Print

Light and Fluffy Mandarin Orange Cake

mandarin orange cake - featured image
Print Recipe

A light, airy mandarin orange cake with a tender crumb and subtle citrus flavor, perfect for any occasion and easy to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) mandarin orange juice, fresh or canned
  • Zest of 1 large mandarin orange
  • ½ cup (75g) mandarin orange segments, drained if canned
  • ½ cup (120g) sour cream
  • 3 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl, mix the mandarin orange juice, sour cream, and mandarin zest.
  6. Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the wet juice mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently after each addition.
  7. Gently fold in the mandarin orange segments.
  8. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  9. Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in three additions using a rubber spatula.
  10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  11. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when pressed.
  12. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Fold whipped egg whites gently in thirds to keep the batter airy. Use room temperature eggs for better volume. Drain canned mandarin segments well to avoid sogginess. Tent cake with foil if edges brown too quickly. For gluten-free, substitute flour with gluten-free blend and xanthan gum. Vegan adaptation requires flax eggs and dairy-free yogurt, skipping whipped egg whites and adding extra baking powder.

Nutrition

Keywords: mandarin orange cake, citrus cake, light cake, fluffy cake, easy dessert, homemade cake, mandarin dessert

Find it online: https://emacrave.com/light-and-fluffy-mandarin-orange-cake-recipe-easy-homemade-dessert-idea/