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Layer Cakes

Mandarin Hazelnut Cake

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Mandarin hazelnut cake with a cream filling and a glazed layer of mandarin oranges on top
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Prep
30 min
Bake
1 hr
Total
1 hr 30 min
Makes
12 slices

Today I've prepared a delicious fall recipe for you: mandarin hazelnut cake. This autumnal mandarin cake is the perfect way to get into the mood for the holiday season. With its nutty flavor and fruity mandarins, it's a real feast for your taste buds.

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I'll show you how easy it is to make this elegant cake yourself, even if you're new to baking. We swap hazelnuts for almonds and experiment with different fruits to let your creativity run free.

You'll learn how to bake in the fall and how to decorate a cake with seasonal fruit and nuts. This baking adventure promises sweet temptation and pure enjoyment. It's ideal for a cozy afternoon coffee or festive celebrations.

Join me in the kitchen and let's make this delicious mandarin hazelnut cake together. The best part? It's really easy to make! Let this autumn baking idea and my creative cake variations inspire you.

If you're looking for a simple and tasty cake recipe, you've come to the right place.

Now let's start baking and tackle this autumn cake with mandarins and nuts. Enjoy baking!

Ingredients

Makes 12 slices

Nut sponge

  • 1 stick plus 5 tbsp190 gunsalted buttersoftened. German butter is unsalted and has about 82 percent fat. In the US use unsalted butter; European-style unsalted butter is closest. In the UK, unsalted butter.
  • 1 ¼ cups250 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 2 tspvanilla sugar1 packet = 2 tsp (8 g). Sugar flavored with vanillin (artificial vanilla), sold in Germany in small packets of about 8 g. In the US use 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar for each 8 g packet; in the UK, vanilla sugar sachets, or 1 tsp vanilla extract plus 2 tsp sugar per sachet.
  • 6large eggs
  • 1 ¼ cups150 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 1 ½ cups150 ghazelnutsground
  • 1 tspbaking powderGerman baking powder is sold in 15 g packets, each meant for about 500 g (4 cups) of flour. In the US and the UK, use regular baking powder (1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp per 15 g packet).

Filling

  • 1 ½ cups350 mlheavy creamcold. German cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 7 oz200 gmascarpone
  • 2 packetswhipped cream stabilizer1 packet = 8 g. A packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream; in the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.
  • 2 tbspgranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchground cinnamon
  • ⅓ cup50 ghazelnutschopped, optional!

Topping

  • 2 cansmandarin oranges
  • 1 packetclear cake glazeA powder that sets fruit juice or water into a clear glaze over fruit tarts. In the US use clear cake glaze powder (sold online), or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup; in the UK, quick-set cake glaze sachets, or fruit juice thickened with about 1 tbsp cornflour per 250 ml.
  • juice from the cans of mandarin oranges

Method

Sponge

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C) convection (fan). Line a springform pan with parchment paper.

  2. Beat the butter, ⅓ of the sugar, the salt and the vanilla sugar vigorously for about 5 minutes.

  3. Separate the eggs and gradually work the yolks into the butter mixture.

  4. Whip the egg whites with the remaining ⅔ of the sugar until stiff, then fold them into the butter mixture in about 3 portions.

  5. Mix the dry ingredients and sift them over the batter. If a few coarse pieces of nut are left in the sieve, simply add them to the batter and fold them in as well.

  6. Now pour the batter into the springform pan and bake the sponge. After baking, let it cool in the pan, then release it from the pan and cut it in half horizontally.

  7. Optional: while the sponge is in the oven, toast the chopped hazelnuts on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes, then let them cool completely.

  8. Set the springform ring around the bottom layer again.

Filling

  1. Briefly whisk the mascarpone, then add the cream and sugar and whip until stiff. Just before the mixture is stiff, sprinkle in the whipped cream stabilizer.

  2. Optional: fold the chopped hazelnuts into the filling.

  3. Spread about half of the filling over the bottom layer in the pan, place the second layer on top and smooth the remaining cream over it. Then chill the cake in the fridge for about two hours.

Glazed topping

  1. Drain the mandarin oranges, saving the juice.

  2. Arrange the mandarin segments side by side on top of the chilled cake.

  3. Make the clear cake glaze with the mandarin juice according to the package directions and pour it over the mandarins. Let it set.

  4. Release the cake from the pan and enjoy.