Citrus loaf cake / summer dessert
Bright, tender, and citrusy, this Mandarin Loaf Cake is a fresh summer-style bake with juicy mandarin zest, a soft yogurt crumb, and a light mandarin glaze. It is simple enough for a weekday treat and elegant enough for tea, brunch, or a sunny dessert table.
Recipe video
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and line a 23 × 13 cm / 9 × 5 in loaf pan with parchment.
Wash and dry the mandarins. Finely zest them, then squeeze and strain the juice.
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
In a larger bowl, rub the sugar with the mandarin zest until fragrant and slightly damp.
Whisk in the eggs for 1 minute, until the mixture looks lighter.
Add the oil, yogurt, mandarin juice, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain.
Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 45–55 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift onto a rack and cool completely.
Mix powdered sugar with mandarin juice to make a thick, pourable glaze.
Drizzle the cooled loaf with glaze, sprinkle with zest, slice, and serve.
