Tag Archives: confectioners sugar

Mandarin pound cake


IMG_5193I’ve been craving this tangy cake for long! A real pleasure to the palate, made with fresh mandarin (you can replace it with fresh oranges) and comes with a warning label: ADDICTIVE!

This pound cake is not just looking amazing but it’s also uber delicious;  As its name suggests, it’s citrusy, rich and buttery, and will surely please a lot of people. A lot of you would like NOW to pick a piece or two out of the screen.

IMG_5175This recipe calls for:

Cake batter:

  • 1cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (227g about 2 sticks)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup grated mandarin zest
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed mandarin juice
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tbsp rum

Mandarin syrup:

  • 1/2 cup mandarin juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Mandarin glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed mandarin juice

Many times it happens a recipe calls for buttermilk and you realize you don’t have or find at the nearest supermarket. Luckily you can do it at home in just 5 minutes. All you need is a cup of milk and 1 tbsp of vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon. Pour the milk on the vinegar and let it rest for 5-10 mns. I am sure lot of you will never buy again buttermilk once you know this easy substitution. If the recipe calls for more than a cup of buttermilk you can easily double the quantity.

Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour your bundt pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the mandarin zest.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the mandarin juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Pour the batter in the pan and smooth the tops.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

IMG_5206Meantime while the cake is getting baked, prepare the syrup: Cook 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with 1/2 cup mandarin juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cake is done, let it cool for 10 minutes. Take it out of the pan and place it on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the mandarin syrup over and allow it to cool completely.

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To glaze, combine the confectioners sugar and mandarin juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top and allow to dry.

Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

Now I am sure it won’t last long stored in your fridge but it will be a staple in it especially it’s spring time!

IMG_5195Happy Baking!

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Warning! Addictive Christmas shortbread cookies


christmas shortbread cookiesA melt in your mouth Christmas shortbread cookies, as festive as flavorful, are to be considered on  your to bake list for this season. You would love to close your eyes when eating to involve all your senses.

christmas shortbread cookieWhenever i want to make a no fail recipe and be sure the taste will be as good as the picture, i go back to my small notebook where i keep my mom’s recipes. Every time i bake these shortbread cookies i get more and more certain it’s the best recipe.

christmas shortbread.cookiesThis quantity yields 12-30 cookies (depending on how big you cut them out)

  • 200g butter
  • 2 1/2 cups flour sifted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Combine all together and knead until the dough is smooth. No need to let it chill as we use cold butter. But don’t hesitate to put it in the fridge if it gets too soft while working.

You will need a set of different sizes of star shape cookies cutter to be able to make the levels of the tree from big to small.

christmas.shortbread.cookies

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line your baking pan with parchment paper and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Keep on checking, when the edges start to turn to golden, it’s time to remove, you don’t want them to get brown.

christmas.shortbread cookiesLet them cool completely. To stack them, start the base with the biggest star to end up with the smallest. Dust with powdered sugar and serve! The best is to be served with a cup of tea or coffee.

christmas-shortbread-cookieschristmas-shortbread cookies christmas-shortbread.cookiesCookies can be kept in an airtight container for about a week. But I am sure such addictive shortbread won’t last to that time, at least in my house.

christmas.shortbread-cookiesIf you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page. More posts yet to come, stay tuned!