Zesty, sweet and comforting on a grey afternoon like this one, my marmalade loaf is the perfect tea-time cake to tuck into as you slump on the sofa after a busy day.
It uses big, juicy oranges - Seville or any other variety will do - and makes them the stars of the show, incorporating their mouthwatering juice, zest and pulp into a fluffy sponge, flecked with orange, which rises and turns golden in the oven in just 45 minutes.
You could try making this with other citrus fruit - lemons, limes, even grapefruit - but I like the flavour, the scent and the glorious over-the-top sunshiney colours of oranges.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
3 medium oranges, approx 380g
1 x 397g tin of condensed milk
200g self-raising flour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 195C (fan 175C) and line a 1lb (450g) loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
Zest one of the oranges and set the zest aside.
Use a sharp knife to remove the hard green bit from the tops of all three oranges.
Place them in a microwavable bowl covered with a sheet of kitchen paper, and microwave on high for three minutes at a time. You may need to do this two or even three times more before they’re soft and juicy – just keep checking between each burst.
Quarter and de-seed the oranges. Be careful as they’ll be piping hot.
Put the fruit into a food processor and pulse until it becomes marmalade. Tip into a bowl and add the condensed milk, holding back one tablespoon.
Stir in the flour and mix until it’s thick and smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes until risen.
Mix the remaining condensed milk with the zest and, when the cake is baked, pour this over the top. Leave it to cool completely in the tin before turning out.
It will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container, and can also be frozen on the day it’s made (but, trust me, you'll want to dig in straight away).