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| Recipe Archive > Cakes & Biscuits > |
Carol Pastor's Sweet Marrow Cake
A scrummy cake to celebrate Halloween night
Its difficult to find the origin of this cake which is quite unusual because it uses marrow, but I gather that in past centuries using vegetables like carrots, parsnips, marrow and even potatoes ( hence potato flour ) in cakes along with spices and candied peel was almost as popular as using fruit. I find using olive oil gives the cake a richer more golden crumbly texture, which is made unusually moist by the marrow. The quantities below will make enough for 3 batches.
Marrow cake will last for 1 week kept in an air-tight tin and freezes very well for future occasions.
See Tips
Equipment & Ingredients
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Three 450g/ 1lb loaf tins, greased and lined at the base with baking parchment. |
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200ml / 7fl oz olive oil |
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450g / 1lb Whitworths soft brown cane sugar |
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3 free range large eggs |
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3 tsps pure vanilla essence |
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650g / 1lb 7oz grated marrow flesh |
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350g / 12oz raisins mixed with sultanas |
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115g / 4oz flaked almonds |
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500g / 1lb 2oz self raising flour |
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2 heaped tsps mixed spice |
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Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F / gas mark 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the oil and sugar and slowly add the eggs beating well until the mixture forms a batter - like consistency. Beat in the vanilla essence, syrup and marrow , then stir in the dried fruits and almonds. Lightly fold in the flour salt and spices until evenly combined, then divide the cake batter between the prepared tins. Bake for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, then leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto cooling racks. Once cold the cakes will freeze well.
Tip
Serve with a mug of hot milk deliciously flavoured with vanilla, Whitworths golden caster sugar and marshmallows . You will need a cafetiere to froth up the milk. To make the Marshmallow Milk, heat up 10floz / ½pt milk in a small pan with 1½ tsp vanilla essence and 1 tblsp Whitworths golden caster sugar until the milk just reaches boiling point. Transfer the milk to a cafetiere and vigorously pump the plunger to create a lovely creamy froth. Pour into 2 warmed mugs and top with the marshmallows and serve.
Other Halloween Party Food Ideas
Sweet Spooky Halloween Party Food for Kids
Some of my best children's parties have been held on Halloween night which falls on 31st of October. The party food, must be plentiful, inventive and ghoulish Here are some festive food ideas, sure to delight any ghosts, goblins and young party guests. Treat them to a reviving hot toddy (click here for recipe) and call it Wizard's Brew.
Minute Toffee Syrup
A quick fix topping using Whitworths, brown cane sugar. Ideal for drizzling over this month's recipe for Marrow Cake, spicy ginger cakes and puds, or to serve with toffee or vanilla flavoured ice cream for the trick- or- treaters. To make the syrup, heat 55g / 2oz butter, 50ml / 2fl oz golden syrup, 1 tsp lemon zest and 75g / 3oz Whitworths light brown soft cane sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.
 Scary Eyeballs
Edible eyeballs arranged together on a large plate makes really scary party food. To prepare, mix one whisked egg white with a sufficient amount of sifted Whitworths icing sugar to make a firm consistency. Knead until smooth, then form into small white balls between the palms of your hands. Leave to dry. Using an artist's paintbrush and some edible food colouring paint on the eyes by adding a solid blue, or green circle, highlighted with a little white spot, with a small inner black circle for the ghastly pupil.
Halloween Jellies
Clear orange party jellies set in glass bowls. look great with black plastic bats suspended inside them. Add the bats to the jelly just as it begins to set.
Magical Spooky Party Lanterns
Several days before the party, ask the children to bring with them a cut - out pumpkin, marrow or gourd Halloween face. As the children arrive with their cut-out creations, add a lit candle to each one to make a lantern. The lit candle inside will illuminate each spooky face as well as add a twinkle to the shadowy window sills, or garden pathway, and of course the best one wins a prize.
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