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Prep Time20 min
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Cook Time40 minutes
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Serving12
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Serv Size1 piece
Who doesn’t love the bright tanginess of oranges in a cake for a refreshing change from the usual flavors? This one actually started out as a quick whip-up on the morning of my then 2-year-old’s birthday. We had dinner plans with the family over the weekend, so I hadn’t planned to do anything big on the day itself. But really, what’s a birthday without at least a tiny cake to cut? I didn’t want to bake anything too “regular,” and I was far too lazy to follow a proper new recipe, so I simply stood in front of the fridge hoping for inspiration. That’s when I spotted it: a half-used bottle of orange marmalade.
With my mom’s trusty butter cake recipe as the base, I swapped in a spoonful of marmalade in place of vanilla, quickly mixed the batter, and popped it into the microwave. For the topping? More marmalade, of course. Here’s a little throwback picture (I had no time for fancy frosting, so I raided the stationary cupboard and spelled out Dylan’s name with Adrian’s alphabet crayons 😁). Since then, after a few more trials and tweaks, I’ve landed on what I think is the perfect version of this cake—moist, zesty, and wonderfully refreshing with its marmalade glaze. You’ve got to give it a try!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Filling:
For the Marmalade Glaze:
Directions
This orange marmalade cake is a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors, with layers of citrus-soaked sponge, a light cream filling, and a glossy marmalade glaze. The steps are simple to follow, and you can even speed things up with a microwave version if you’re short on time. Whether you serve it chilled or at room temperature, it’s a refreshing treat that feels special without being overly complicated.
Beat the Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they become light and fluffy.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture turns pale and visibly lighter.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the beaten eggs, marmalade, and oil to the creamed butter-sugar mixture. Mix gently until just combined.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together to remove lumps and evenly distribute the leavening. Add this to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix.
Add the Zest: Stir in the orange zest, which enhances the citrusy flavor. A pinch of salt here can also help balance the tanginess of the orange and marmalade.
Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into an 8-inch baking tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 360°F (gas mark 4) for 30–40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you’re short on time, you can bake this in the microwave instead. Start with 6 minutes and add up to 2 more minutes if needed.
Cool and Slice: Allow the cake to cool completely. Then slice it horizontally into two halves and place them side by side, cut-side facing upward.
Soak with Orange Juice: Using a toothpick, poke small holes into both halves of the cake. Lightly sprinkle orange juice over the surfaces so they are evenly moistened. You may not need all the juice, avoid oversoaking.
Prepare the Filling: Whip together the fresh cream and caster sugar until soft peaks form. Peel the orange, segment it, remove the membranes, and chop the segments into small pieces. Gently fold the chopped orange into the whipped cream. (If you prefer a simpler version, you can skip the cream and just use marmalade for the filling.)
Layer the Cake: Spread an even layer of the fresh cream and orange mixture on one half of the cake, then carefully place the other half on top. Align the edges so the cake stacks neatly.
Make the Marmalade Glaze: Blend marmalade, water, and sugar in a blender until smooth. Adjust the sugar depending on how strong you like the tanginess.
Glaze and Chill: Coat the entire cake with the marmalade glaze. Refrigerate until the glaze has just set.
Serve: Serve the cake chilled or at room temperature, paired with tea or as a refreshing dessert.
Conclusion
Once the glaze has set, your orange marmalade cake is ready to enjoy. The fresh cream and orange filling give it a lovely burst of flavor, while the marmalade glaze adds shine and tang. It’s perfect for afternoon tea, a light dessert, or whenever you’d like to brighten up the table with something citrusy and refreshing.
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