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

Meringue:

• Separate 2 eggs and keep the whites and the yolks separated.
• 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:

• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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:

• 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.
• 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
• 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
• Cover with the second cake half and press gently. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.