Whole mandarin and olive oil cake

Whole mandarin and olive oil loaf cake. Photo / Olivia Moore

I have an obsession with using whole citrus fruits to make cakes.

For one, it's quicker to chuck the whole fruit in the blender than juicing, but by keeping the skins, you also retain vitamins, minerals and a whole heap of fibre.

It's no lie that the skins are the best part! The pith can be quite bitter (don't eat whole citrus raw!), but when cooked and paired with sweetness, salt and fat, the bitterness diminishes.

The resulting cake is rich and comforting in flavour, with a squidgy crumb and a crispy exterior.

I picked these mandarins up from Taupo's new Countdown in Kokomea Village as an "Odd Bunch" pack; $4.50 for 1 kilogram. Bargain!

Visit Olivia's website for more recipes: www.thatgreenolive.com

Whole Mandarin & Olive Oil Loaf Cake

Gluten free, vegan.

Makes 1 small loaf.

● 1 cup almond meal

● 1/4 cup rice flour

● 1/2 cup brown sugar (use coconut sugar for refined-sugar-free)

● 1/3 cup cornflour

● 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

● 1/2 tsp salt

● 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

● 2 mandarins, skin on

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a small loaf tin with baking paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add olive oil and stir to fully coat.

3. Blend mandarins in a blender until smooth. Add to the mixture and stir until a smooth batter.

4. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for one hour until nicely browned on top. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly before gently transferring to a cooling rack.

5. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a generous dollop of yoghurt.