Tangerine Cake with Honey and Walnuts

A slice of tangerine cake on a white plate garnished with segmented tangerines.

5 from 1 vote

Tangerine Cake with Honey and Walnuts

This moist tangerine cake is naturally sweetened with honey, packed with fresh citrus flavor, and finished with a simple orange frosting. Perfect for holidays, brunch, or everyday baking from scratch.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Assembly Time10

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: citrus cake, honey sweetened cake, tangerine cake, tangerine walnut cake

Servings: servings

Calories: 304kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: Varies

Equipment

9" round cake pans
Measuring Utensils
Mixing Bowls
Spatula
Electric Mixer
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Cake

1 Cup Honey
3/4 Cup Butter melted
3 Large Eggs Use farm-fresh eggs if you have them.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract I love this homemade vanilla extract recipe.
4 Medium Tangerines To make 1 cup of tangerine juice & 1 tablespoon of zest.
2 1/2 Cup Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Pinch Salt

Frosting

3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter room-temperature
1 Medium Orange juiced
1 Pinch Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, prep two 9” round cake pans, lined with parchment paper and set aside
In a large bowl whisk together the honey, butter, eggs, vanilla and tangerine juice and zest, mix until thoroughly combined.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until no flour streaks remain.
Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared cake tins.
Bake for 40 -45 minutes or until an inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
Let cakes rest in pans for 5 minutes then turn them out onto a cooling rack to continue cooling completely.
To make the frosting, combine the powdered sugar, butter, orange juice, and salt. Whisk until smooth and thick. If frosting is too runny add more powdered sugar. The frosting should stick to your spatula and not drip off.
Frost layer number one, let the frosting sit before adding the second layer. Add your second layer and top with more frosting. Frost the sides with a small amount of frosting and dust with orange zest.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

Always zest citrus before juicing for the best results
Measure honey in a greased measuring cup for easy release
Do not overmix the batter, which can make the cake dense
Allow cakes to cool fully before frosting to prevent sliding layers
For extra citrus flavor, brush the layers with a little warm tangerine juice
Serve slightly chilled for a firmer, bakery-style slice

Storage Instructions:

Store frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. To extend the shelf life, refrigerate for up to 4 days, bringing slices to room temperature before serving.

For long-term storage, freeze unfrosted cake layers tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.

Nutrition