Description
This moist and flavorful Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake combines the sweet, tangy taste of fresh mandarin oranges with warming spices and a tender crumb. A glaze made with orange zest adds the perfect finishing touch, making this cake ideal for a special dessert or festive occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- Cooking spray, for pan
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 6 mandarin oranges or clementines, peeled (seeds removed)
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to preheat so it reaches the right temperature by the time the batter is ready.
- Prepare the Bundt Pan: Generously spray a bundt pan with cooking spray to ensure the cake doesn’t stick and can release easily after baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer set to medium speed, beat for at least 30 seconds until thoroughly mixed and creamy.
- Add Eggs: Crack the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture and continue beating on medium speed for one minute until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Process Clementines: Place peeled mandarin oranges or clementines (without seeds) in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until they are partially broken down but not fully pureed, retaining some texture.
- Combine Clementines with Batter: Add the pulsed clementines to the butter mixture and beat briefly on medium speed to combine evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt to distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until the batter is combined. Do not overmix to ensure a tender crumb.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes or until the cake turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely before glazing.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth and well combined.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled bundt cake. Optionally garnish with dried orange slices or additional orange zest for a decorative finish.
Notes
- Make sure to remove all seeds from the mandarin oranges to avoid bitterness.
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep the cake light and fluffy.
- The glaze can be adjusted in consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.
- Use room temperature eggs and butter for better mixing and texture.
- For a nut-free version, substitute almond flour with additional all-purpose flour.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting off.