Why Is My Clementine Cake Too Wet And Heavy?

Our answer

Nigella's Clementine Cake (from HOW TO EAT) is a moist gluten-free and dairy-free cake made with clementines that are simmered until soft. The cake will not have the light, open texture of a sponge cake but will be moist and dense and is excellent as a pudding cake. So it will be different to a regular sponge cake and will have a damper, firmer texture.

If the cake is undercooked in the centre then it could be that the cake batter was a bit too thin. Once the whole clementines have been blended with the other ingredients, you should have a thick but not stiff batter. Make sure that the clementines are drained thoroughly before you add them to the food processor. If the clementines broke open during cooking then they may have absorbed some water, which would make the cake batter a little more wet and it may need a slightly longer baking time. If the clementines split again during simmering then remove them immediately from the saucepan and drain well. The cake is cooked when the top is firm and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. If it is taking longer to cook through then cover the top of the cake with foil or baking parchment (parchment paper) to stop if from colouring too much.