The Secet Life of Walter Mitty: Clementine Cake recipe
Hey, this is… This is clementine cake. This is clementine cake. My mom makes this.
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, 2013
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the 2013 movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, starring Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, and Sean Penn but I was thankfully reminded of it when I received a request to recreate the cake we see in the cake (thank you for the suggestion, Cassidy!). The cake was not a huge focal point in the film but we see the cake a few times and it does play a big part in the lead’s journey. After some research, I found out that food stylist, Cathy Merenda actually got this recipe from Nigella Lawson. Find more information and the recipe on Merenda’s blog and find the original recipe in Nigella Lawson’s cookbook.
The Secet Life of Walter Mitty: Clementine Cake recipe
The cake itself can’t be any more simple. It’s gluten free so it’s definitely a great recipe for those with the dietary restriction. As simple as the cake is it make, the presentation is very striating because of the gorgeous color of the clementines. While Merenda didn’t say if she made any adjustments for the film, I immediately saw that the cake looks a bit different in the film. The slices of clementines on top of the cake in the film were much larger and thicker and look like they were dusted with granulated sugar before garnishing. Also, the icing in the film looked white while mine was a very vibrant shade of orange from the clementine juice.
Even with the slight differences, the cake really is delicious. Make sure to pick sweet clementines because the flavor will really stand out in the cake. I love the slight bitterness in the cake with the frosting on top… it’s just the most amazing flavor! Please enjoy.
The Secet Life of Walter Mitty: Clementine Cake recipe
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Clementine Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 small clementines 375g
- 6 large whole eggs
- 1 1/4 cup sugar 225g / 8oz
- 2 1/4 cup ground almonds 250g
- 1 tsp baking powder
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp softened butter
- 1/2 cup clementine juice
Candied Clementines
- 3 clementines
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter and line a 9" springform baking pan and set aside.
- Poke a few slits into the clementines. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Let the clementines cool slightly and then puree until smooth in a food processor.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes until light in color. Mix in the clementine puree on medium speed until mixed through.
- Add the baking powder and ground almonds in two additions. Give the batter a good mix with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 50 minutes or until its golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
Candied Clementines
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water together over medium high heat. Give mixture a gentle mix to help dissolve the sugar.
- Slice the clementines into 1/4" slices. When the sugar and water mixture comes to a slight boil, turn it down to a simmer and add the sliced clementines. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Lay the clementines out on a pan to cool.
Glaze
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and powdered sugar. Add in half of the juice and stir to combine. Add more of the juice if you feel like the mixture is too thick to pour over the cake.
- Top the cooled cake with the glaze and arrange the candied clementine on top.
Hello, should the clementines in the cake batter be peeled? Thank you in advance for any information
Not at all! Keep the clementines whole, with the peel. Thanks for the questions.