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Mandarin Orange Pound Cake
This Mandarin Orange Pound Cake is incredibly moist, bursting with bright citrus flavor, and topped with a silky mandarin glaze — pure sunshine in every slice!
The Most Moist Citrus Pound Cake You’ll Ever Make
This Mandarin Orange Pound Cake is what citrus dreams are made of — a dense, buttery, impossibly moist crumb infused with fresh mandarin juice and zest, then finished with a glossy mandarin glaze that soaks right in. It’s elegant enough for entertaining and simple enough for a Tuesday afternoon treat. Once you try it, regular pound cake will never be enough.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Zest of 3 mandarins
- ¼ cup fresh mandarin juice
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2–3 tbsp mandarin juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.
- Combine mandarin zest and juice with sour cream.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 55–65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
- Whisk together powdered sugar and mandarin juice for the glaze. Drizzle over warm cake.
Tips for the Perfect Pound Cake
- Don’t rush the creaming — 5 full minutes of butter and sugar creates that signature pound cake texture.
- Room temperature everything — eggs, butter, sour cream. Cold ingredients cause curdling.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour — fold gently to keep the crumb tender.
- Cool before glazing only slightly — you want the glaze to soak in while the cake is still warm.
FAQs
Can I use canned mandarin oranges?
Yes! Drain canned mandarins and use the juice for the glaze. The flavor is slightly milder but still delicious.
Can I substitute sour cream?
Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute for sour cream in this recipe.
How do I store mandarin pound cake?
Wrap tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. It actually gets more moist on day 2!