crepes

Marmalade Cake

makes one 8-inch cake

You can use a skewer to poke holes in the cake as it cools, and brush it with Grand Marnier for a delicious boozy cake. Or spoon the syrup and candied orange peel over slices of the cake.

For the candied orange peel
1 navel orange, scrubbed
1 cup sugar
1 whole star anise
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

For the cake
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature,
  plus more for the pan
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup dried currants
½ cup Grand Marnier
1½ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup fresh orange juice
3 generous tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh orange zest
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk or half-and-half

 

For the candied orange peel, use a sharp knife to cut all the rind and white pith off the oranges in wide strips. Trim off any flesh still clinging to the white pith. Put the peel into a heavy small saucepan. Add cold water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain. Repeat with cold water. Drain, reserving the peel.

Combine the sugar and 2 cups cold water in the same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange peel, star anise, and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the peel is soft, 50–60 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer the peel to a cutting board and thinly slice. Return the peel to the syrup. The peel will keep in the syrup covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

For the cake, preheat the oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch round springform cake pan. Line the bottom with a piece of buttered parchment paper. Bring the currants and Grand Marnier to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to macerate.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the orange juice, marmalade, and orange zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled). Add the flour mixture in three parts and the milk in two parts, alternating and beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and beating well after each addition. Beat in any Grand Marnier not absorbed by the currants. Fold in the currants. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake until the top is golden and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Remove the outer ring and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Serve the cake with the candied orange peel and syrup.

 

[ you can find this recipe in Canal House Cooks Every Day ]