Recipe: Marmalade and Ginger Cake
As we move through Imbolc, the Celtic season that signals the first quiet stirrings of Spring, the world outside is still Wintery: dark mornings, cold air, the slow return of light. At this point in the wheel, comforting flavours feel especially welcome. Marmalade, with its bright bitterness, pairs beautifully with the warmth of ginger for a cake that brings both comfort and lift during these in-between days.
Ingredients
For the cake
150g self-raising flour
25g ground almonds
2 balls stem ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger syrup (from the jar)
100g butter, softened
75g muscovado sugar
2 eggs, beaten
100g marmalade
Zest and juice of 1 large orange (reserve 60 ml of juice for the glaze)
For the glaze
1 tbsp marmalade
1 tsp ginger syrup
60 ml orange juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 160 C Fan and grease and line a 20 cm round tin.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time with a little flour to prevent curdling. Mix in the marmalade, orange zest, orange juice, chopped stem ginger and ginger syrup. Fold through the remaining dry ingredients.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While the cake cools slightly on a wire rack, make the glaze. Warm the marmalade, orange juice and ginger syrup over a low heat until smooth and runny. Pour over the warm cake and allow it to soak in.
Serve with yoghurt or warm with custard.
A Seasonal Note
Marmalade season aligns with Imbolc, a time of quiet renewal in the Celtic year. Citrus brings brightness to the Winter table while ginger offers warmth and comfort: together echoing the subtle shift from deep Winter towards the promise of Spring.
