This very soft pudding cake with mandarins makes an easy weekend bake. A fluffy butter batter is topped with spoonfuls of vanilla pudding and canned mandarin segments, then baked on a sheet pan.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 25 min
- Baking time: 35 min
- Total time: 1 hr
- Servings: 20 pieces (10×16-inch / 25×40 cm pan)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Best for: Sunday gatherings, parties, treats for coworkers
- Make ahead: not necessary; best fresh
- Storage: refrigerator (up to 3 days)
- Serving tip: with good coffee or a glass of cold milk
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 g) butter, softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar (about 8 g), or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (12 g)
Pudding
- 3 1/3 cups (800 ml) milk
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
- Two 3.4-oz (96 g) boxes cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix (not instant); in Europe, 2 packets (about 80 g) of vanilla pudding powder
- 3 1/2 tablespoons (50 g) butter
- 1 egg yolk
Topping
- 1–2 cans (11 oz / 312 g each) mandarin oranges, drained well
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and pudding powder and cook until you have a thick pudding. Making it thick keeps the cream from sinking to the bottom while baking.
- Stir the butter and vanilla into the hot pudding and let it cool slightly.
- Once the pudding is lukewarm, stir in one egg yolk. This gives the pudding a velvety texture without scrambling.
- In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat for about 3 minutes until fluffy, so the batter is light and airy.
- Add the flour and milk to the butter mixture in alternating additions, stirring constantly. Adding the dry and wet ingredients gradually prevents lumps.
- Finally, gently fold in the baking powder.
- Grease a 10×16-inch (25×40 cm) pan with butter and spread the batter evenly with a spatula.
- Spoon the lukewarm pudding over the raw batter in even mounds.
- Arrange the drained mandarins on each pudding mound and in the gaps between them. Drain the juice thoroughly, or it will make the batter soggy.
- Bake in an oven heated to 375°F (190°C) (conventional, top and bottom heat) for about 35 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Dust with powdered sugar when cooled.
Video Recipe
Tips & Storage
- Add a spoonful of rum or some grated lemon zest to the batter for a fresher flavor.
- If you do not like the thin skin of the mandarin segments, use pitted cherries or diced peaches instead.
- Store the finished, cooled cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where the pudding keeps it moist for up to 3 days.
Variations
- For chocolate lovers: Stir two tablespoons of sifted cocoa into half of the batter and swirl it into the pan for a marbled effect. The deeper flavor goes very well with the fruit.
- Gluten-free version: Replace the all-purpose flour with a reliable gluten-free all-purpose baking blend in the same amount. Check that your pudding powder is gluten-free as well.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use fresh mandarins? Yes, but fresh mandarins are often more tart and have tougher membranes that are harder to chew. Canned fruit is better for this type of soft cake, because it sinks in easily and the cake slices neatly.
Why did the pudding sink to the bottom while baking? The batter was probably too thin, or the pudding was not cooked thick enough. It is key to measure the flour exactly and to cook the pudding with 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) of milk, not a full liter.
The recipe is based on a version by Elizan’s Kitchen, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
RATE THIS RECIPE
