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Mandarin Orange Upside-Down Cake

This Mandarin Orange Upside-Down Cake combines the sweetness of oranges with a soft, fluffy cake. Thin-skinned mandarin slices, cooked until syrupy, create a marmalade-like topping that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious. The cake itself is light, with bursts of orange flavour from juice and zest, offering a delightful balance of citrusy freshness and cake sweetness.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: dessert, Fusion

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
  • ½ tsp Baking soda
  • ½ tsp Salt

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup Vegetable oil flavourless
  • ¾ cup Yoghurt
  • ½ cup Orange juice
  • 3 tsp Orange zest
  • 1 cup Caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp Butter for greasing the baking tin

For Assembly

  • 1 Mandarin orange thinly sliced with skin
  • ½ cup Water
  • ¼ cup Sugar
  • 1 Cinnamon stick

Instructions

Prepare the Cake Tin:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Grease a sealed loaf tin with butter to prevent leaks.
  • Sprinkle an even layer of caster sugar over the base of the tin, which will caramelise and enhance the flavour.

Prepare the Mandarin Slices:

  • In a small pan, combine water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
  • Add the thinly sliced mandarin rounds with the skin on, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the slices soften and the mixture turns syrupy.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Arrange the glazed mandarin slices at the bottom of the prepared cake tin.

Make the Cake Batter:

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients: vegetable oil, yoghurt, orange juice, orange zest, and caster sugar. Whisk until well blended.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.

Bake the Cake:

  • Pour the batter into the cake tin over the arranged mandarin slices.
  • Gently tap the tin to level the batter and remove any air bubbles.
  • Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool and Serve:

  • Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes.
  • Carefully invert onto a serving plate to reveal the mandarin topping.
  • Slice and enjoy.
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