Inspired by Claudia Roden's 'Orange & almond cake', Diane created this moist, dense cake using ground almonds, a can of chickpeas and mandarins. Children can help – whisking the eggs (Diane uses 60g ones) and sugar and breaking apart the mandarins. It makes a delicious dessert for a special occasion served as is or with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. It keeps for about 2 days in a sealed container. Not suitable for freezing. Makes 10–12 slices.

4 mandarins (about 70g/2½oz each), washed
1½ cups slivered almonds or 180g/6oz ground almonds
400g (14oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
1¼ cups caster sugar
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170ºC (340ºF). Grease and line the base of an 18cm (7in) round cake pan.

Place the mandarins in a microwave-safe dish, cover and microwave for 3–3½ minutes until soft. When cool enough to handle, break each into a few pieces and remove any seeds and stems. Don't peel.

Process the almonds in a food processor until ground. Remove and set aside. Process the chickpeas until crumbly then add the add mandarins (skin and all) and puree.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Add the mandarin/chickpea puree, ground almonds, baking powder and vanilla and stir to combine well (it is a runny mixture). Taste for sweetness and add an extra tablespoon of caster sugar if need be.

Pour the cake batter into the cake pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes or until top is firm and a skewer into the centre comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and leave in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Turn the right way up and leave to cool.