Tangerine Pound Cake Recipe for a Bright Citrus Crumb

Tangerine pound cake is a buttery loaf cake flavored with fresh tangerine zest and juice, then finished with a simple citrus glaze. Its rich, tender crumb balances the fruit’s sweet, fragrant flavor, and the easy-to-find ingredients make it a reliable bake for brunch, dessert, or an afternoon snack.

Ingredients

Use room-temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream so the batter comes together smoothly. For the best tangerine flavor, zest the fruit before juicing it, and avoid grating the bitter white pith beneath the peel.

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
1 teaspoon (5 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs (about 200 g without shells), at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely grated tangerine zest (about 12 g), from roughly 3 medium tangerines
⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh tangerine juice, strained of seeds
½ cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, for the glaze
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh tangerine juice, plus more as needed, for the glaze
½ teaspoon finely grated tangerine zest (about 1 g), for the glaze

Instructions

Prepare the pan and oven. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-by-5-inch (23-by-13-cm) loaf pan, then line it with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the long sides. The parchment handles make it easier to lift the cake out without breaking its edges. If your pan is a little smaller, place it on a baking sheet in case the batter rises close to the rim.
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Set the bowl aside. Whisking distributes the leavener through the flour and helps prevent salty or overly puffy patches in the finished loaf.
Rub the zest into the sugar. Put the granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of tangerine zest in a large bowl. Rub them together with your fingertips for about 30 seconds, until the sugar smells fragrant and looks slightly damp. This releases aromatic oils from the zest and spreads the citrus flavor throughout the cake rather than leaving it in isolated flecks.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the softened butter to the zest-sugar mixture. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl once, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Proper creaming incorporates air that helps a pound cake rise; butter should give slightly when pressed but should not look melted, shiny, or greasy.
Add the eggs and flavorings. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture may look a little curdled after the eggs go in, but it should come together as you add the flour. Mix in the ⅓ cup tangerine juice, sour cream, and vanilla just until combined. If the juice makes the mixture look separated, do not worry; avoid beating it for a long time to force it smooth.
Finish the batter. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Use a flexible spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl and fold in any unmixed flour. Stop as soon as the batter is even; vigorous mixing after flour is added can make the loaf dense or chewy. The batter will be thick, not pourable like a thin cake batter.
Bake until set. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, rotating the pan once after about 40 minutes if your oven browns unevenly. The cake is ready when the top is golden, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the center springs back when lightly pressed. If the top is browning quickly before the middle is done, tent it loosely with foil for the remaining bake time.
Cool and glaze. Set the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the cake out and let it cool on the rack for about 1 hour. For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons tangerine juice, and ½ teaspoon zest until smooth. Add more juice a few drops at a time if it is too thick; it should fall from a spoon in a slow ribbon. Drizzle over the completely cool cake and let the glaze set for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips

Measure flour lightly. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it with a straight edge instead of scooping directly from the bag. Scooping can pack in extra flour, making this buttery cake dry and heavy. Weighing 250 g is the most consistent option.
Use zest for flavor, juice for brightness. Tangerine juice is milder and less acidic than lemon juice, so the zest carries much of the fruit’s aroma. Use a fine grater and stop when you reach the white pith, which can taste bitter. If your tangerines are especially sweet, the small amount of salt in the batter helps balance the flavor.
Bring chilled ingredients to room temperature. Cold eggs or sour cream can make creamed butter firm up and cause the batter to look lumpy. To take the chill off eggs, place them in a bowl of warm—not hot—water for 5 to 10 minutes. Avoid softening butter in the microwave until it melts; melted butter will not hold air in the same way.
Choose a sensible citrus substitute. If tangerines are unavailable, use an equal amount of sweet orange zest and juice. The result will taste more like orange pound cake and may be a little less floral. For a sharper citrus note, replace up to 1 tablespoon of the juice in the batter with lemon juice, but keep the total liquid amount unchanged.

