We're All Going (May Have Already Been...) On a Summer Holiday!

This summer I've been doing some temp office work, got some pennies for my pocket and some fantastic work experience to boot, but I had a week off in the middle of it to go to Mull with the family. We stay in a friend's cottage on the beach, and it's a bit of a tradition to do loads of baking before we go so we're well stocked for elevenses and afternoon tea! (Definitely didn't have cake for breakfast one day...)

Before going I rang my Gran to ask for her Marmalade cake recipe - she's given it to me numerous times but I always seem to misplace it - hence starting a place to keep all of my recipes together!

Marmalade Cake

Like I said, I've made this cake a lot - it gets better after a few days in the tin, but it doesn't always last that long in our house!

Marmalade Cake

Ingredients:

7fl.oz vegetable oil
5 heaped tbsp marmalade
6oz caster sugar
4tbsp milk
3 large eggs (beaten)
6oz self raising flour
6oz wholemeal flour (also self raising if you can find it)
0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 heaped tbsp marmalade
2oz flaked almonds

Greased and lined 8in round tin
Preheated oven (140oC/280oF fan, 160oC/320oF for others)

 Method:

1. In a large bowl beat together the vegetable oil, marmalade, sugar, eggs and milk (use an electric whisk if you have one, if not elbow grease will do!)

2. Add the wholemeal flour (no need to sieve as it's too chunky to get through the gaps).

3. Sieve in the white self raising flour and bicarb, and mix well - you should end up with a fairly runny batter.

4. Pour the mix into your greased and lined tin, taking care to clean and mixture off the sides if it gets a bit messy, so it doesn't burn.

5. Place in the middle of your preheated oven for 45 minutes

6. After 45 minutes check your cake - if it's getting too brown on top make a fashion a little foil cover for it

7. Cook for another 45 minutes (90 in total - this is a long time for a cake, but this is a dense, moist cake so a long slow bake is what it needs)

8. Use a clean, sharp knife or skewer (we use a knitting needle in our house) to test if your cake is ready after 90 minutes; insert it into the middle of your cake, if it comes out clean it's done, if not pop it back in the oven for another 10/15 minutes - repeat this until your skewer comes out clean.

9. Once it's cooked remove from the oven and carefully cover the top with the extra 2tbsp marmalade (the cake tin will also be hot so be careful). Scatter the flaked almonds over the marmalade and put the whole thing back in the oven for 10 minutes to let the marmalade warm through and set the almonds in place.

10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.

11. Once cool remove from the tin and store in an air tight box - if you can leave it for a few days all the better, if you can't resist a slice for breakfast is perfect!

Other Treats

Ginger, Nut and Chocolate Slice

 Also for this trip I made:

- Ginger, Nut and Chocolate Slice

- Peanut Butter Biscuits

- Lemon Cookies

- Cornflake and Oat Crumble Bakes

The recipes will follow soon hopefully!

I'll leave you with a photo from Mull, it really is a special place.

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

A sunset from Mull; perfection!