German Mandarin Cream Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 370°F. Line the baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.

Meringue:

1. Separate 2 eggs and keep the whites and the yolks separated.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Incorporate the vanilla extract. Set aside.2 egg whites + 100 g sugar/ ½ cup +½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake:

1. Beat the soft butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks and add them to the batter.125 g soft butter/ ½ cup + 80 g sugar/ ⅓ cup + 2 egg yolks
2. Mix the flour and the baking powder. Mix into the butter mixture alternatively with the milk.120 g all-purpose flour/ 1 cup + 2 teaspoons baking powder + 125 ml milk/ ½ cup
3. Assemble: Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking tray. Spread the meringue on top of the batter. Sprinkle the meringue with the slivered almonds.100 g slivered almonds/ 1 cup
4. Bake the cake base for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the cake together with its baking paper on a wire rack and let cool completely. It will not take that long.

Fill:

1. Cut the cake: When the cake is cool, divide it in the middle crosswise, so that you have two equal halves. Run a long knife underneath the cake base to more easily release the baking paper. Place one half on a serving platter.
2. Whip cream: Pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl and beat until the cream has the desired consistency. Use cream stabilizer or substitute if desired (see note).500 ml heavy cream/ 2 cups
3. Drain the mandarin oranges well and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Fold them into the whipped cream. Spread the mixture onto the cake on the platter.2 cans mandarin oranges
4. Cover with the second cake half and press gently. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.