Mandarin Surprise Layer Cake

1 ½ quantities ingredients for Genoese sponge
Finely grated rind of 1 orange

Filling and Topping
½ cup (125 mL) ground almonds
2/3 cup (165 mL) icing sugar
8 oz (225 g) canned mandarins in syrup
Few drops green food coloring
1 ¼ cups (310 mL) whipping cream
6 oz (180 g) chocolate, finely grated to form curls

Preheat oven to 190^oCelcius (375^oF)
Prepare Genoese sponge following instructions in Cupid’s Chocolate Cake, replacing the cocoa powder with an equal quantity of flour, and adding orange rind with flour.Transfer mixture to a greased and lined 10 inch (25 cm) round cake pan and bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, until firm to the touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

To prepare filling: Combine almonds and sugar. Drain mandarins, reserving syrup, and add enough syrup to almonds and sugar to form a spreading consistency. Tint with a few drops of green food coloring, if desired.

Whip cream until just thick. Reserve 18 mandarin segments for decoration, chop remainder and add to half of the cream. Split cold sponge into 3 layers. Spread 2 bottom layers with almond mixture and mandarin cream. Re-assemble cake.

Pipe remainig portion of cream over top of cake and decorate with mandarin segments and chocolate curls.

Serves 12

Source :
Handmade chocolate recipes by Jilly Brain and Dale Wohler
Handmade chocolate tested by Ruth Hewitt
Complied by Juliet Cobb
Tormont Publications Inc., Canada

Photography by Ashley Barber