Slow-cooker upside-down mandarin and almond cake

If there’s one thing I like about using my slow-cooker, it’s that I can toss a few ingredients in it and come back hours later to a delicious meal. This citrusy mandarin and almond cake is one such dish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa in the afternoon, or a delightful way to end a meal with friends in the evening. Just leave all the hard work to your slow-cooker!

You’ll definitely want to serve this with some sweet and sticky honey and a dollop of double cream. I’m not kidding!

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 large mandarins
• 125g butter, softened
• 3/4 caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• Honey, to serve
• Double cream, to serve

Method

1. Grease a 6cm-deep, 9cm x 19cm (base) loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang. Sprinkle brown sugar over base. Thinly slice 1 mandarin. Arrange slices over sugar. Juice remaining mandarins.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. One at a time, add eggs, beating until just combined. Stir in flour, almond meal and 1/4 cup mandarin juice until just combined.
3. Carefully spoon mixture over mandarin. Smooth top. Place pan in the bowl of a 5 litre slow-cooker. Cover with lid. Turn slow-cooker on high. Cook for 2 hours 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a plate.
4. Serve warm with honey and cream.