This mandarin cream cake is a soft butter cake with a crisp, spiced meringue on top and a light sour cream and whipped cream filling studded with mandarin oranges. The meringue gets its Christmas aroma from speculoos spice.
It is a good autumn or winter dessert. The clever part is that the butter cake and the meringue bake at the same time on one sheet pan. Once the sheet has cooled, you cut it in half and fill it with the mandarin cream.
How do you put a mandarin cream cake together? Make the cake layer from the egg yolks and the speculoos meringue from the whites, spread both on one pan and bake together. Cut the cooled sheet in half, spread the cream on the bottom half and cover with the top half, meringue side up.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 25 min
- Baking time: 20 min
- Chilling time: at least 2 hours
- Servings: 1 sheet cake (10 to 12 pieces)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Calories: about 380 kcal per piece
Ingredients
(US cups, with metric in brackets)
For the cake layer (bottom)
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 8 1/2 tablespoons (120 g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 packet / 8 g vanilla sugar)
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
For the speculoos meringue (top layer)
- 4 egg whites
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon speculoos spice (speculaas spice or gingerbread spice)
- 1 pinch salt
For the mandarin cream
- 1 3/4 cups (400 g) sour cream (at least 20 percent fat)
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200 ml) cold heavy cream (at least 33 percent)
- 2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained (about 6 oz / 175 g drained each)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (60 g) granulated sugar
- 20 g instant whipped cream stabilizer (such as Dr. Oetker Whip It; Smeta-fix in Slovakia)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) (conventional, top and bottom heat). Line a deep baking sheet (or an adjustable frame about 11×14 inches / 28×36 cm) with parchment paper.
- Cake layer: In a bowl, beat the softened butter, 100 g sugar and the vanilla until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the 4 egg yolks one at a time, beating each for at least 30 seconds.
- In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Briefly mix it into the butter mixture on low speed, together with the milk.
- Spread the finished batter evenly on the prepared pan. It is sticky; use a spatula dipped in water to help.
- Meringue: In a clean bowl, beat the 4 egg whites with the pinch of salt. When they begin to foam, slowly add the 150 g sugar mixed with the speculoos spice. Beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Gently spread the meringue over the raw batter on the pan. You can make “peaks” with a spoon.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes. The meringue should be golden and firm.
- Leave the baked sheet on the pan to cool completely.
- Cream: Drain the mandarins well.
- In one bowl, stir the sour cream with the 60 g sugar until smooth.
- In a second, tall bowl, whip the cold heavy cream together with the instant stabilizer (20 g) until stiff.
- Carefully fold the whipped cream into the sweetened sour cream with a spatula. Finally, fold in the drained mandarins lightly.
- Assembly: Cut the cooled sheet (with the meringue) exactly in half.
- Put one half on a tray and set a cake ring or frame around it (or return it to the pan).
- Spread all the mandarin cream evenly over this bottom layer.
- Carefully cover with the second half, meringue side up.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours so the cream sets completely.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Mandarin Cream Cake
- Smooth cream. Always whip the instant stabilizer with cold heavy cream. Never stir it straight into the sour cream, because it forms lumps.
- Speculoos spice. If you cannot find speculoos (speculaas) spice, use good gingerbread spice or a mix of cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg.
Easy Variations
- Other fruit. Use canned peaches or apricots, cut into small pieces, instead of mandarins.
- Chocolate meringue. Instead of speculoos spice, fold a tablespoon of sifted cocoa into the meringue.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Can I use gelatin sheets instead of the instant stabilizer? Yes, but the method is different. You need about 6 sheets. Soak them in cold water, squeeze them out, dissolve them in 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot cream (taken from the cream, not the sour cream) and then stir that into the cream mixture.
- How long does mandarin cream cake keep in the refrigerator? Because of the cream filling, it must stay cold. It keeps 2 to 3 days. The meringue layer may soften slightly over time.
- Why do the cake and the meringue bake together? It saves time. Both layers need a similar baking time and they bond nicely, and the yolk-based butter cake and the egg white meringue use the whole eggs.
- Can I make it ahead for Christmas? Yes. Assemble it the day before and keep it refrigerated; the flavors settle and the cream sets firmly. The meringue will be a little softer.
- What can I use instead of Schmand? Full-fat sour cream is the closest substitute and works in the same amount.
Cut with a sharp knife and serve well chilled so the cream keeps its shape. Store it only in the refrigerator.
The recipe is based on a version by Sandra’s Baking Ideas, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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