Marmalade Loaf Cake is made in a flash with the all-in-one method. This plain, but fruity cake is good with coffee and travels well.
Marmalade Loaf Cake
Sometimes you don't want a creamy cake, or a chocolate cake, or a fruit cake. You just want a plain cake with a hint of fruitiness to go with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. On those days a cake like the Marmalade Loaf Cake is ideal (another popular cake in my house for this is Lemon Drizzle, or French Madeleines if you want small cakes).
Key ingredients in Marmalade Loaf Cake
What sort of marmalade is best in the cake?
Well, any sort really, but the very best, for my money, is a thick-cut orange marmalade. Having said that, last time I came to make this cake I couldn't find the marmalade. Now either someone's eaten it or it's still in the cupboard hiding at the back of a shelf.
So I used what I could find, which was a mixture of thick-cut lemon marmalade and fine-cut orange marmalade. The flavour is very good, but you don't see so many orange flecks.
Juice and zest of an orange
If you don't have an orange, you could use lemon juice and zest, or use orange juice from a bottle, or orange extract and a tablespoon of milk.
Secrets of Success
This is an easy one-step cake, made in a few minutes.
Do you need a food processor to make an all-in-one cake?
No. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer, or you can beat all the ingredients together with a wooden or silicone spoon. You need to make sure the butter is very soft for any method, but particularly if you're making a cake by hand.
The main differences are preparation time and the size of the marmalade pieces, which won't be cut up if you're not using a processor - but that doesn't matter either way.
Why is my cake dry?
If your cakes turn out dry, check out my article Why Is My Cake Dry? for some of the most common reasons and the solutions.
Helpful Tools
- Lemon zester – I came late in the day to lemon zesters. I used my old box grater (with a different grater on each side) for years. The last time I used it for a lemon I grated my knuckle so badly that I finally gave in and bought a zester. And now I wonder why it took so long.
- Baking parchment loaf tin liner – This stops the cake sticking and keeps the tin clean – so less washing up. You can also store the cake in the liner until you’re ready to eat it, keeping it nice and moist. Just make sure you buy the right size for your loaf tin. Old fashioned loaf tins are squarer and deeper (and better for bread, I think) than the others which are good for cakes.
- Beeswax Loaf Wraps – I’m trying to reduce the amount of clingfilm, foil and plastic bags that I use, and my biggest problem has been something to wrap loaf cakes in for the freezer. I’ve now found large beeswax wraps that will cover a loaf of bread, and are ideal for loaf cakes. They’re washable and you can even rejuvenate them. Definitely worth a look.
If you like this...
...Why don’t you try:
Crunchy Lemon Drizzle Loaf
Cherry Cake
Date and Walnut Loaf
Stockists
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Baking parchment loaf tin liner
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Recipe
Marmalade Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 125 g butter at room temperature (see note)
- 2 large eggs
- 60 ml milk
- 3 heaped tablespoons marmalade (135ml)
- 110 g castor sugar + extra
- 250 g plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (5ml)
- 1 orange
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan, gas mark 5/375°F
- Either grease the tin with butter or just pop the liner in
- Grate the zest from the orange
- Juice half the orange - you want 1 tablespoon (15ml) juice
For the Marmalade Cake:
- Put all the ingredients into a large bowl (or your mixer/food processor)(Butter, eggs, milk, marmalade, sugar, flour, baking powder, orange juice, orange rind)
- Beat together well, but don’t overdo it - about 15 seconds in the processor. Scrape the mixture down and mix again for 5 more seconds in the processor
- Tip the mixture into the tin/liner and use a knife to make a slight depression in the top of the mixture. Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons (5-10ml) castor sugar
- Cook for 45-60 minutes. Test after 45 minutes with a toothpick. When it comes out clean the cake is done
- Take the cake out of the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool
- Store in an airtight box when cool. (You can leave the liner on until the cake is served)
Valerie Beale says
Bit late to the party but wow 🤩 Had some thick peel marmalade which I didn’t like so started searching the internet & after a few checks on recipe & recommendations I chose this one. So pleased that I did! Simple to make but absolutely gorgeous to eat. Not often the end product turns out like the picture but this did. My go to recipe is banana cake but this recipe has knocked it off the pedestal & full praise from my partner. The challenge will be not to eat it all up in one day. Thank you for sharing. Valerie
Susie Collings says
Hi Valerie, So pleased you like the cake 🙂
Carole Middleton says
So quick and easy but delicious I used the marmalade glaze lovely
Susie Collings says
Thanks Carole 🙂 That glaze is a great addition.
Liz says
This was a triumph. Cooked it in a holiday rental, so had to do it by hand the old fashioned way not all in one.
So delicious and light. Not too sweet.
The only thing I added was a marmalade glaze on the top. Just warm up a bit of marmalade in the pan or microwave and add a little boiling water until you can paint it over the top when warm.
Susie Collings says
Hi Liz. Good for you 🙂 The glaze sounds good. I might pinch that as an option - thanks.