Marzipan cake with oranges
A German-inspired cake that is filled with a marzipan centre and cooked in a Bundt tin.
Ingredients
For the marzipan cake
- 225g/8oz butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 4 free-range eggs, beaten
- 275²µ/9¾´Ç³ú plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú ground almonds
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 100ml/3½fl oz soured cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 250g/9oz marzipan
For the decoration
- 2 oranges, peeled and sliced
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unsalted butter
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 1 tbsp julienned orange peel
- 4 fresh mint sprigs
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú flaked almonds, toasted
- 25g/1oz icing sugar, to sprinkle
Method
Grease a 23cm/9in bundt or ring tin and preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
To make the marzipan cake, beat the butter and sugar together in a mixer or in a bowl by hand until pale. Slowly mix in the eggs and then add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, soured cream, vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix to combine.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the marzipan out into a rectangle. Roll the marzipan up and form into a ring shape that is the size of the cake tin. Pour half of the cake mixture into the Bundt tin. Drop the marzipan ring into the middle of the cake and pour the rest of the cake mixture on top. Bake for 50 minutes, or until cooked through and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, to make the decorations, put the sugar in a frying pan to melt over a medium heat, once it is a golden caramel, whisk in the butter. Add the orange slices and coat with the caramel.
Decorate the cake with the orange slices, julienned peel, mint sprigs and almonds. Finish with a sprinkle of sieved icing sugar.
