Satsuma Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Should you ever find yourself in possession of 15 pounds of satsumas, here’s what you should do…

Well, let me backtrack a bit. Maybe you’re wondering why you have this citrus fruit in the first place.

Say it’s because of a killer sale at the grocery store. A sale you’d been anticipating for days. These days were spent studying recipes, dreaming and wondering about things like ice cream or salad or marmalade or jam, formulated specifically to use this special seasonal produce.

And say you’d teamed up with your brother-in-law to order three boxes, since the store was offering a fourth box free. Say you’d wandered out on a Friday night, three boxes of tiny mandarin oranges in your cart, nearly exploding with excitement to begin the marathon of making all those recipes you’d tirelessly researched.

To start, give some away.

After all, it’s winter, the season of celebrating. So why not extend the holiday feasting by a few extra weeks?

These fruits are a rare treat. In the United States, they are only in season late October/early November through late December/early January, and only grown in California and throughout a few southeastern states. They’re easy to peel and very juicy, with a concentrated orange flavor.

Sharing will make you feel happy and joyful. The small act of giving unexpected gifts (even little ones like a satsuma or two) will become a special tradition, a cherished memory.

Then, with the boxes you have leftover at home, here’s what you do next:

Eat a few of them – you will fall in love with their easy-to-remove peels and sweet flavor.

Have one when you get up in the morning, or before bed at night. Take some with you in the car, or pack one in your lunch each day.

They’re so delicious eaten fresh – all of those daydreams of cooking or canning will almost vanish.

Almost.

Before they’re all gone – and trust me, you’ll be glad you did this – save three or four, and make a tasty dessert.

It’s time to bake this satsuma layer cake.

Take fluffy rounds of moist yellow cake and layer them with individual citrus segments and a simple cream cheese frosting. Reserve a few extra pieces to decorate the top.

Beautiful and bright, this homemade dessert reminds me of a fancy bakery confection, with just the right amount of sweetness, a moist texture, and bursts of juicy orange flavor in every bite.

Prepare to wish satsumas were on sale every week, and that the season lasted all year long.

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Line 2 8-inch round baking pans, or 2 6-inch square pans, with parchment paper. Spray the bottom and sides of the pans with nonstick cooking oil spray. If you prefer thinner layers, go for the 8-inch pans. Set them aside while you make the batter.

Measure out all of the ingredients needed for the batter. For a final batter that is homogenous and blended well, be sure that all of your refrigerated ingredients (unsalted butter, eggs, milk) are at room temperature.

This picture shows double the amount used in our recipe. We just had to make more of this delish treat for our family and friends!

Step 2 – Make the Batter

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Whisk together the vanilla extract and milk.

On low speed, add the flour mixture alternatively with the liquid mixture to the creamed butter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl with a spatula and re-mix.

For more information on making perfect layers, we suggest reading our guide to basic cake baking!

Wish you had even more orange flavor? The growing season is short, so take full advantage! Slice segments from two satsumas in half, and gently mix them into the batter.

Step 3 – Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the pan size used, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 15 minutes before inverting to remove the rounds. Cool completely on cooling racks.

You need to make sure the rounds are completely cool before decorating. You don’t want to melt the frosting!

Step 4 – Make the Frosting

Before making the frosting, be sure both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature to ensure a smooth and fluffy texture. If they are still cold, they won’t fully blend and will leave small chunks in the finished frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until completely smooth and lightly whipped, about 3 minutes.

Add the confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time. Beat on medium speed to incorporate between additions and continue beating until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You might not need all of the sugar to reach your desired texture.

Add the milk, flavoring extracts, salt, and zest. Beat on high for an additional 2 minutes until fully incorporated.

Step 5 – Decorate

If necessary, slice the rounded tops of the cake rounds to make a flat layer for decorating.

Place one layer on a turntable. Cover the top with a thick layer of frosting. Place satsuma segments in a circular pattern on top of the frosting. Gently cover with a thin layer of frosting.

Place the other layer on top. Frost the top. You can also frost the sides, or leave them exposed.

Use the remaining fruit segments to decorate the top and sides as you wish!

You can even use clean satsuma leaves for garnish. They are often left intact when you purchase these from the farmers market or grocery store. Just remove them before serving, since they’re not edible.

Want some more help with making the prettiest dessert possible? Get our advice on decorating!

Slice, eat, and enjoy.