Recipe: Clementine Upside-Down Drizzle Loaf

Deep Winter is a time when citrus truly comes into its own bright sharp and full of welcome freshness. When the days are short and the light is low these flavours feel uplifting in the kitchen. This clementine upside down drizzle loaf brings together a moist almond sponge tender baked clementine halves and a generous citrus drizzle. It is part upside down cake part drizzle loaf and entirely delicious.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 120g butter

• 120g caster sugar

• 80g self raising flour

• 40g ground almonds

• 2 eggs

• 4 small clementines zested then peeled and halved

For the drizzle

• Zest of three small clementines

• Juice of the three clementines

• Juice of half a lemon

• 100g caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Grease and line a loaf tin and arrange the clementine halves cut side down on the base.

2. Add the clementine zest to the creamed mixture then add the eggs one at a time with a little flour. Fold in the remaining flour and the ground almonds. Spoon the batter into the tin covering the clementines completely.

3. Bake for about 50 minutes until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.

4. For the drizzle mix the clementine zest the clementine juice and the lemon juice with the caster sugar. Pour over the warm cake in stages allowing it to soak in between additions. Leave to set before slicing generously.

A Seasonal Note

This loaf belongs to Yule the Celtic season of deep Winter when the land is still and the days are at their shortest. Citrus is a bright companion at this time bringing freshness warmth and a sense of renewal. Paired with almonds and baked slowly this cake feels grounding and hopeful echoing Yule’s quiet promise of returning light.