Mandarin Cake

Ingredients

155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 mandarins, rind finely grated
125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
60ml (1/4 cup) fresh mandarin juice
115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
85g (3/4 cup) almond meal
Icing sugar, to dust

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and side of a 22cm (base measurement) springform cake pan.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of sugar. Use an electric beater to beat egg yolks, mandarin rind and remaining sugar in a bowl until doubled and a ribbon trail forms when the beater is lifted.

Combine 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, and the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture, beating constantly on a low speed until just combined.

Use clean electric beaters to beat egg whites and reserved sugar in a large clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Use a large metal spoon to fold half the egg whites into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.