I don't think there's anything I like making more than cake. If it comes to that, there's nothing I like to eat more than cake. There's something so satisfying about food that is unashamedly about enjoying it with no pretence of nutritional value.

I was stuck in the house for the day looking after our 10 month old border terrier who had been neutered the day before (ouch). It seemed a good opportunity to do some baking, but not having planned it, ingredients were thin on the ground.

Having a root around the fridge, I found a half-full jar of homemade marmalade that someone had given us. Score! These came out a treat. Ah, the serendipity of cake.

You can also use this recipe to make invidual cakes using rectangular mini loaf cases from ASDA.

Ingredients:

The cake:
170g room temp butter
170g caster sugar
6 tbs thick cut marmalade
2 medium beaten eggs
225g self raising flour

The topping:
225g icing sugar
5-6 tbs lemon juice
About 50g candied peel

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

2. Grease and line a shallow traybake tin with grease proof paper.

3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth with an electric whisk or mixer (or by hand if you're a masochist).

4. Add the marmalade and mix in thoroughly.

5. Beat in the flour a third at a time.

6. Slowly beat in the eggs until the mixture becomes a smooth batter.

7. Spread the mixture evenly into the tin and bake for about 20-25mins, until the top is golden and a cocktail stick comes out clean.

8. Let it cool in the tin for 10mins then move to a baking rack to cool completely.

9. Whisk the icing sugar, adding the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time, until you get a smooth paste.

10. When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing evenly over the top.

11. Sprinkle with the candied peel as generously as you like.

12. Allow the icing to firm up a bit, then cut into squares.