Ingredients

Method

• 90 g butter, at room temperature
• 160 g caster sugar
• 2 extra-large free-range eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk, plus 3 T
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• Fine sea salt a pinch
• 180 g self-raising flour
• For the clementines:
• 12-15 clementines
• 350 g sugar
• 1 lemon or ordinary thyme sprig

Method

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Line a 24 cm square cake tin with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the buttermilk, vanilla seeds and salt. Don’t worry if the batter seems to be separating. Lightly stir in the flour. 

Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160ºC and bake for a further 10 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden. 

Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes or until you are ready to serve it. Top with clementines or fruit of your choice. 

To make the clementines, cut a cross into the bottom of each clementine and immerse in a saucepan of gently boiling water. Boil gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the saucepan using a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour 2 cups water into a second saucepan, add the sugar and boil until dissolved. Add the clementines and thyme and boil gently until the clementines become syrupy.