It has been ages since I’ve baked using one of my precious Nordicware Bundt pans. I really miss using them but I haven’t had chance while we’ve been quarantined.  But last weekend I was happy to dig out my special fluted loaf pan and thought it would be great to test out a recipe in it. I’d also had a jar of St Dalfour Orange jam/ marmalade which I thought would be perfect to go in a loaf cake with a few nuts which needed using up.  This recipe is a bit of an inpromptu bake  which was hurriedly thought up on a Sunday afternoon.

So here we have Marmalade Loaf:

You will need a 2 lb loaf tin which you can line with either baking parchment or a special loaf tin liner which are available from most great cookery retailers. Or if you have a Nordicware Bundt Loaf pan you can use that.  I greased my pan carefully in the usual way with baking spray.

Ingredients:
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
175g soft light brown sugar (or demerera blitzed in a food processor)
100g chopped nuts (I used a mixture of walnuts and pecans as that’s what I had left)
175g softened, unsalted butter
3 medium free range eggs
150g of good quality marmalade or orange jam

1. First, pre heat your oven to 180oC (fan 160o)/ 350oF or Gas 4.  Line or prepare your chosen baking tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and the ground cinnamon and mix it so it is evenly distributed.  Stir in the sugar and then add in the chopped nuts.
3. Then add the softened butter to the bowl. 
4. In a small bowl, lightly beat the three eggs together and then transfer them to the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix together until well combined.
5. Finally, add in all but 25g of the marmalade.  The last 25g can be used later on to brush on the cake as a glaze.
6. Spoon the mixture into the tin and put in the oven. 
7. Bake for 1- 1 1/4 hours but check that the cake is cooked thoroughly in the middle by testing with a skewer inserted into the centre.  If you see the cake looks like it’s getting too brown on top, you could always cover it with some foil to prevent it burning too much.
8. Remove from the oven and after 5 minutes put the loaf onto a wire rack to cool for a further 5 minutes. 
9. Warm the rest of the marmalade through by putting it in the microwave for 10 seconds.  If you prefer, gently heat it in a pan on the hob instead.  Add a tablespoonful of water to the mixture, stir it and then brush it all over the loaf. 
10. Leave the loaf to cool completely.

I can’t believe how rubbish the photos are.  It was night time by the time I’d had chance to take a photo of the cake.  It did justice to the beautiful design of the Bundt pan but the giant pieces of orange peel distract from it a bit.  My son has just looked over at the picture as I’m typing now and said “What the hell is on that cake, they look like worms!”

I chose to cut the cake up into eight large pieces.  Half of the slices were boxed up in twos and put outside on Bank Holiday Monday morning with some other bakes for my neighbours and local friends to pick up while still social distancing from my gate.  The other slices I put into a plastic box and have been put into the freezer to take out as and when we fancy a piece of cake.  I also did this with some banana bread and some fruit loaf.


Let me know if you have tried the recipe and what you think of it.

Stay safe!
Happy Baking.
Love Sam xx