Sour cream and mandarin syrup cake

This easy mandarin cake is super moist thanks to sour cream and the syrup – it’s the perfect treat for afternoon tea or dessert

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 6.5cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.
Step 2

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and mandarin rind until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream. Sift flour over mixture. Stir to just combine. Stir in almond meal and mandarin juice.
Step 3

Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (cover with foil if over-browning).
Step 4

Meanwhile, make Mandarin syrup: Place mandarin juice, sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add mandarin slices. Turn to coat. Remove from heat.
Step 5

Remove cake from oven. Using a skewer, pierce top of warm cake several times. Drizzle half the hot syrup over cake in pan. Stand for 15 minutes for syrup to be absorbed into cake.
Step 6

Transfer cake to a serving plate with sides. Top with mandarin slices and drizzle with remaining syrup. Serve warm with extra sour cream.