Laura Madeleine

 

 

When I was born, my sister Lucy was so disgusted by the idea of a baby sister that she stopped speaking for an entire year. Ok, she was only two. Impressive stubbornness, even then. Anyway,  since she wouldn’t speak, every morning, my mum had to do an identity parade of condiments to find out what Lucy wanted on her toast. She would point at the shelf, and read out what was there: “Jam? Peanut Butter? Marmite?” The last one would always get a frantic nodding. Hardly surprising then, that I said my first word at breakfast-time one day. Can you guess? Yep. Not “Mum” or “Dad” but “Marmite”.

 

This cake’s a celebration of the great, brown, yeasty stuff. I love it. Especially with cheese and melted butter. Be still my heart.  It’s a savoury cake, before any of you run away screaming, and that makes it great for picnics.

You’ll need:

• 250g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 200g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 free-range eggs
• 125ml olive oil
• 100ml milk
• 1 tablespoon plain yoghurt
• 1 (large) tsp Marmite
• Large pinch of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin. (A silicon one works well for this).
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add 150g of the cheese and stir to combine. (Save the rest of the cheese for the top later).
3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs until very frothy and gradually add the olive oil, milk, yoghurt, and Marmite, whisking well. Season with the salt and black pepper, if you like.
4. Add the egg to the flour mixture in batches, stirring to combine.
5. Scoop into the cake tin and smooth out evenly, the sprinkle the top with the rest of the grated cheese.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the cake feels firm.
7. Cool in the tin for a few minutes.

1. Melt the butter and Marmite together in a small saucepan.
2. Whilst the cake is still warm, poke holes in the top with a skewer and drizzle over the melted butter-Marmite mixture.
3. Serve with LARGE SLICES OF CHEDDAR and revel in glorious Marmiteyness…

This recipe was first featured on Domestic Sluttery.