This month, I had the honour of picking the books for “This Book Makes Me Cook”. The unanimous decision was Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. I read this book as a teenager and have enjoyed reading it again with my daughter sometime back. Let me also tell you right away that the book inspired me to bake an Orange Marmalade Cake!
On first thought this book takes me back memories of an Alice who keeps growing and shrinking depending on what she ate or drank, a grinning Cheshire cat, the Mad Hatter’s teaparty, knaves painting white roses red, Alice and the Queen playing croquet with flamingoes and hedgehogs and a Queen of Hearts who keeps shouting “Off with their heads”!!
The first chapter of “Alice In Wonderland” starts with Alice getting with sitting down while her sister reads a book without any pictures. She then sees a White Rabbit (with pink eyes) that carries a watch and talks to itself, so she follows the rabbit down a hole.
She finally reaches the bottom of the hole to find………
“………….it was too dark to see anything; then she looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves; here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs. She took down a jar from one of the shelves as she passed; it was labelled `ORANGE MARMALADE’, but to her great disappointment it was empty!”
I, on the other hand, had a jar which was full of Orange Marmalade. So I decided not go any further but see what I could do with marmalade. My husband and our daughter do not like marmalade because “it is bitter and not sweet enough”. I enjoy butter and marmalade on hot toast but there’s only so much marmalade I can eat. So this was the perfect opportunity to try something different.
Some searching on the net and I found quite a few recipes but none of them were exactly what I wanted so took a little from some of them and put together a recipe that worked for me. This Marmalade Cake is a somewhat dense but moist cake but that doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s the perfect cake to serve with tea or coffee.
Store bought marmalade in India tends to be on the sweeter side so I would suggest using a little more sugar if your marmalade isn’t as sweet. If your cake does turn out a little less sweet, you can always dust it with powdered sugar or cover it with a marmalade glaze or drizzle an orange and powdered sugar glaze over it.
Orange Marmalade Cake
Ingredients
- 11/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 50 gm butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
Instructions
- Sift and mix all the dry ingredients together into a medium mixing bowl. Put the sugar and all the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisk together to mix well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 7" or 8" round cake tin.
- Bake at 180C (350F) for about 50 minutes until the cake is done and a skewer pushed into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then unmould and cool it completely on a rack.
- Serve it plain with coffee or tea, or dust the cake with powdered sugar, cover with a marmalade glaze or else drizzle with an orange juice and powdered sugar glace icing.
MAHIMA says
THANKS for visiting my blog aparna. love the way uve done ur cake 🙂
Joanna says
I love a nice bundt cake. The mixture of nuts and raisins in the cake looks delicious. Alice In Wonderland was a cool pick. I haven’t seen that movie in a while, but I always loved it when I was little.
Curry Leaf says
Lovely Aparna,I wanted a marmalade cake-I do not like oranges,but somehow like marmalade and was thinking of using it while baking.I think it is excellent in cakes and other baked goodies.Thanks
Pearlsofeast says
we are marmalade lovers and I am sure we will love this cake. Absolutely tempting.
Dhanya says
Hi, Your blog is very nice and love the pictures. Dhanya
Uj says
Wow.. cake looks delicious
Bharti says
I absolutely love marmalade as an ingredient in cakes. Try it in a chocolate cake- the result is divine.
Sunshinemom says
I love both the books – Lewis Carroll must have been absolutely mad to write such a beautiful story! It is everything a kid would want to go through:) I am sure Alice would have finished up that cake and grown taller and taller and unfolded like a telescope:) Looking forward to what Anne turns up!
Simran says
Love the cake. Adding orange marmalade is a fabulous idea – am sure Alice would have loved it
sra says
I love marmalade with butter and croissants – haven’t yet had a marmalade cake, tho’.
Sagari says
very beautiful cakr aparna , love the orange rind taste
Natalie... says
Ooh wow yours looks great, love how youve decorated it! Yummy!!
Rosie says
Your bundt cake looks beautiful!! I adore citrus flavours and this would be a huge hit in my household.Rosie x
Yasmeen says
sweet marmalade in a cake is a zesty new recipe to me:)
Ivy says
Very interesting cake. I love orange marmalade but I never liked Alice in Wonderland. I don’t know why.
Vaishali says
Lovely post, Aparna. Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books and one that never fails to delight. The cake is perfect, and a great tribute.
Passionate About Baking says
Wow…that sure looks good Aparna…Ilove marmalade in cakes!
Premyscakes says
I simply luv this cake, firt time to your blog, very interesting.
Manggy says
Marmalade cake sounds like a great idea! Thanks for this! 🙂
Miri says
What a beautiful cake that is Aparna! I didn’t like marmalade when i was younger and have started liking it only recently – on hot toast.
Aparna says
Thanks, Dhanya.That’s a great idea, Bharti. Orange and chocolate pair up beautifully. I definite shall. Thanks.Me too, Harini.Hope so, Simran. It would make up for the disappointment.I know, Ivy. Oliver Twist is a classic but I’ve never liked it!Welcome to my kitchen, Premy.
FoodyGuru (Srimathi) says
Hey Aprana,Your cake looks clean and so perfect. I love marmalade anything. I came very close to baking something with it but decided to do the plum cake instead.