Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Before we had access to limitless sweet, salty, crunchy snacks everywhere all the time, nuts and dried and candied fruits were considered luxuries. These were commonly gifted by St. Nicholas as symbols of celebration and prosperity and became key ingredients in Christmas cakes, plum puddings and mince pies, panforte and stollen.
With food prices continuing to rise, preserved fruits and nuts seem to be once again falling into the category of luxury items – particularly in the quantities required for most fruitcakes. As festive fruits go, oranges and cranberries tend to be more affordable and produce a delicious cake that requires far less time and financial commitment, albeit completely different, texture-wise, than traditional fruitcake. (Which for many is a selling point in itself.)
Most boxes or bags of mandarins inevitably come with a few disappointingly squidgy specimens that can be blended, skin and all, into a pulp that makes a fruitcake of a different kind: one that’s bright and citrusy, with pops of tart ruby cranberries. You could even add a handful of walnuts or pecans, if you like a fruit-and-nut combo. It doesn’t require aging, nor dousing in spirits – though you could brush it generously with a Grand Marnier syrup – and is as well suited to breakfast as any other time of day. If you’d like to dress it up, slice and sandwich it with softened vanilla ice cream, or pair it with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.
Cranberry-Orange Cake
Regular oranges can be swapped for the mandarins – if they have thicker skins, remove the deep orange outer layer off with a vegetable peeler, then peel away and toss the white pith, and blend the zest with the segments.
- 1/2 cup butter, softened, or shortening
- 1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
- 4 average-sized mandarin oranges, washed (about 325 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Glaze (optional):
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 tbsp orange juice, cream, milk or Grand Marnier
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a bundt or similar fluted pan or spray it with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, oil and 3/4 cup of the sugar for two to three minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
Wash the mandarin oranges, trim their stems, cut them into quarters and pulse in a food processor with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until well puréed. (It’s okay if there are little bits of orange in there.)
Add half the flour along with the baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed or stir just until combined. Add the puréed oranges, then the remaining flour. Stir in the fresh or frozen (don’t thaw them!) cranberries. Spoon into the pan and bake for an hour, or until deep golden and springy to the touch.
Let cool for about 20 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or wire rack while still warm. Whisk together the icing sugar, juice (or milk, cream or Grand Marnier) and melted butter, adding a bit more sugar if necessary to achieve a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the warm or cooled cake.
Serves about 16.