MARMALADE CAKE

“I suppose I want to have my cake and eat it. But then again, what were you going to do with your cake if not eat it? Frame it? Use it as a sachet in your underwear drawer?”  - Marian Keyes

If you're afraid of calories this is not the cake for you. It's adapted from one of Nigella's recipes and while she is many wonderful things, calorie conscious is not one of them. I really struggled with my conscience when pouring in the whole cup of butter she requires but once this cake comes out it is just so soft and so warmly fruity flavoured that you might not even notice your arteries hardening. I wouldn't recommend you bake this often but every once in a while you deserve a treat and it is GORGEOUS when it's done.

Serves 6

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

 

What you’ll need:

 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup marmalade (pick your flavor!)

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

5 eggs

1 cup orange or lime juice

24 cm baking dish 

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°celsius and grease an oven proof dish. Put aside ½ a cup of orange juice and 2 to 3 tablespoons of marmalade aside in a small saucepan. 

2. Take a large bowl and dump in the butter and sugar. Whisk till smooth. Add one egg at a time and whisk till smooth each time. Add the marmalade and the remaining juice. 

3. Stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the egg mixture in halves and whisk till smooth.  

4. Pour batter into your baking dish and bake for about 25 - 30minutes. Once a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean pull the cake out and let cool for about an hour or so. Once cool, un-mould the cake.

5. Warm the marmalade and juice and mix till it’s a thick paste. Apply with a brush on to the cooling cake, let cool. Apply as many layers as you can – if you lose patience towards the end then just pour the remaining glaze on to the cake and let cool.