Sticky Mandarin-Vanilla Pound Cake
Rick Martinez
Test Kitchen-Approved
Photo by Ty Mecham. Food stylist: Anna Billingskog. Prop stylist: Alya Hameedi.
- Serves
- One 9-inch loaf
- Prep Time
- 30 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Ingredients
Mandarin-Vanilla Pound Cake
- 2 cup (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla paste or extract
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier (optional)
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 3 yolks
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed mandarin or orange juice
- 2 tablespoon finely grated mandarin or orange zest
Mandarin Marmalade Topping
- 1 large or 2 medium mandarins (about 280 grams), halved and very thinly sliced, seeds removed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed mandarin or orange juice
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier (optional)
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Directions
- Step 1
Arrange racks in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9” x 5” loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment so that it overhangs about 1-inch on each of the long sides of the pan. Coat paper with nonstick spray.
- Step 2
Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl until no lumps remain, sift if necessary.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, combine oil, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a small measuring cup or bowl.
- Step 4
Using an electric mixer (or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) on medium speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a large bowl, scraping down sides, until well combined (butter does not need to be fluffy), about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and yolks on medium low speed, one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down sides and beat on high speed until mixture is pale yellow and light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and add vanilla mixture and beat at high speed until incorporated, light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
- Step 5
Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in half of the dry ingredients, until almost completely incorporated, then add 1/3 cup mandarin juice plus the zest and beat until almost incorporated. Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until fully incorporated.
- Step 6
Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure batter is fully mixed. Transfer batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with a silicone spatula or metal offset spatula.
- Step 7
Bake cake until browned, edges begin to pull away from pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or the internal temperature of the center of the cake is 200°F, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool 1 hour in pan.
- Step 8
While the cake cools, make the marmalade. Toss mandarin pieces, 1/2 cup juice, and 3/4 cup sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium low heat, and cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and syrupy and mandarin rind is dark orange color, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until ready to glaze.
- Step 9
Pour warm glaze over cooled cake while still in the pan and let sit until glaze has been absorbed and mandarin pieces are cool, about 30 minutes. (For a less-sweet cake, use half of the glaze and use the rest as you would a jelly or jam.)
- Step 10
When you're ready to serve, remove the glazed cake from the pan, discard parchment, and slice into pieces as thick or thin as you like.