I can’t get enough of clementines apparently. I recently whipped up a batch of Clementine Cream (or Curd) and needed to experiement a bit more. The lovely Kitchen Butterfly inspired me to create a cake with dreamy, creamy layers using the clementine cream. She recommends mixing the clementine cream with whipped cream or cream fraiche, but since I need my cake to stand at room temperature for a bit I decided a more-able-to-withstand-room-temperature topping was necessary (buttercream).  All I needed was a cake recipe.

Sadly, I can’t say the next part was hard. I really want to say it was a challenging cake, making it seem like I created a masterful dessert. Instead, I simply looked up lemon cake recipes, and exchanged the lemon juice for clementine juice and used the zest of an orange instead of a clementine. I made mini-cakes with pans 6″ in diameter. The result was a lovely little cake, making it easier for me to take piece after piece after piece because they were after all, mini-pieces. And the look of the cake? I’d say it looks pretty cute…and I’ll take the credit if you think its of a masterful quality.

I thought an icing-like frosting was the way to go, as most citrus-flavored cakes have a glaze. Icing to me tastes like a heavy glaze. However, next time I make this cake I will try other frostings because I like more fluff and I think this cake deserves more. The frosting recipe below is a bit heavy, so please offer up frosting suggestions to make this cake better!

Clementine Cake with Clementine Buttercream

Ingredients:

for the cake

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh clementine juice
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the frosting

about 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons clementine curd, divided

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup clementine juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

How To:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray or grease 2 6″ round cake pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and  sugar until light and fluffy about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 2 tablespoons clementine juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

When the cakes are done, remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a wire rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

To prepare frosting, combine 2 tablespoons clementine curd with the butter. Add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, clementine juice, and vanilla extract. Add more powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Frost cakes by topping first layer with a thin coating of the clementine curd, about 1/3 cup. Top with buttercream frosting, forming a layer over the curd. Top with other cake. Frost both layers with buttercream frosting. Put clementine slices around the cake for garnish.

This cake will stay “good” for one day out, up to a week in the fridge.