Tangerine Tea Cakes Recipe

This Tangerine Tea Cakes Recipe is a moist and fragrant recipe, which is made with almond paste and fresh tangerine zest. It’s a delightful bite-sized dessert, ready in about 40 minutes.

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Tangerine Tea Cakes Ingredients

A simple, sophisticated blend for delightful bite-sized cakes.

• 13 ounces almond paste or marzipan
• 1 tablespoon tangerine or orange marmalade
• 1 tangerine, sectioned and rind grated (zested)
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for sprinkling

How To Make Tangerine Tea Cakes

A step-by-step guide to these elegant and flavorful mini cakes.

1. Prep Oven and Tins: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange 50 mini muffin paper cups on a large sheet pan (or in mini muffin tins).
2. Make the Almond Batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the almond paste, marmalade, and tangerine rind (zest) on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and no lumps of almond paste remain.
3. Add Eggs: With the mixer on low, add the whole eggs one at a time, followed by the single egg yolk, mixing well after each addition until incorporated.
4. Finish Batter: Mix in the flour until just combined. With the mixer running on low, slowly stream in the melted butter and mix until the batter is smooth and well blended.
5. Fill the Cups: Transfer the batter to a pastry bag (or a heavy-duty Ziploc bag with the corner snipped). Pipe the batter into the prepared mini muffin cups, filling each one about three-quarters full.
6. Garnish: Cut the tangerine sections into small pieces (about 1/4 of a section). Place a tiny piece of tangerine, cut-side up, gently on top of the batter in each tea cake.
7. Bake and Serve: Sprinkle the tops of all the unbaked tea cakes liberally with powdered sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, until they are firm to the touch and lightly browned on the edges. Let them cool completely on the pan before serving at room temperature in their papers.

Recipe Tips

• Almond Paste vs. Marzipan: This recipe lists both, but almond paste is generally preferred for baking as it has a higher almond content and less sugar than marzipan. If you use marzipan, the cakes will be sweeter and the texture slightly different.
• How to get a smooth batter: Almond paste can be firm. Break it up into small pieces before adding it to the mixer. It is crucial to beat it with the marmalade until it is completely smooth before adding eggs, otherwise, you will have lumps in your cakes.
• Don’t skip the piping bag: Because these are mini cakes and the batter is sticky, trying to spoon it into 50 tiny cups is messy and tedious. A piping bag makes the process fast and neat.
• Zesting the tangerine: Zest the tangerine before you peel and section it. The zest provides the essential citrus oil flavor that perfumes the cake.

What To Serve With Tangerine Tea Cakes

These elegant little bites are perfect for high tea or a light dessert buffet.

• A cup of Earl Grey or Jasmine tea
• A glass of sherry or dessert wine
• Fresh berries
• A dollop of clotted cream or mascarpone

How To Store Tangerine Tea Cakes

• Room Temperature: These cakes stay incredibly moist due to the almond paste. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: These freeze beautifully. Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag (with parchment between layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Tangerine Tea Cakes Nutrition Facts

(Per 1 tea cake, assuming 50 cakes)

• Calories: ~60 kcal
• Total Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5g
• Cholesterol: 15mg
• Sodium: 5mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 6g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
• Sugars: 5g
• Protein: 1g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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