Mandarin Orange Angel Food Cake is incredibly moist and delicious and, hands-down, the easiest cake you’ll ever make. It comes together in 5 minutes with two simple ingredients: angel food cake mix and mandarin oranges.
This post was updated on 3/24 with revised recipe, photos, and tips.
This simple recipe was inspired by that pineapple angel food cake recipe — do you know the one? It’s just an angel food cake mix and a can of undrained pineapple. I’m not into canned pineapples, so I tried it with mandarin oranges instead. Holy. Moly. What an amazing cake!
I was surprised by how incredibly moist and flavorful the cake was. The mandarin orange segments are so soft, the mixer breaks them up distributing little pieces of orange throughout the cake. SUPER delicious dessert!
Orange Angel Food Cake is a wonderful recipe for last-minute dinner parties, family gatherings, church picnics, and potlucks.
Serve it with fresh fruit and a dollop of Whipped Ricotta and no one will know this delicious cake came from a boxed cake mix.
If you love a good angel food cake mix hack like me, be sure to check out these delicious angel food cake recipes: Strawberry Angel Food Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze, Chocolate Angel Food Cake, and Pumpkin Angel Food Cake Roll with Lemon Cream Filling.
You’re going to love this
Light and refreshing cake. This mandarin cake is the perfect dessert to make during the warmer months or after a heavy holiday meal.
Kind of healthy. Angel food cake is a lower-calorie cake, so it’s a great cake for anyone watching their diet.
Super easy dessert. One box, one can, and five minutes are all you need to mix up this mandarin orange cake recipe.
Ingredients
This easy recipe is really nothing but short cuts, so there are only 2 ingredients. Don't blink or you'll miss 'em.
Angel food cake mix. Homemade angel food cake will always be superior to a box mix. But when you’re in a hurry or just don’t feel like separating the egg yolks from the egg whites from a dozen eggs, a box of angel food cake mix is pretty darned handy.
Mandarin oranges. One 15-ounce can of mandarin oranges in water adds a bright burst of sweet citrus to the angel food cake mix.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350. Move the middle oven rack to the bottom so there is plenty of room for your angel food cake pan.
Step 2
Add one box angel food cake mix and one 15 oz. can of mandarin oranges in water to a large mixing bowl. Do not drain the oranges or add any water according to the cake mix instructions.
Step 3
Beat with a stand or hand mixer for 30 seconds on low speed until cake ingredients are combined, then on medium speed for 1 minute, until batter is light and fluffy.
Step 4
Pour batter into an ungreased angel food cake tube pan. Run a knife through the cake batter to remove any air bubbles.
Step 5
Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake according to package instructions, usually 35-40 minutes for a tube pan.
The cake is done when the top is dark golden brown and has dry cracks on top of the cake.
Step 6
Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake pan upside down. Let the cake cool completely for 1 ½ hours.
Loosen the cooled cake from the tube pan. Carefully run a thin knife around the bottom and sides of the cake. Remove the bottom of the pan. Run the knife around the center tube and carefully separate the cake from the pan.
Serving Ideas
I like to serve this beautiful cake with fresh fruit and Whipped Ricotta -- it's so much better than whipped cream! Of course, a dollop of good ol’ Cool Whip works, too.
And if you're feelin' fancy, you can cut the cake horizontally into two or three layers and fill the layers with fruit and whipped topping for a gorgeous layer cake!
Storage
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. I use this tall cake carrier. Store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze angel food cake by cutting it into slices and wrapping it in plastic and a freezer bag.
Expert Tips
Do not drain the oranges before adding them to the angel food cake mix.
Do not add any water according to the angel food cake mix package instructions.
After pouring the batter into the angel food cake pan, run a knife through it to remove any air bubbles.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze angel food cake. If you have the space to freeze it whole, wrap it in plastic wrap and again in foil.
Or you can freeze individual slices. Just wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to a couple of months.
No. Bundt pans are too small for angel food cakes and the batter is likely to overflow in the oven as it bakes and rises.
Absolutely! You will need two 9-inch loaf pans for one angel food cake recipe. When they come out of the oven, just rest the loaf pans on their sides to keep the cakes from collapsing.
Yes! Angel food cake cupcakes are fun — and a great portion-control measure. Just fill muffin cups about ¾ full so there is room for them to rise. One cake mix can make about 30 cupcakes.
The telltale signs that an angel food cake is done are that the top is dark brown and the cracks are dry.
Hungry for more easy dessert recipes?
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2-Ingredient Mandarin Orange Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
Orange Angel Food Cake
- 1 box angel food cake mix
- 1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges in water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Move the middle oven rack to the bottom so there is plenty of room for your angel food cake pan.
- Add one box angel food cake mix and one 15 oz. can of mandarin oranges in water to a large mixing bowl. Do not drain the oranges or add any water according to the cake mix instructions.
- Beat with a stand or hand mixer for 30 seconds on low speed until cake ingredients are combined, then on medium speed for 1 minute, until batter is light and fluffy.
- Pour batter into an ungreased angel food cake tube pan. Run a knife through the cake batter to remove any air bubbles.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake the cake according to package instructions. The cake is done when the top is dark golden brown and has dry cracks on top of the cake.
- Remove from the oven and immediately turn the cake pan upside down. Let the cake cool completely for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Serve with fresh fruit and Whipped Ricotta or whipped cream.
Storage & Freezing
- Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze angel food cake by cutting it into slices and wrapping it in plastic and a freezer bag.
I'm curious to know if you can substitute a vanilla cake mix for the angel food cake mix? Or will it just not bake right?
Hi, Angela, I haven't tried it, but now I am curious, too! I'm thinking it works with angel food cake mix because the mix only requires water, where other cake mixes usually need oil and eggs, too. HOWEVER, I just found a recipe where someone used yellow cake mix and a 20 oz. can of pineapple -- so maybe it works! Let me know if you try it and how it turns out -- and I'll do the same. Cara
This recipe was absolutely amazing! Loves the flavor the mandarin oranges gave the cake. I could have eaten the entire thing myself. I never knew ricotta cheese could end up being a dessert topping.
Leah, thank you, I'm so glad you loved it! <3
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. May I ask, why do you recommend a “hand mixer” vs a stand mixer. I think there is a valuable lesson here :). Thanks for your time .
Hi, Denise, thank you for your note! I wish there was some sage advice hidden in there, but a hand mixer is just what I use and it works great. But either should work fine :). I really appreciate you mentioning this. I am always looking for ways to improve my posts and, thanks to your helpful note, I revised the instructions. So thank you! Cara