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Orange Marmalade Cake with Orange Blossom Buttercream
5 from 1 vote

Orange Marmalade Cake

Orange Marmalade Cake stacks three layers of vanilla cake soaked with ginger liqueur, filled with Seville orange marmalade and lightly frosted with orange blossom buttercream. 
Yield: 6-inch cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Assembly:: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 733kcal

Ingredients

Yellow Cake:

  • 2 ½ cups cake flour (300 g), sifted
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 g)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder (8 g)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g) cut into tablespoons, softened but still cool to the touch
  • ¾ cup whole milk (170 g) room temperature
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 large egg white
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ginger Syrup:*

  • 3 Tablespoons simple syrup*
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger liqueur

Orange Blossom Buttercream:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (227 g), softened, room temp
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar (340 g), unsifted
  • ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Seville orange marmalade, as needed

Instructions

Yellow Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 6-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 2 cups flour (reserve remaining 1/2 cup of flour), sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a paddle attachment, run mixer on low speed. With the mixer running, add butter in three additions. Continue to mix on low speed until mixture is crumbly.
  • In another bowl, combine milk, eggs, egg white, and vanilla. Add half of liquid to mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until incorporated. Add remaining half of liquid and mix until batter is thoroughly combined. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. The batter may look curdled. Add remaining ½ cup flour and mix until batter comes together.
  • Evenly distribute batter among prepared cake pans and level batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Run an offset spatula along the sides of the cake pan to loosen cake. Invert cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.

Ginger Syrup:

  • Combine simple syrup* and ginger liqueur before assembling cake.

Orange Blossom Buttercream:

  • In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed. Add orange blossom water, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Assembly:

  • Place one cake round on cake board (or serving plate). Lightly soak cake with ginger syrup. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over cake layer. Pipe a border of buttercream along the perimeter of cake. Spread orange marmalade within the buttercream border. If desired, carefully spread thin layer of buttercream over marmalade.
  • Top with second cake round and repeat steps.
  • Top with third cake round. Spread thin layer of buttercream over third cake. Spread thin layer of buttercream around the exterior of cake to seal in any crumbs. Chill in the fridge to set up. If desired, add another coat of buttercream.
  • Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve. Allow cake to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. Before serving, garnish cake with dried orange slices and fresh orange blossoms.

Notes

*Simple Syrup: Simple syrup is made by boiling equal parts water and sugar to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature and keep stored in the fridge until ready to use.
Ingredient Notes:
  • Omit ginger liqueur, if desired. Or sub in teaspoon of pure vanilla extract or half a teaspoon of almond extract. Or a mixture of both.
  • Orange blossom water may be substituted with: 1) a mixture of almond extract and vanilla extract, 2) pure orange extract, or 3) pure fiori de sicilia extract.
  • Traditional Seville orange marmalade is recommended! 
  • The sweetened dried orange slices are from Trader Joe's.
Baking Notes:
  • The recipe makes three 6-inch cake rounds. Alternatively, you make use the recipe to make two 8-inch cake rounds.
Storage: Assembled frosted cake may be stored in the fridge for up 24 hours before serving. Use an airtight container to store sliced cake (or cake slices) in the fridge for up to three days.
All images and text ©The Little Epicurean

Nutrition

Calories: 733kcal, Carbohydrates: 90g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 156mg, Sodium: 303mg, Potassium: 103mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 66g, Vitamin A: 1246IU, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 1mg