Ingredients
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar (or more, to taste - but wait until after the marmalade and ginger are added since they both contain sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
Approx. 1 cup orange marmalade (or more, to taste)
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 pound diced crystallized ginger
Glaze (optional): powdered (ground) ginger, sugar, and hot water. The mixture should be thick and syrupy. Taste to check that you have reached the desired ratio of sweetness vs. spiciness.
Preparation
Butter and flour a 7-by-9-inch (or 8-inch square) baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a 1-quart bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla; mix until creamy. Add the marmalade and mix until blended.
In a larger bowl (2 quarts or more), mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour in the marmalade mixture and mix until just blended. Add the diced ginger and mix again until just blended. Taste to make sure you have the flavor balance that you desire. (HINT: Feel free to add the zest from one orange and/or a teaspoon of powdered ginger to the batter, depending on which side of the balance you favor; or you can add more of both for a more intense flavor. If you add more marmalade, however, you might need to add more flour to keep the cake from turning out soggy.)
Scrape the batter into the baking dish and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Paint with the glaze while the cake is still hot, then allow it to cool before turning it out onto a serving platter. Delicious with whipped cream (add a pinch or two of powdered ginger and/or a splash of rum to the whipped cream if you like).
