Tangerine Cake With Honey and Walnuts

This tangerine cake is tender, lightly sweet, and bursting with bright citrus flavor in every bite. Made with honey instead of refined sugar, fresh tangerine juice and zest, and finished with a creamy orange frosting, the crumb is soft and moist with just enough richness from butter and eggs. 

Chopped walnuts add a gentle crunch that balances the citrus beautifully, making this cake equally suited for a special gathering or a simple slice with afternoon tea.

Looking for more company-worthy cakes that feature fruits and vegetables in season? Try chocolate beet cake, my Grandma’s pumpkin cake roll recipe, from-scratch strawberry rhubarb dump cake (no Jello or cake mix!), or this easy blueberry cake. 

What Makes This Recipe Unique

What sets this tangerine cake apart is the method. It is straightforward, reliable, and designed to let the natural flavor of fresh citrus shine without being fussy or overcomplicated.

• Naturally Sweetened – The natural sweetness of honey provides a depth of flavor you can’t get from refined sugar. It’s also delicious in my honey banana cake, historical honey date squares, and honey whole wheat bread. 
• Bright Flavor – Relies on fresh tangerine juice and zest for real citrus taste, and is easy to adapt with ingredient substitutions you likely already have.
• Easy and Versatile – Simple mixing method with no special equipment required.
• Texture – Bakes up moist and tender without being dense.

Key Ingredients:

A full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

• Honey – Adds natural sweetness and keeps the cake moist
• Eggs – Use farm-fresh eggs if you have them.
• Tangerines -Fresh juice and zest deliver bright, fragrant citrus flavor.
• Flour – Although I love using freshly milled flour for bread, all-purpose flour yields a soft, tender crumb in this recipe.
• Walnuts – Adds texture and a mild nutty contrast.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

This tangerine cake is flexible and forgiving.

• Orange Juice – Swap orange juice for tangerine juice in the cake if needed.
• Lemon Juice – Substitute lemon juice in the frosting for a sharper citrus finish.
• Honey – Use maple syrup in place of honey for a slightly deeper flavor
• Nuts – Replace walnuts with pecans or omit nuts entirely.
• Flour – Use gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if needed. (Check out these gluten-free baking tips to improve your gluten-free baking skills.)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by lining them with parchment paper and lightly greasing the sides. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the honey, melted and cooled butter, eggs, vanilla extract, tangerine juice, and tangerine zest until fully combined.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until no flour streaks remain. Gently fold in the chopped walnuts.

Step 5: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.

Step 6: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 7: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by combining the powdered sugar, butter, orange juice, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth and thick. If the frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar until it holds to your spatula without dripping.

Step 8: Frost the first cake layer and allow the frosting to set slightly before stacking the second layer. Frost the top and lightly frost the sides. Finish with a dusting of fresh orange or tangerine zest.