Let’s celebrate a truly lovely citrus – the mandarin orange! This fresh mandarin orange cake features the orange in 4 (yes, FOUR) different ways, making it truly the perfect cake for those citrus lovers.
There’s nothing quite like citrus desserts. From this orange cranberry cake to this orange pull-apart bread, citrus somehow makes sense in winter, spring, summer and fall. So when I saw these adorable little mandarin oranges at the store I knew I needed to celebrate them!
For this cake, I use the orange in 4 ways: I will use zest in the cake batter, juice in the drizzle to moisten the cake, juice and zest in a curd filling, and a bit of juice in the icing. Phew. That’s a whole lotta orange. And surprise, I’ll also use them as decoration…so maybe 5 ways technically?!
What is a Mandarin Orange?
Mandarins are part of the classic navel orange family, but they are not just teeny oranges. They have a sweeter juice and a thinner skin than the classic orange. Tangerines and clementines are all types of mandarin oranges.
I have used a classic mandarin orange here, and a LOT of them. And you will need quite a few of them (they are so teeny!)
Ingredients
What else goes into this cake besides orange, you ask? Let’s look at some of the highlight ingredients (but I won’t go through everything like sugar and salt!)
Orange Cake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour. Typically I use cake flour for cakes. But because I’m doing an orange drizzle soaked into the cake, I wanted it to be a little more sturdy.
- Orange zest. Orange zest whipped into the granulated sugar provides a ton of flavor.
- Whole milk. This gives the cake a rich texture.
- Unsalted butter. A great flavor for the cake. Often I use a combination of butter and oil in my cakes, but again our drizzle will provide the moistness in the cake.
Orange Curd Ingredients
- Orange juice. Use freshly squeezed mandarin oranges. Skip the bottled OJ.
- Egg yolks. Sets the curd. Store the extra egg whites in the freezer until ready to use for other recipes like this chocolate pavlova.
- Powdered gelatin. This might not be a common ingredient in all households. Find it typically in the Jello area of the grocery store. It helps to set the curd a bit firmer so it doesn’t flow out the sides.
Dehydrated Orange Slices
If you want to decorate you cake with the same dehydrated lemon slices as I have, slice a lemon into 1/4″ thick rounds using a sharp knife. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200°F (95°C) for 3-4 hours, turning halfway.
Making Mandarin Orange Curd
A curd (granted, not the prettiest name) is a set spread with egg yolks, sugar and usually a type of citrus. It’s similar to a custard, but swap the milk for juice!
Curd might feel a little tricky the first time you make it, but there’s nothing to be worried about, let’s talk through some details:
Use a good pot. Don’t use your thinnest metal pan, use a pot with some heft so the mixture doesn’t scotch.
Patience. Stir so the curd doesn’t burn, this process takes about 15-20 minutes and stir the entire time.
Don’t boil. Don’t let the mixture boil. Keep it just under boiling temperature.
Egg yolk temperature. Heat the yolks to at least 145°F (62°C) – which shouldn’t be difficult to do – to ensure the eggs are safe for consumption.
Let to thicken. Allow the mixture to thicken before taking off the heat. You will see the curd hold together while stirring and cling to the spatula leaving a trail if you swipe your finger.
Strain. Straining through a fine mesh strainer removes any juice pulp and over cooked egg bits (it can happen). Add the zest after so you get the concentration of flavor.
Chill. Leave time for this to chill before filling the cake. Make it at least 3 hours ahead.
Making Mandarin Orange Cake
The base of the dessert is a mandarin orange layer cake. I really wanted this to have a very orangey flavor, so we are going to flavor this cake in two steps. The cake will have zest and after baking an orange syrup drizzle.
Zest properly. Zest only the outer orange skin, leave the white pith behind because it’s very bitter. I use a microplane for the best results. Make sure you zest before you juice the oranges, it’s MUCH easier than the other way around.
Room temperature ingredients. Make sure your butter, eggs and milk are all room temperature to avoid splitting the batter.
Don’t skip the creaming. This cake is made using the creaming method which means the butter and sugar is creamed together. Really give it time to whip so they are light and fluffy for a light and fluffy cake. Adding the zest at this stage will release the oils and up the orange flavor.
Add flour in stages. Alternate adding the flour and milk so 1. the mixture doesn’t split and 2. you avoid over-mixing the flour. Only mix until the flour is just incorporated. I even prefer to do the last few mixes by hand.
Drizzle. While the cake is still warm, poke it all over with a toothpick or skewer then brush the cake generously with the orange syrup. I use a pastry brush for this, but a small spoon will work as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, any oranges will work for this recipe: navel, tangerines or clementines are all good options.
No, this cake is better with freshly squeezed and zested oranges.
When it’s heated enough, the curd will hold together while you are stirring. It will coat the back of the spoon and leave a trail if you swipe your finger through.
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Fresh Mandarin Orange Cake
Equipment
- 2 8" cake tins
Ingredients
Mandarin Orange Curd
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice 2-3 mandarin oranges
- 2 large egg yolks
- 66 g granulated sugar
- 42 g unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon powdered gelatin
- zest of 1 mandarin orange
Orange Cake
- 210 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 170 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons mandarin orange zest about 2 oranges
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk room temperature
Orange Syrup Drizze
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice 2-3 mandarin oranges
- 50 g granulated sugar
Glaze
- 227 g confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2-3 mandarin oranges
Instructions
- At least 3 hours in advance or day before. Orange Curd. In a small saucepan, combine all curd ingredients except zest.1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 2 large egg yolks, 66 g granulated sugar, 42 g unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon powdered gelatin
- Stir constantly over medium-low heat. Do not boil. Cook until mixture thickens and clings over back of spatula, about 15-20 minutes. Curd will be ready once mixture holds together while stirring and leaves a trail on the spoon when swiping finger through.
- Strain curd through fine mesh strainer. Stir in zest. Chill, covered, for at least 3 hours or overnight.zest of 1 mandarin orange
- Orange cake. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour 2-8" cake tins. Line with parchment paper.
- Sift or whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.210 g all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with hand mixer, whip butter, sugar and zest on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.170 g unsalted butter, 200 g granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons mandarin orange zest
- With mixer on low, add eggs one at a time and vanilla extract.2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Working in batches, add 1/3 of the flour mixture on low. Add 1/2 of the milk. Continue until all is just incorporated. Do not over mix. Batter will be very thick.1/2 cup whole milk
- Divide batter evenly between prepared tins, spread into a smooth layer. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
- Orange syrup drizzle. While cake is baking, make drizzle. Combine orange juice and sugar in a small pan. Warm over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.1/4 cup fresh orange juice, 50 g granulated sugar
- While cake is still warm, poke all over with toothpick or skewer and brush orange syrup over the top. You may not need all syrup, but all the cake should be well coated and allow syrup to sink into cake.
- Assembly. Once cake is cooled, spread cold orange curd over top of one cake layer. Top with second cake.
- Icing. Whisk together all ingredients, adding as much juice to desired consistency. Spread over staked cake allowing icing to drip over sides. Allow icing to set before serving.227 g confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Notes
- Store extra orange syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use in teas or cocktails.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Un-iced cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up 2 months.
Disclaimer: We test all recipes using the metric weights shown, we cannot guarantee outcomes when switching to US measurements.
