring natural sweetness and a refreshing citrus flavour. A touch of cinnamon adds that comforting autumn flair, while a simple clementine syrup makes every slice even more delicious. Meanwhile, I’ve been busy baking seasonal treats and creating bespoke cakes and personalised orders for my microbakery. It’s the perfect time for comforting autumn flavours, and I’m excited to share my November creations with you!
almonds and polenta gives this cake a lovely texture, while the
CLEMENTINE, POLENTA & CINNAMON CAKE Serves 8-10
INGREDIENTS
METHOD 1. Wash the whole clementines and remove their green stems. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer until completely soft. Drain and leave to cool slightly. Remove any seeds, then blend the whole fruit, including the peel, until very smooth. Pass through a fine sieve for a delicate texture. 2. Preheat the oven to 170°C conventional (top and bottom heat, no fan). Line the base of a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Grease the sides with butter and dust lightly with flour. 3. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the clementine zest, vanilla and smooth clementine purée, mixing until combined. 4. In a separate bowl, combine the ground almonds, baking powder, polenta and cinnamon. Gently fold into the wet mixture until evenly incorporated. 5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. If desired, sprinkle flaked almonds over the top. 6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If your oven runs hot or the cake browns too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminium foil after 25 minutes. 7. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by mixing the clementine juice, water and icing sugar in a bowl until dissolved. 8. Remove the cake from the oven and gently prick the surface with a skewer. Slowly spoon the syrup over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Just before serving, finish with a light dusting of icing sugar.
For the cake •325g whole clementines •3 medium eggs •Finely grated zest of 3-4 clementines •125g caster sugar •½ tsp vanilla extract •85g ground almonds •3g baking powder •50g polenta •A pinch of ground cinnamon For the clementine syrup •60g freshly squeezed clementine juice •30g water •65g icing sugar Optional decoration •Flaked almonds •Icing sugar, for dusting
56 NOVEMBER 2026 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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