This Mandarin Almond Cake is soft, syrupy, and full of fresh flavour. It's the cake that's quick and easy to make, but feels super special. The crumb is tender from almond meal and yoghurt, and the warm mandarin syrup poured over the top makes it beautifully moist all the way through.
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I was recently given a huge bag of fresh mandarins from my neighbour and I wanted to make something special, because homegrown mandarins are gold! This Mandarin Almond Cake did exactly that. It's no fuss, incredibly moist and delicious and just a really lovely way to let the fruit shine.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Citrus and almond are perfect together. The sweet, zesty mandarin and nutty almond meal make a great match
- Syrup keeps it extra moist, as it soaks into the crumb and adds flavour without making it soggy
- Quick and easy in one bowl, with no mixer needed
- Great for making ahead, as the texture gets even better the next day
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh mandarins (zest + juice)
- Greek yoghurt
- Neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed work well)
- Caster sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Almond meal
- Eggs
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make A Mandarin Almond Cake
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin or loaf tin (see my post on how to line a round cake tin)
- Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mandarin zest, caster sugar, eggs, yoghurt, oil, and mandarin juice until smooth.
- Step 3: Sift in the flour, almond meal, and salt. Fold gently with a spatula or whisk until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Step 4:Pour the batter into your prepared tin. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. The top may crack, but that's fine and helps the syrup soak in.
- Step 5: While the cake bakes, make the syrup: heat the remaining mandarin juice and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is simmering. Let it bubble for 1-2 minutes, then take it off the heat.
- Step 6: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke small holes in the top with a skewer and spoon the warm syrup over slowly. Let it cool in the tin to absorb fully.
Hint: Pour the syrup gradually. It's tempting to rush, but giving it time to soak in makes all the difference.
This cake turned out perfectly!
...definitely making it again"
Substitutions & Variations
- Nut-free: Swap the almond meal for the same amount of self-raising flour
- Dairy-free: Use a thick coconut yoghurt instead of Greek yoghurt
- Gluten-free: Use a GF self-raising flour blend and check your almond meal is certified GF
- Lemon version: Use lemon juice and zest instead of mandarin for a sharper twist (hello, lemon syrup cake!)
- Loaf-style: This also works well as a mandarin loaf cake. Just check around the 40-minute mark to see if it's done
Equipment
This is a simple one-bowl cake, but a few basics help:
Small saucepan
Mixing bowl
20cm round cake tin or loaf tin
Fine grater for zesting
Storage
Room temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
Fridge: Keeps well for 4-5 days, just bring to room temperature or warm slightly before serving
Freezer: Freeze cake without the syrup for up to 3 months.
Top Tip
Take care when lining your tin. The syrup makes the edges sticky, and a carefully lined tin will help you lift the cake out cleanly.
FAQ
Yes! It actually tastes better the next day, as the syrup has time to soak through.
Cracking is normal for this cake and actually helps the syrup soak in better.
Absolutely! Just use a larger tin, such as a slab pan and adjust the bake time. Cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly.
Mandarin Almond Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 tablespoons Mandarin zest approx 3 mandarins
- 150 grams Caster sugar
- 3 Eggs XL, room temp.
- 200 grams Greek yogurt
- 120 ml Neutral oil
- 100 ml Mandarin juice from fresh mandarins
- 200 grams Self raising flour
- 50 grams Almond meal
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
Syrup
- 100 ml Mandarin juice
- 100 grams Caster sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your conventional oven to 180°C/350℉ (or 160°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm round tin or a standard loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the zest, caster sugar, eggs, yogurt, oil and juice.
- Gently fold in the self-raising flour, almond meal and salt with a spatula or whisk until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Pour into prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. The top may crack, but that's normal and helps soak in the syrup.While the cake bakes, make the syrup.
Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the juice and sugar.
- Heat gently until sugar dissolves and the syrup simmers. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, then remove from heat.
- While the cake is hot, poke small holes in the top and slowly spoon the syrup over. Let it soak and cool in the tin before turning out.
Nutrition
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Sandra says
This was so easy to make!