Description
Delightful Manor House Cake brings British countryside charm to dessert tables with its rich, moist layers and elegant crumb. Delicate vanilla sponge and smooth buttercream create a classic teatime treat perfect for afternoon indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) self-raising flour
- 150 grams (5.3 ounces) butter or margarine (cubed)
- 125 grams (4.4 ounces) white caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 100 grams (3.5 ounces) sultanas
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- Zest of 1 Seville orange
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas Mark 4 and line a 20cm round cake tin with parchment paper.
- Using fingertips, delicately crumble butter into flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Incorporate sugar thoroughly into the crumbly mixture.
- Gently blend beaten eggs and milk until a smooth, uniform batter forms.
- Carefully fold sultanas, marmalade, and vibrant orange zest into the batter, distributing ingredients evenly.
- Transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface with a spatula for an even finish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, monitoring until the cake turns a rich golden color and a inserted skewer emerges clean.
- Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- While the cake is still warm, generously scatter Demerara sugar across the top, creating a sweet, crystalline crust.
- Permit the cake to cool completely before slicing into delectable portions.
Notes
- Adjust baking time carefully since ovens vary, checking cake’s doneness around 50 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Use room temperature eggs and milk for smoother, more consistent cake texture that blends easily.
- Replace sultanas with alternative dried fruits like currants or chopped apricots for personalized flavor variations.
- Ensure orange zest is finely grated to distribute flavor evenly throughout the cake without creating large bitter pieces.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 332 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg