How Do You Make A Mandarin Orange Surprise Layer Cake?
• Preheat oven to 190oC (375oF). • Prepare a Genoese sponge. Add orange rind with flour. Transfer mixture to a greased or lined cake pan and bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, until firm to the touch. • Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. • Prepare the 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 remaining portion of cream over top of cake and decorate with mandarin segments and chocolate curls.
