… back home which, even after all these years, is the one thing that settles us both. It’s easy to forget how fortunate we are to have the luxury of our little cottage in the country but every time we’ve been away for more than a fortnight and we walk through the front door I feel instantly calmed. It has such an effect on us that often our bodies seem to let go and we spend the weekend in a sort of zombified coma, suffering from bed to sofa to kitchen but this weekend there’s gardening to do as Spring begins to poke its head out of the lawn. The garden is really The Vikings domain and so he tends to get on with that himself and of course I have baking to do but it’s lovely and mild out there this weekend and the garden is truly starting to blossom with little bulbs popping up to say hello and some busy birds beginning to look for nesting sites that I may have to join him once the cake cools and the icing is set…
mums marmalade cake
this cake not only reminds me of my mum but it also reminds me of her mum, my grandma Jennie… and for that reason I always think it makes for the best Mother’s Day cake. It’s a very simple recipe that i’ve adapted to include some ground almonds which I always think makes a cake a little more special but it’s its simplicity that makes it so great… oh and nearly a whole jar full of marmalade also helps. Whilst the marmalade is sweet it has a wonderful bitter edge that cuts through all the sugar… i’ve added marmalade to the icing too which makes it extra special.
Just a note about butter… i’m working with the good people at Arla Foods on their #LactoFreeChallenge where I go lactofree for two weeks. They’ve sent me a large selection of their lovely lactofree produce and i’m going to be using it in my day to day life for the next two weeks. I’ll write about it further on the blog at the end of the challenge but of course it does mean that everything I eat and cook with needs to be lactofree, including this cake. I’ve used the lactofree spreadable for both the sponge and the icing with no issues at all so feel free to follow me in my challenge or use your favourite butter or spread…
another little note… the marmalade has a high sugar content which tends to burn very easily but don’t panic just keep an eye on the cake and place a little foil over the top half way through baking… you’ll probably find it impossible for it not to burn but i’ve never had an issue, it doesn’t have that horrid burnt taste and the amount of icing you’ll use should hide the dark colour…
for the marmalade sponge
- 4 large free-range eggs- weighed in their shells to 250g
- 250g butter
- 200g sugar
- 150g shredded marmalade
- 200g self-raising flour
- 50g ground almonds
- a little milk to slacken
for the marmalade buttercream
- 250g butter – at room temperature
- 300g icing sugar
- 150g shredded marmalade
grease and line two 22cm loose-bottomed cake tins and pre-heat the oven to 170C
i’m using my smeg mixer with the paddle beater but you could make this cake with a handheld whisk or go really old-school and use a wooden spoon
mix well the flour and ground almonds then set aside
beat the butter with the sugar until pale and light and fluffy, then add a few tablespoons of the flour mix and one of the eggs and beat in until blended well, then add a little more flour and another egg and beat in again, continue this way until all the flour and eggs are gone and you have a soft, thick fluffy batter
beat in the marmalade and a few drops of milk until you have a softer batter
divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or until darkly golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean – set aside to cool in the tins for 10 mins and then let the cakes cool entirely
once the cakes have cooled, make the marmalade icing – beat the butter for at least 5 minutes until really soft and pale and creamy, then add the sugar in two batches… beat until the sugar is incorporated and then add the marmalade and beat well in for 4 minutes
to assemble the cake, place the bottom layer on your cake stand and spread some of the icing on top then place the second cake on top. Cover the cake in more icing and spread it out evenly all over… if you have the time, create a ‘crumb’ layer first which is a thinner layer that you spread on all over then place the cake in the fridge for it to set before spreading another cleaner layer over the top
i’ve made a chocolate ganache by heating some cream to just boiling point then allowing a block of good quality chocolate to melt in it, as it cools it thickens to a perfect dribbling consistency, which I have allowed it to do down the sides of the cake
eat and of course, enjoy!
Most beautiful cake! I use a different recipe for marmalade cake, but yours is definitely a winner. Pinned for future reference. And the chocolate ganache is an inspired touch.
thanks Galina… do try it, it’s so lovely x
Love your enhanced version of this cake Dom and I am sure your grandma Jennifer would have loved it too and your blog. Xx
thanks Mum… I do hope she would have loved it xx
You’ve got this ‘naked’ cake decorating thing done perfectly! The cake sounds delicious too – the sharpness of marmalade is a great way to get orange flavour into something.
Thanks Suelle… I do love this style.
Your weekend sounds absolutely glorious! Hints of spring, baking, leisurely cups of tea – and this gorgeous cake. I love food memories and therapeutic baking! Have a wonderful, calm week.
thanks Tricia… it does make me happy!
Love the drippy chocolate icing. Enjoyed reading the story of your cake and so nice to have a lacto free ckae for those who are intolerant.
That doesn’t sound right! Those who cannot tolerate lactose – doh!
Life is always better when Spring arrives and your cottage sounds like the perfect place to be! Add gorgeous cake into the mix and that spells heaven. I love how the ganache has drizzled down the sides….. Mmmmmmmm xx
*faints* OMG that looks amazing. I wish my days of were that relaxed, seriously! Baking for fun, sounds fab. Shared!
thanks for sharing Jacs… I do love to relax into some baking x
I make a parsnip and lime marmalade cake that I will from henceforth be covering in ganache. Such a great call!
Dom, what a beautiful cake! I love making marmalade, and I just might have enough left to make this cake. And I love making recipes that remind me of my mum and grandmothers (one a good northern lass from the Lake District).
I wish I had my own marmalade to make this with!
What wonderful memories are baked into that cake! True, it is wonderful to get away for a while but there’s no place like home 🙂
Looks and sounds gorgeous! I’ve tried your mum’s recipes before with great success and am looking forward to giving this one a try.
What a fabulous cake, and I love that this cake is a beautiful culinary memory of all the women in your life too! I am a big fan of marmalade in baking, and I must try this now…..Karen
Thanks Karen, it’s a very fitting tribute x
That looks simply glorious Dom. You’d never guess from looking at it that the sponge holds a mass of marmalade. And of course, the chocolate top raises it up another notch or two 🙂
I’m desperate to come and annoy you and the Viking in the garden now. It sounds so idyllic.
Thanks C… I know, the sponge was so light and with all that marmalade! You’re welcome any time xx
Dominic, your mothers cake looks delicious, and you have certainly done her proud with your recreation. I hope it tasted as good as it looks. Have a lovely Mothers’ day weekend, and thank you for sharing your delicious recipe.
Thanks Francesca… it really does taste so good!
Such a delicious cake – the texture is a total dream! I am intrigued by the marmalade in the sponge and as I am about to make a batch of marmalade perhaps this would be the perfect recipe for using it up!