Happy February folks!
It may just be me, but so far 2013 feels like a bit of a blur. Lots seems to have happened here in Sam and Phil land in the last month. Between exams, new jobs and some travel I’m not entirely sure where January went!
In busy times such as these (like English men the world over, or at least like my dad!) I find myself eating a lot of slightly burnt toast with marmalade and drinking tea. In those moments when there’s no time to cook, (or just no women around to ensure that proper meal times are observed) tea and toast with marmalade can be enjoyed at any time of day; breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But we’re not here to talk about tea and toast today. It wouldn’t be much of a recipe now would it? (Although if you’re struggling with how to manage it without instruction just let me know and I’ll fill you in 
)
So all the toast and marmalade got me thinking about what else I could do with marmalade? (which, thanks to a slight obsession with shopping at Costco, I have quite a lot of!) Let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a eureka moment realising that just about anything sweet can be turned into a pretty delicious cake or cookie of some description. So I thought I’d try my hand at an Orange Marmalade Cake. And you know what? It was pretty delicious!
In fact, my first attempt at this recipe was as an upside down cake for my family. It was sufficiently tasty for my sister (who is usually very good about limiting her cake intake) to grab a second slice.
It is also in the ‘super easy, never going to sink or fail’ category of cakes, so useful to remember on days when your baking mojo is failing you.
So, on to the recipe …….
Orange Marmalade Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup very soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the icing (optional):
1 cup icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1) Dry stuff - In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour and baking powder.
2) Wet stuff - Next throw all the remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix until everything is well combined in a smooth batter. It’s really that easy! Just make sure your butter is really soft or it wont work.
3) Bake - Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf tin, smooth and place in a preheated oven at 170°C (325 F) for around 35-40 minutes or until a skewer placed into the center of the cake comes out clean. When it’s ready turn out the cake and leave to cool on a rack.
After 25-30 minutes make sure you check the cake’s colour (the marmalade wants to caramelize slightly) so if things are looking a little darker than you’d like just cover the tin with some baking parchment for the rest of the cooking time.
4) Decorate - Entirely optional as the bare cake is super tasty, but if you fancy dressing up your cake a little, simply mix together the icing sugar with only as much orange juice as necessary to make it a thick pouring consistency. Pour over the cooled cake then finally sprinkle on the orange zest for and extra bit of orange zing.
5) Enjoy!
Time to put my feet up and enjoy a quite afternoon with Sam :)
Good post guys. I am hoping you do a Pancake Day special!!
We’re kinda feeling the waffle-ness on Pancake Day…. it’s sort of the same but more awesome
I made marmalade this year. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. In fact I found it so relaxing I made a second batch!
3.5Lbs seville oranges
2 lemons
7 pints water
7Lbs white granulated sugar
Put the oranges in a big pan with the lemon and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 60-90 minutes, or until the skins are soft enough to poke a fork or skewer through easily. Remove the oranges from the pan to cool, and reserve the water.
Once cooled, cut each orange and lemon in half, scoop out the pith and put it back into the water. Bring the water to the boil, and simmer for five minutes. Pass through a seive, pressing through with the back of a wooden spoon to get as much of the pitth through the mesh as possible, so that what’s left is dry and mostly pips. Clean the pan.
Meanwhile, cut the peel into shreds. I’ve found that short shreds are better.
Put half the liquid, peel and sugar into the original pan, bring to a rapid boil, and keep boiling for about 15 minutes before testing for a set using a cold plate in the freezer. Once you’ve reached setting point, pour into hot sterilised jars and seal. Repeat this last step with the other half of the liquid, peel and sugar.
You can also use this recipe for lemon marmalade, using 4Lbs lemons, or for ginger marmalade, using 3.5Lbs lemons and about 5″ fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced into the pan at the beginning.
At some point soon I’m going to try making rhubarb and ginger marmalade, using ordinary oranges rather than lemons, plus finely sliced crystallised ginger in addition to the fresh ginger. If it’s successful I’ll let you know.
I’ve been wanting to have a go at making our own marmalade for a while now I think it will have to go on our to do list for this summer. I bet adding crystallised ginger is amazing, I can’t get enough of the stuff! Phil