Sweet Orange & Mango Marmalade Filled Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

My kitchen has been pretty lonely the last few years. When Evan was little, I baked all the time usually with his help. These days, he’d rather play, draw or watch Netflix (Chuck the Truck, anyone?). Regardless, this weekend I was GOING to bake a cake. You see, Friday was Dewey’s birthday and I haven’t made him a cake in forever. I refused to take the easy way out and make a cake that I’d already made before or to default to a cake mix cake (I do make them sometimes….but not this weekend!). Off to the interwebs I went looking for just the right cake.

It took longer than I thought it would. Some had too many nuts (what is up with all the cakes with nuts? I am not really a fan.), some had too many instructions, some needed weird ingredients that required a trip to the store. I wanted a cake that wasn’t too simple in taste but was really simple in the making. I don’t ask for much, do I? In my searching, I found this one bowl chocolate cake. From there I decided to wing it a bit. I added sweet orange/mango marmalade (called Merry Marmalade no less) that we love from the farmer’s market and cream cheese icing to make it a masterpiece of YUM.

Here’s the final result. I hope you enjoy it (we sure are). Dewey said he wants it as his birthday cake from now on and that I am not allowed to change anything….ever.

Sweet Orange & Mango Marmalade Filled Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Orange marmalade is the perfect foil for this rich chocolate cake. 

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 shot of espresso & enough water to make 1 cup liquid

Filling

• 1 cup sweet orange marmalade, I used Merry Marmalade from the farmer's market

Frosting

• 3/4 cup light cream cheese, what I had use regular if you like
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, icing sugar

Instructions

1. For cake:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
4. Mix first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add wet ingredients except for the espresso.
6. Mix well.
7. Add coffee and mix again (ending batter will be quite runny).
8. Pour equal amounts in each cake pan.
9. Tap on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
10. Place in the oven on the middle rack.
11. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
12. Cool cakes completely on a cooling rack.
13. For frosting:
14. Microwave butter for approximately 10 seconds or until just starting to soften.
15. Add butter, cream cheese and vanilla to a mixer with whisk attachment.
16. Mix on high until creamed together and smooth.
17. Add powdered sugar a bit at a time until you have frosting. (You may have to add a bit more if you want stiffer frosting)
18. To assemble:
19. Place one layer on a cake plate.
20. Spread marmalade on top in an even layer.
21. Add second layer.
22. Spoon frosting on top of cake pushing it over the sides to frost the sides as well.
23. Cut into slices and enjoy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 582Saturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 433mgCarbohydrates: 97gFiber: 2gSugar: 75gProtein: 6g