Name: Mandarin Orange Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar; 1/3 cup butter (, softened); 3 large eggs (, room temperature); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/3 cup Greek yogurt (, room temperature); 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/8 tsp salt; 4 large fresh mandarins; 2 tsp honey

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This Mandarin Orange Cake is soft and full of citrus flavor. Made with fresh mandarins and Greek yogurt, then finished with a sweet citrus glaze, it is easy to make and perfect for afternoon tea or coffee.

Mandarin Orange Cake Recipe

I love citrus cakes, especially lemon and orange cakes. This time, I wanted to try something a little different, so I decided to make a mandarin cake. I bought a few fresh mandarins and made this delicious mandarin dessert, full of sweet citrus flavor.

This cake was so easy to make, and it turned out soft and fluffy thanks to the Greek yogurt.

I also brush a mandarin syrup glaze over the cake while it's warm to add shine, moisture, and extra sweet citrus flavor.

For this cake, I blend the mandarins in a blender and use them as part of the wet ingredients.

Don’t worry about blending the mandarins. They turn into a smooth purée rather than a juice, which blends beautifully with the other ingredients and gives the cake a soft, moist texture and a lovely mandarin flavor.

This cake already has a strong mandarin flavor. For an even brighter citrus taste, add 1–2 teaspoons of mandarin zest to the sugar before creaming it with the butter.

For more citrus cakes, check out my delicious orange cake and Lemon Victoria Sponge Cake With Lemon Curd recipes!

You'll Need

Eggs: Make sure to use eggs at room temperature.
Granulated sugar
Vanilla extract: To flavor.
Butter: I use softened unsalted butter.
Greek yogurt: It adds a soft texture to the cake.
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Fresh mandarin: When buying the mandarin, choose the ones with slightly loose skin, bright orange, soft and fragrant.
Honey: I use it to sweeten the glaze.

Find the quantities in the recipe card.

How To Make It

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Put the mandarins in the blender, and blend until smooth.

Step 2: Peel the mandarin, remove the seeds, put them in the blender, and blend until smooth.

Step 3: In a small bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

Step 4: In another mixing bowl, whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Whisk in eggs, vanilla extract and yogurt until smooth and creamy.

Step 6: Stir in the sifted flour mixture.

Tip: DON’T overmix the batter for better cake texture.

Step 7: Stir in the Mandarin (keep 2 tablespoons to use for topping) until combined.

Step 8: Pour the batter into the prepared springform and bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes, then take it out of the springform pan and place it on a cooling rack.

Step 9: (Make The Glaze): Put the remaining mandarin orange juice in a small bowl, add the honey, and mix until combined. Brush the glaze over the cake while it’s still warm.

Storage tip: Store at room temperature for up to a day, in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer (in a well-sealed container) for up to 2 months.

Can I Use Clementines Or Regular Oranges Instead Of Mandarins?

Clementines are a great substitute for mandarins and will give you the same result. However, regular oranges may produce more juice, which may require adjustments to the ingredients.