A luscious and tangy chocolate marmalade cake recipe to please both chocolate and citrus lovers alike. The citrusy notes of the marmalade provide a refreshing yet deep contrast to the rich chocolate flavour. It’s topped with a zesty chocolate ganache, which makes it fit for any celebration.
When I first heard about marmalade in cake, for some reason I wasn’t too keen. However once I made my first experiment with this marmalade cream cake I was won over by the result. It wasn’t long before I decided to have another go.
Chocolate Marmalade Cake
I’ve had my copy of Nigella’s How to be a domestic goddess for many years now and I’ve always skipped over her store cupboard chocolate orange cake because of the use of marmalade. Now don’t get me wrong, I like marmalade. But when it’s on toast.
Anyhow, Mother’s Day had arrived and I thought she would especially enjoy a marmalade cake. It is her marmalade after all. So, to Nigella’s recipe I went. I did of course make some inevitable changes. For a start, I added yoghurt. Then my favourite baking flour, wholemeal spelt, went into the mix along with some quinoa flour.
I also decided to top my chocolate marmalade cake with some ganache as it was a special occasion. For the ganache, I used dark chocolate, of course, but also some butter and marmalade.
My mother’s marmalade is on the chunky side. So for the cake, I cut up all the big strands of peel into smaller ones. When it came to the ganache, I picked out the large pieces, but left the smaller ones in there. If you don’t like that idea, you can sieve your marmalade instead.
I’d planned to decorate the cake with shredded orange peel. However, I forgot to buy any oranges, so I used a pack of orange flavoured sweets instead. Not perhaps in keeping with the rest of the organic ingredients, but hey!
The cake’s a really easy one to make. No creaming of butter and sugar required. All you need to do is melt the butter and chocolate in a pan, then add the other ingredients one after the other. The ganache is also just a case of melting the ingredients together.
Chocolate Marmalade Cake: The Verdict
Well, I’m now completely won over to using marmalade in my baking. This cake is delicious. Luckily my mother thought so too; she’s a little hard to please when it comes to cakes. She was, however, somewhat surprised by her marmalade coming back to her in a different form.
The chocolate complements the citrusy tang of the marmalade very nicely. Its restrained sweetness means it probably won’t be as popular with the kids though.
Other Marmalade Cakes You Might Like
- Marmalade cream cake
- Marmalade Runeberg cakes
- Matcha marmalade cakes
- Nonnettes: French spiced honey & marmalade cakes
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this chocolate marmalade cake, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for using marmalade in cakes?
I’d very much appreciate it if you could rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, please use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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Choclette x
Chocolate Marmalade Cake. PIN IT.
Chocolate Marmalade Cake
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 100 g dark chocolate chopped (I used 85%)
- 6 tbsp marmalade (I used my mother’s homemade)
- 2 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 1 pinch rock salt
- 150 g wholemeal flour (I used 120g wholemeal spelt and 30g quinoa flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Marmalade Ganache
- 100 g dark chocolate (I used 70%)
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp marmalade (either sieved or large bits of peel removed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Melt the butter in a large pan. When it’s nearly melted, turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for a few minutes to melt, then stir until smooth.125 g unsalted butter, 100 g dark chocolate
- Add the marmalade, eggs and salt then beat well.6 tbsp marmalade, 2 large eggs, 1 pinch rock salt
- Sifted in the and flour and baking powder, then stir until you can’t see any more flour.150 g wholemeal flour, 1 tsp baking powder
- Finally stir in the yoghurt.1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- Scrape the batter into a 23cm (9 inch) silicone cake mould or lined tin. Level the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out more or less clean.
- Leave to cool for ten minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Marmalade Ganache
- Place the chocolate, butter and marmalade together in a bowl suspended over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water.100 g dark chocolate, 20 g unsalted butter, 2 tbsp marmalade
- Allow the chocolate to melt, then gently stir everything together. Spread over the top of the cake with a palette knife.
- Decorate with candied or shredded orange peel.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m entering this tangy chocolate marmalade cake into this month’s Forever Nigella. It’s hosted this month by Mardi at Eat, Live, Travel, Write. To tie in with the Royal Wedding and any resulting street parties, the theme is party food. Well surely cake is for sharing and any cake is good for a party.
