Mandarin Orange Cake

Mandarin orange cake is a surprising way to use this sweet fruit! This citrus fruit cake recipe uses the entire mandarin, peel and all, for a unique texture and delicious result.

This mandarin orange cake is the baby sister to my Sicilian whole orange cake that many of you are already familiar with.

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I’ve made so many different versions of this super popular orange cake, starting with a whole lemon cake, apple cake, peach cake and more. In fact, when I first published my Sicilian orange cake, it was the only whole orange cake on the internet in English.

It’s rough seeing how many others are online now, with zero credit to anyone, not even the original Italian blogger where my mother had found the original recipe. Since there’s nothing I can do, I choose not to focus on these things, but instead, I’m sharing another citrus version of this wonderful recipe with this mandarin orange cake which also uses the whole fruit (except the seeds.)

You can see its luscious texture and can imagine the sweet flavor! It’s really a showstopper of a cake when it comes to tasting it! It’s similar to this orange olive oil cake if you don’t like using butter.

Which Mandarin Oranges Should I Use?

When choosing your mandarin oranges, be sure to use organic because you’ll be ingesting the rind. You also don’t want a rind that is very hard or thick. It should be soft, fragrant, and full of moisture (dry fruit doesn’t work in this recipe.) Ojai pixie tangerines are very sweet, but sometimes their skin can be tough. Choose the right citrus, for the best results.

According to Robert Schueller from Melissa’s Produce, all tangerines are mandarin oranges. The difference is where the species of fruit originated.

 “Mandarins and Tangerines are interchangeable words. Technically, mandarins are a tangerine from Asia and a tangerine is a mandarin from North Africa (Tangiers). However, over time the terms have been  muddled for merchandising distinctions more than country of origin.” – Melissa’s Produce

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

Check out these recipes for blood orange ricotta cookies, and a blood orange margarita, too!

It’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, special occasions and even for an afternoon snack.

Mandarin Orange Cake

adapted by Christina Conte                   serves 12

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• eggs
• sugar
• flour
• baking powder/Pane Degli Angeli powder
• butter
• Greek yogurt
• mandarin oranges
• vanilla (optional)

Glaze

• mandarin orange juice
• sugar

Special equipment: springform pan, or bundt pan or loaf tin

Directions

Make the Mandarin Cake Batter

Butter and flour an 8″ springform pan

Beat the sugar and eggs until thick and creamy.

Sift the flour with the baking powder or Paneangeli, then add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time along with the softened butter.

Continue to mix until completely blended, then stir in the yogurt.

Blend the mandarin oranges in a food processor until finely chopped into a purée, then add to the batter. Mix well.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the perimeter and remove the side of the springform pan.

Glaze the cake if desired.

This is truly one of the easiest cakes you’ll ever make!

Just look at that crumb!

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