Serving Suggestions

Serve slices plain or with tea, coffee, or a glass of milk. The glaze gives each piece a sweet citrus finish, so a plain slice is satisfying on its own. For a more substantial dessert, add a spoonful of lightly whipped cream and a few fresh tangerine segments, removing any seeds and membranes that seem tough. Berries also work well, especially raspberries, whose tartness contrasts with the cake’s buttery sweetness.

For brunch or a casual gathering, slice the loaf just before serving and arrange the pieces on a platter with the glazed sides facing up. A serrated knife helps cut through the glaze without compressing the crumb; wipe the blade between slices for cleaner edges. If serving the cake with other sweets, cut thinner slices because this is a rich, close-crumbed loaf.

Variations

Add a little spice: Whisk ½ teaspoon ground cardamom or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger into the dry ingredients. Cardamom gives the cake a warm, fragrant note that pairs naturally with tangerine. Keep the amount modest so the spice does not overwhelm the fruit.

Make it with yogurt: Replace the ½ cup sour cream with ½ cup (120 g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt. The cake may taste a little tangier, but the texture remains tender. Avoid thin, watery yogurt, which can loosen the batter and affect the bake.

Skip the glaze: The loaf is still flavorful without icing. Before baking, sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon (12 g) coarse sugar for a lightly crisp crust, or dust the cooled cake with 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar just before serving. For a slightly more pronounced citrus finish without a glaze, add another teaspoon of finely grated zest to the batter.

Use a different pan with care: You can bake the batter in a greased 10-cup (2.4-L) Bundt pan, but begin checking for doneness around 45 minutes because the shape and pan material change the bake time. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out. A Bundt cake needs thorough greasing in every groove to release cleanly.

Storage and Reheating

Because the cake contains sour cream, refrigerate it within 2 hours of baking or serving. Once the glaze has set, wrap the cooled loaf or individual slices tightly, or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerated, it keeps well for up to 4 days. The crumb firms when cold, so let a slice sit at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving for a softer texture.

To freeze, wrap slices or the whole cooled, unglazed loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw wrapped slices in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature until soft; glaze after thawing if you froze the loaf without it. A slice can be warmed in a microwave for about 10 seconds, then checked and warmed in short intervals if needed. Avoid prolonged heating, which can dry the cake and soften the glaze too much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bottled tangerine juice?
Fresh juice and zest give the most recognizable tangerine flavor. Bottled juice can work in the batter and glaze if it is unsweetened, but it will not replace the zest’s fragrant oils. If using bottled juice, still use fresh tangerine zest when possible, or use orange zest for a related flavor.

Why did my pound cake sink in the middle?
A sunken center often means the cake was underbaked, the oven door was opened early, or the batter was overmixed after the flour went in. Check the center with a toothpick rather than relying on browning alone, since a loaf can look done on top while still soft in the middle. Oven temperatures can vary, so use the doneness cues as well as the suggested bake time.

Can I make this cake without a mixer?
Yes. Use a sturdy whisk or wooden spoon to cream the softened butter and sugar until noticeably lighter, then beat in the eggs one at a time. It takes more effort than using an electric mixer, but the rest of the batter can be stirred by hand. Take care not to overwork it after adding the flour.

Can I make the batter ahead?
It is better to bake the batter soon after mixing. Baking powder begins working once it is moistened, and a long wait can reduce the cake’s lift. For easier preparation, zest and juice the tangerines, measure the dry ingredients, and bring the dairy and eggs to room temperature ahead of time; keep perishable ingredients refrigerated until needed.

How do I know when the cake is fully cool enough to glaze?
The loaf should feel cool at the center and sides, not just on the surface. If it is still warm, the glaze will thin out, soak into the crust, and may run off instead of setting in a neat layer. Allow about an hour on the rack after removing it from the pan, then check that the bottom is no longer warm before glazing.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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