Newman's Vintage

Vintage Oxford Marmalade Cake

I chose Frank Cooper's Vintage Oxford Marmalade to make this cake because, well, Newman is 'vintage' and he loved Oxford.

You need:

6oz self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

5oz Golden Syrup

5oz butter

4tblsp milk

8oz Oxford Vintage Marmalade

2 large eggs

4oz cream cheese

Grease and fully line your baking tin. It should be an 8in square, but I do not have one of those, so mine was round and did not measure 8in. That's life.

Sieve the flour into a large bowl with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Weigh the butter, golden syrup, 6oz of the marmalade and milk into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring. Make a well in your sieved flour. Beat two large eggs in a bowl. Pour in your melted ingredients to the well, add the beaten eggs and mix the whole lot together until it is smooth. Pour the mixture into your lined and greased tin. Bake at 150C for approx 35 mins, cover with greaseproof paper if it is browning too quickly. Check if it is cooked by inserting a sharp knife into the centre, if it comes out clean, it is done!

Remove from the oven to cool while you are making the topping. Mix together the remaining Vintage Oxford Marmalade with the cream cheese until smooth. Wait for your cake to cool completely on a rack. Spread the cheese topping thinly over the cake. Cut into very polite squares or triangles - think 19th Century England. Serve with tea, in front of a roaring fire. Sneak a glass of Sherry. Or, go all Oxford College pudding and make some Bird's Eye Custard, or bring out the vanilla ice cream. Read Apologia Pro Vita Sua. The first feast of Newman - sorted.