Mandarin Orange Coffee Cake

Coffee cakes these days can be complex concoctions.  I think the true definition of a coffee cake is simplicity - just enough sweetness to contrast the nutty, earthy taste of a good cup of java.

This is a European style coffee cake, dense and sweetened with citrus and a hint of brown sugar.  If you're expecting the texture and sweetness of a fluffy box mix like cake, do not make this.

If you want to feel like you're sitting at some cafe on the Adriatic on a beautiful spring afternoon, then start your mixer and get your coffee perking!

2 - 10 oz cans of mandarin orange segments, drained
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 C butter (plus extra for greasing)
3/4 C sugar
2 eggs
2 C pastry flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 C milk, lukewarm
Syrup:
Juice of 2 oranges
1/4 to 1/2 C sugar

Oven: 375 degrees

Well grease a 10" diameter cake pan or  15" x 9" pan.
I'm using this fluted pan just cause I have it and why not!

Spread oranges over the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the oranges.

Place the sugar and butter in a mixer.

Cream together on high.
Check out the action shot!

Add eggs and whip until...

... it looks like this!

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Alternate flour mixture with...

... milk.
I do it in thirds (1/3 flour, 1/3 milk, repeat),
scraping the bowl down in between additions

After all the additions and the beatings,
here is your batter.

Pour batter over oranges.
OK.  Give me props for pouring while holding
an as heavy as hell batter filled mixing bowl and
holding a camera in the other hand and snapping this pic!

Voila!
The batter filled pan!
Place on a cookie sheet.
Now pop it into the oven for 35 minutes.

While the cake is cooking, squeeze your oranges.
Mine looks this because one happened to be a blood orange.
Just use whatever nice big juicy oranges you have!
Mix in anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 C sugar to make a syrup.
I like a less sweeter syrup but really, up to your taste.

I seldom offer the oven shot but this one I couldn't resist!

Here's what the finished baked cake looks like, top view.

Poke all over while still hot.
(I like to use a chopstick.)
Pour the orange syrup over the cake
making sure it  filters into the holes.
Let cool completely.

Invert onto a serving dish.
This would be lovely decorated with mint.
(The only green thing I had was sage
so I just used it for picture purposes.)

Here's a nice close shot of the cut cake.

This cake tastes great after it's been chilled in the fridge.
If I had had some at home,
I would have poured some Devonshire cream over it.

Enjoy...
a European style dense coffee cake with sweet Mandarins.
Truly, a cake that makes a cup of coffee taste complete!