Eric Lanlard's video: Eric Lanlard s Clementine and Pomegranate Cake

This lovely moist cake is packed with festive flavours and happens to be gluten free and lactose free so a great bonus if one your guests is celiac or lactose intolerant… the ruby colour of the pomegranate seeds give this delicious cake a jewel like effect. Ingredients: 350g clementines or satsumas (3-6 fruits) 6 large eggs 225g light muscovado sugar 50g gluten free plain flour 1 tsp gluten free baking powder 250g ground almonds 2 cinnamon sticks For the syrup: 2 fresh pomegranates 50g golden caster sugar 2 tsp orange blossom water 1 tsp vanilla bean paste For decor: icing sugar pomegranate seeds Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a 23cm round tin, about 9cm deep, with baking paper. 2. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and 225g sugar in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water for about 5 minutes until pale and mousse-like. 3. Take the bowl off the heat and add the baking powder, ground almonds, gluten free flour and the purée. Fold in gently but thoroughly. 4. Transfer the mixture to the tin and bake the cake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Take the cake out of the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 5. To make the syrup, cut the pomegranates in half, and tap the back with a wooden spoon to extract the juice and seeds (make sure you have a sieve ready to catch the seeds separately). Once most of the seeds are out, squeeze to extract any extra juice. 6. Transfer the juice to a saucepan; add the remaining 25g sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Cool slightly, but the liquid should still be warm, then stir in the orange blossom water and vanilla. 7. Using a pastry brush or a spoon, 'soak' the cake with the warm pomegranate syrup. 8. Just before serving, scatter the pomegranate seeds over the top of the cake and dust with icing sugar. Happy Baking !! XX