CAKE HEAVEN

Marmalade loaf

MAKES ONE LOAF

150g (5½oz) marmalade
175g (6oz) butter or margarine
175g (6oz) muscovado sugar
3 free-range eggs, beaten
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp mixed spice
2 tsp ground ginger
100g (3½oz) pecans or walnuts

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside 1 tbsp marmalade.

2 In a large bowl, mix the remaining marmalade, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and spices for approximately 2 minutes until smooth. Stir in about 75g (2¾oz) of the nuts.

3 Pour into the loaf tin, smooth and sprinkle over the remaining nuts.

4 Bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes, covering very loosely with foil after 45 minutes. Once cooked, remove the loaf from the tin.

5 Heat the marmalade you set aside, until it resembles a smooth, thick liquid, then spread over the warm loaf.

Tip

The finished marmalade loaf will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed tin, if it lasts that long!

Dundee cake

SERVES 8-10

450g (1lb) mixed raisins and sultanas
90ml (6 tbsp) Scotch whisky
225g (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
210g (7oz) demerara sugar
a pinch of salt
4 free-range eggs
280g (10oz) plain flour
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
115g (4oz) ground almonds
160g (6oz) marmalade
grated zest of 2 oranges
95g (3oz) whole blanched almonds, for decorating

1 In a saucepan over a low heat, combine the dried fruit and whisky and heat, stirring once or twice, until hot, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to steep for 2 hours.

2 Preheat the oven to 165°C/Gas Mark 3. Butter the bottom and sides of a 23cm (9in) round cake tin. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on a medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high, add the sugar and salt, then beat