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This old-school mandarin and cream cheese cake has super fluffy sponge layers and a light creamy filling that’s loaded with tangy mandarins. That pop of fruit really makes each bite extra bright and tasty. This one’s a crowd-pleaser for Sunday coffee or fancy celebrations and has been a family favorite for ages.
I still remember when I baked this for my daughter’s first communion. It quickly became the cake everyone asked for at family parties. For me, it’s a real pick-me-up when the weather’s gloomy outside.
Fresh Ingredients
- Sponge layers: Grab medium eggs, organic ones if you can, for a nice airy base
- Salt: Just a pinch makes all the difference and helps your egg whites get extra stiff
- Sugar: White sugar brings the needed sweetness and keeps things soft
- Vanilla sugar: Try a spoon of vanilla sugar or even better, scraped real vanilla bean for an awesome scent
- Cake flour or type 405 baking flour: That’s what makes your layers delicate—blend in a bit of cornstarch if you can’t find cake flour
- Cream of tartar baking powder: This gives your sponge some power for lift and makes it really light
- Cream Filling: Make sure your cream is super cold so you can whip it up stiff
- Low-fat or full-fat quark: Keeps the filling thick and a little tangy
- Powdered sugar: Blends perfectly into your cream and won’t leave lumps
- Lemon zest and juice: For zing, use unwaxed lemons if you can
- Vanilla paste: Squeeze in to taste for deep vanilla flavor
- Instant gelatin or agar-agar: Helps make neat cake slices—just follow the directions on the pack
- Mandarins (from a can, drained): Give sweetness and a little bite—if you go fresh, check for juicy ones and drain them well
- Decoration: Whipped cream, cold, for easy piping and pretty swirls
- Cream stabilizer: Makes sure the whipped designs hold their shape
- More sugar: Sprinkle in if you want a sweeter finish
- Vanillin sugar: This spreads that lovely aroma right through the whipped cream
- Extra powdered sugar for dusting: For a classic finish to your cake
Step-by-step directions
- Get the oven and pan ready:
- Preheat your oven to 180 (top and bottom heat), line your pan with a piece of baking paper, just grease the base lightly so the sponge can climb the sides
- Whip up egg whites:
- Separate the eggs, beat the whites with a pinch of salt until super stiff and shiny, then slowly rain in the sugar and vanilla sugar so it stays stable
- Add yolks:
- Switch to low speed, gently add each yolk to the whites, giving each a chance to mix in without dropping the fluff
- Fold in flour mixture:
- Combine the flour and baking powder, sift it, and gently fold it in a little bit at a time so you don’t lose the airiness
- Bake:
- Spread the batter evenly, pop it in the oven right away, and don’t open the door for those 20-25 minutes. Check with a toothpick and let it cool down fully
- Slice the sponge:
- Once it’s totally cool, grab a sharp knife to slice your sponge into two equal layers so they both hold their shape
- Mix up cream filling:
- Beat your cream really stiff, then gently mix it with quark, gelatin, lemon juice and zest, powdered sugar, and vanilla paste. Fold in the whipped cream last—go slow
- Put it all together:
- Set the first layer on a cake plate, clamp a cake ring around, and brush with oil if needed. Spread a thin layer of filling, layer the mandarins over it, then top with more filling. Place your second cake layer on top and give it a gentle press
- Chill it:
- Put the whole thing in the fridge for 3-4 hours minimum so the filling sets and everything holds together
- Finish it up:
- Take off the ring gently, dust the top with powdered sugar, and pipe on whipped cream stabilized with vanilla sugar. Decorate with mandarin slices like in the video
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Good to know
- You can prep it a day in advance, no problem
- Creamier quark (Sahnequark) is especially tasty
- Sponge turns out fluffy and light almost every time
- This cake is great for a crowd since you can cut it neatly into slices
- Mandarins and lemon keep it tasting sunny all year long
One of my favorite moments is when I grate lemon peel into the cream—the smell takes me right back to my grandma’s kitchen. She baked cakes like this for every special moment and they always felt like summer at the table. That mix of creamy quark and fresh fruit just lifts the whole mood.
Keep it fresh
Covered and refrigerated, this cake’ll stay good for up to three days. Use a cake stand with a lid or a sealed container so it doesn’t pick up weird fridge smells. Biggest tip—keep it cold so the filling stays firm.
Missing an ingredient
Out of quark? Swap with cream cheese or thick Greek yogurt. Mandarins out of reach? Go for canned peaches or apricots, chopped small. If you can’t find gelatin, a plant-based gelling agent like agar agar or San Apart works too—just check the ratio. No cake flour? Make your own by mixing plain flour with a little cornstarch.
Make it look great
The cake really pops on a plain white plate with some fresh mandarin pieces and piped cream on top. Dust over extra powdered sugar and, if you want, top with a few lemon balm leaves. For a special coffee, serve with espresso or even a little bubbly.
Where it all started
This dessert goes back to German bakeries in the 1900s. Still today, it’s all about café style and those classic family holidays. With its creamy middle and light cake, it reminds so many of time at grandma’s and big family tables. Every area does it a little different—some add berries instead of mandarins, others swirl in some apricot jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do I make my sponge really light?
Beat egg whites extra stiff with a little salt, sprinkle in sugar slowly, add yolks one by one, then gently fold in flour. That keeps the batter nice and airy.
- → What can I use instead of gelatin?
Agar agar or San Apart work just as well. Check the package for the right amount to add so it sets properly.
- → How long does the cake need to chill before slicing?
Three to four hours in the fridge will firm up your filling so you can cut it cleanly and get the best taste.
- → Any tips for decorating with cream and mandarins?
Whip your cream with sugar and vanilla sugar until stiff first. Only put the mandarins on right before serving for the prettiest look.
- → Which flour makes the best sponge?
Fine cake flour or regular flour (type 405) mixed with a bit of cornstarch will give you the softest texture.
- → Can I make this cake a day ahead?
Totally, it'll taste even better the next day after the flavors mix and the cream has time to set well.