Recipe Talk

Helpdesk email from Debrah:

Hi! I've searched all my "old Cookbook" for this receipe . The author Jan Karon in her Mitford Series books had this wonderful cake . I found the 'light version' in the Light Cooking magazine but I want the 'real thing' for the Christmas Holidays . Ha! Can you please help me? Thanks a bunch! God bless! Debra Looney

Never heard of her; however was curious enough to take a look for her on the web. Do a search for Jan Mitford. She has a website and there's a bulletin board on it. Perhaps you can get the recipe there.

The cake recipe you are looking for was published in a small hardcover book, Esther's Gift, A Mitford Christmas Story. This was put out in 2002. To tell the truth I really wanted to try this cake also; it was kind of awful! I would follow the intructions for orange marmalade filling, the orange syrup,and the frosting, but I would use something else for the cake. I am new to this site so not sure about sending recipes ect..need to pull out recipe also. Will send tommorrow 12/16.

Sean, Found the book! Esther's Cake: 3 cups cake flour, 1/2tsp baking powder, 1/2tsp salt, 1cup(2sticks)softened butter, 2cups granulated sugar, 3large eggs, at room temp, beaten lightly,1TBSP grated orange zest,1 1/2tsp vanilla,1cup buttermilk,at room temp. Preheat to 325. Butter two 9" round cake pans,line with parchment or wax paper,butter and flour the paper,shaking out the excess. In bowl,sift flour, baking soda,salt. In another bowl,beat butter w/ mixer until smooth.Add sugar,little at a time,beat till light and fluffy.Beat in eggs,zest,vanilla and 1/3 of dry ingredients alternately with 1/2 of buttermilk until combined well. Beat in remaining dry ingredients until mixture is smooth. Divide batter between pans,rap pan to get rid of air bubbles. Bake 45mins.or until tester comes clean. Transfer to racks and cool in pans for 20 mins. Now the Orange Sauce:Stir together 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice with 1/4 cup sugar until sugar is dissolved. With a toothpick or wooden skewer, poke holes at 1/2" intervals in the cake layers. Spoon syrup over each layer,allowing it to be completely absorbed before adding remainder. Let layers cool completely. Now the Filling: In a small saucepan over low heat melt 1-12oz jar orange marmalade,let cool 5 mins. Now the Frosting: In a bowl whisk 3/4 cup heavy cream w/ 3TBSP sugar till it forms firm peaks. Add 3/4 cup sour cream,a little at a time,whisk until mixture is spreading consistency. Now to assemble this cake: Arrange 1 cake on cake plate and peel off paper. Spread 2/3 of the marmalade over the top. Invert the next layer on top of the first,peel off paper and spread remaining marmalade,leaving a 1 1/4" border around the edge. Frost sides and the top border,leaving the marmalade on top of the cake exposed. Or,if you prefer,frost the entire cake,adding the marmalade as a garnish on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy, let me know what you think.

I just signed up today and was intrigued by this request, which you may have already found. My daughter is a chef at Watershed where Chef Scott Peacock is the exec. chef. He was asked to "invent" the recipe for Orange Marmalade Cake for the Mitford books! It has been published in Victorian Magazine but is also in his cookbook he co-authored with Miss Edna Lewis (who passed away iin Feb. 06) entitled "The Gift of Southern Cooking." It is divine!