Pecan and Marmalade loaf cake

Pecan nuts are one of favourite kind of nuts and when I spotted this recipe in the BBC Good Food Collection book (a very well used book too I might add!) I knew it was calling my name to be baked! Its title in the book is down as Sticky marmalade tealoaf, but I think Pecan and Marmalade loaf cake is a better description, well was for me anyway as the word ‘sticky’ kinda put me off it until I saw the ingredients! By the way the cake is in no way sticky, just gloriously glossy on top! 

I really loved this cake! It was perfectly balanced with the tang of marmalade, a hint of ginger, a little crunch from the pecan’s and bound together with the heady aromas of mixed spice! It smells so good when being baked and is definitely my new favourite cake recipe, it’s also super easy to make!

Another bonus is that the cake also travels very well, if that’s something you have to frequently consider! This one was made to take with me to visit my family down in Devon, and they all thoroughly enjoyed it too. I say this though with slight regret as I would have been quite happy to lock myself away with the cake and not share it! Guess I will just have to bake it again, sigh!

Makes 1 2lb loaf – cuts into about 12 slices

Ingredients

175g butter, softened

3 eggs, beaten

175g light muscovado sugar

225g Self raising flour

140g marmalade (I used my favourite blood orange marmalade!)

½ tsp baking powder

2tsp ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

100g pecan nut halves (I just chopped mine roughly up)

Pre-heat oven to 180o/ gas4/ fan 160o and line a 2lb loaf tin

Set aside 1 tbsp of marmalade into a small saucepan (I have metal cup measurements which are perfect for this job!)

Blend together in a bowl the remaining marmalade, flour, sugar,. Butter, eggs, baking powder and spices, (I used the food processors dough blade!), stir in 2/3 or so of the pecans, saving the remainder to top the cake

Pour into the lined tin, and arrange the remaining pecans on top. Bake in the middle of the oven for 1-1 ¼ hours, or until a skewer comes away clean. Cover the cake about 40 minutes into cooking loosely with foil. When cooked through, transfer to a cooling rack

Heat the reserved marmalade and spread over the top of the cake, I find silicon brushes ideal for this part!

Serve whilst warm and enjoy!

I've also entered this cake at Bookmarked Recipes, thanks to Jacqueline for the reminder, don't forget to check out her fabulous blog and also Ruths Kitchen Experiments who has set the challenge up!

**Don't forget my competition to win a copy of Macarons is still running - you have until 10th of June to enter!**