of a cake in its original recipe version created by the
Los Angeles Times and shared by Victoria Magazine.
Authoress Jan Karon, who writes some of my most favorite books about a fictional town called Mitford, thought of this recipe idea for Esther, one of Ms. Karon’s characters, to bake for friends and family during the holidays and for special occasions.
Recently I wrote about Jan Karon’s recently published To Be Where You Are. It’s fun for me to be able to share one of the recipes she dreamed up for her Mitford series of books here with you today!
Esther’s Orange Marmalade Cake
3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
{*I goofed and used salted this time… just cut your salt in half*}
2 cups granulated sugar
3 lg. eggs, room temp., slightly beaten
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
{*if you don’t have buttermilk on hand, make it with:
3 Tbsp. white vinegar and enough milk to equal 1 cup*}
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Orange Syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
{I used a bottled o.j. and it works just as well}
1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the filling
1 cup orange marmalade
{or enough to cover the bottom cake half ~ I like to use a more sour marmalade
and mixed the remainder of my sour with a new sweeter version for this cake.}
For the frosting
3/4 cup well chilled heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup well chilled sour cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter (2) 9″ round cake pans, line with parchment or waxed paper, butter and flour the paper and shake out the excess.
2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Use an electric mixer, beat butter until soft, add sugar a little at a time. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients alternately with 1/2 of the buttermilk. Add 1/2 of the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk, then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
4. Divide the batter between the 2 pans, smooth surface, rap on the counter to expel air bubbles. Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to racks to cool in the pans 20 minutes.
5. To make the orange syrup — Combine the orange juice and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
6. With a toothpick, poke holes at 1/2 in. intervals in the cake layers, spoon the syrup over each layer letting it absorb. Let layers cool completely.
7. To make the filling — In a small sauce pan, heat the marmalade over moderate heat until just melted. Cool for 5 minutes.
8. To make the frosting — In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the sugar until it forms firm peaks. Add the sour cream a little at a time and whisk until of spreading consistency.
9. To assemble the cake — Arrange one of the layers on a cake plate, carefully peel off the waxed or parchment paper, then spread 2/3 of the marmalade over the top — smooth it into an even layer. Invert the remaining cake layer onto the top of the first layer. Peel off the waxed paper and spoon the remaining marmalade onto the center of it, leave 1 1/4″ border around the edge. Frost the sides and top of the border with the frosting. Leave the garnish marmalade visible on top.
Or, frost the entire cake and add the marmalade as a garnish on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving…
***There is a second recipe using boxed cakes but I won’t share that one today… Maybe for Valentines!
😉
Just some extra notes: I cannot for the life of me find my round
cake pans, so… I had to improvise and use my Bundt pan instead.
I think it actually looks more festive!
If you use your Bundt pan, you’ll want to let your cake cool the full
20 minutes and slide a knife around all edges of the pan both along the outside and inner edges of the cake to help
loosen it from the pan.
I did not use any waxed or parchment paper with this cake but
Just some extra notes: I cannot for the life of me find my round
cake pans, so… I had to improvise and use my Bundt pan instead.
I think it actually looks more festive!
If you use your Bundt pan, you’ll want to let your cake cool the full
20 minutes and slide a knife around all edges of the pan both along the outside and inner edges of the cake to help
loosen it from the pan.
I did not use any waxed or parchment paper with this cake but
did spray more butter spray inside the cake pan.
Also, I don’t measure or heat up my marmalade anymore.
I like to just scoop it out and spread it more like jam
instead of very thinly as the original recipe does.
Last notes: put your unfrosted cake into the refrigerator
for 10 minutes to chill. This will make frosting it much easier
and keep the cake from “peeling.”
Pull out the frosting from the refrigerator
{you would be putting it in to keep it cool while the cake is cooling, after you make the frosting}
a little before you’ll be spreading it.
Makes it easier to spread.
;)’
Instead of spreading the frosting “drip” your frosting on
in mounds and spread back up as it falls down inside the hole.
This creates a “snow effect” which is really pretty with the
thickened sour cream frosting.
Add some cranberries around the outside and fill up the
inside hole created by the Bundt pan
to make your cake pretty and festive.
Include some real juniper tucked around it, too, or
other beautiful and non-toxic greenery.
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French Ethereal is a lifestyle blog sharing tips on decorating, table settings, crafts, gardening, DIY and travel. I love an elegant Shabby Chic/Old World French decor all decorated with Faith. <3
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