Choclette says
WLM – thanks for visiting. Orange and chocolate are one of the great pairings.
Working london mummy says
This is such a lovely idea. I love orange flavour in chocolate
Choclette says
Sally – I just find it completely astonishing that the more I bake, the more I find there is to bake! I started to cook my way through How to be a domestic goddess about 11 years ago and only got as far as the first 6 cakes in the book (have managed quite a few more subsequently)!
Sally - My Custard Pie says
Marmalade with chocolate is such a nice idea. I thought I had baked most of NL’s cakes but this one has passed me by. Better get to it!
suchi says
This blog is related shopping. New ideas, quality designs, sensible colors, and no-nonsense prices. I want to like the bag, but something is keeping me from liking it. Unfortunate because I own so many of his bags. This is really nice blog.
Choclette says
Maggie – I’m now a marmalade baking convert
C – It’s interesting that bitterness often seems to go with bitterness – it’s like tea and chocolate working well together too.
Bizzy – it is a good one. So how do you make your glaze?
Bizzy says
I use marmalade for glaze on so many desserts, especially chocolate ones. I have to make this. Sounds just right for us.
C says
I love this cake – I’ve made it quite a few times, and also tried different conserves in it. I think it needs the bitterness of the marmalade though – my blackcurrant jam version wasn’t as good. Yours looks fab and I love the icing topping.
Maggie says
What a lovely cake to make for your mother. I always love the use of marmalade in cakes, it’s like adding a mystery ingredient and people can’t quite guess what went into it!
Choclette says
Thank you all so much for your comments, I really enjoy reading them and appreciate your time in giving them. I seem to have been even busier than usual recently so apologise for not responding individually. I blame the weather – ha ha. it’s been fantastic, which has meant I’ve been working in the garden or down at the field or out with friends – and a bit of baking too 🙂
All That I'm Eating says
I’ve not had marmalade and chocolate together before. It looks great. Glad your Mum liked it!
Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite says
Chocolate and marmalade? My hubby would be in heaven! Wha a beautiful looking cake for Mothers’ Day! Thanks for taking part in #forevernigella – it’s shaping up to be quite the party!
Katie says
Looks delicious. My mum makes wonderful marmalade too. Ill have to see if she’ll let me have a jar to makes this
celia says
How fabulous that you were able to use your mum’s marmalade in a cake for her! It looks very nice, Choc!
Baking Addict says
I’m glad your mum liked it and that you’ve been converted too. I may need a little more persuading but I’m sure I’ll be convinced if I could have a slice of your delightful cake 🙂
cityhippyfarmgirl says
Mmmmarmalade! I love the stuff. The more tarty the better I say 😉 I’ll bet I’d eat a wedge of this in a flash Choclette, do you think your mum would share?
Kath says
Ooh it does look lovely. I am glad you are a marmalade cake convert.
Liz says
Now you’ve got me at it -I made a carob marmalade cake yesterday with an orange glaze – absolutely delicious as I’m sure yours was..
Johanna GGG says
I’ve made this cake a few times and love it – glad you are over the marmalade issue 🙂
Chele says
I bet Mum loved it! Lovely presentation.
Ananda Rajashekar says
I started to heart cakes with yoghurt, this cakes looks gorgeous what a nice way to celebrate with mum 🙂
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
I love it! It’s so dark and mysterious looking!… I can simply taste it now, so yummy… I love the really dark ganache too… lucky mum!
Maria♥ says
I love this cake and yours turned out gorgeous!
Maria
x
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says
Absolutely we need big stonking cakes at a street party and this looks just the ticket. I am CRAZY about chocolate and orange combos ,they’re one of my favourites! Thanks for taking part!
At Anna's kitchen table says
Great idea!
Jacqueline says
Just gorgeous. I can see why your mother was pleased. I am waiting for my stand mixer to arrive, then I have a marmalade cake I want to try, but it doesn’t have chocolate, I a, afraid.
Old Enough To Know Better says
This comment has been removed by the author.