Orange and lemon cake

Tangy sweet orange with zesty and vibrant lemon, what could be a better combination? This orange and lemon cake is light, beautifully flavoured and incredibly moreish – and we know it'll go down a treat at any occasion.

30 minutes prep. time
2 hours cooking time
Serves 10
Cakes, bakes & desserts

The whole orange and lemon cake on a white plate with a jar of marmalade in the background — Tuck into a slice or two of this tangy orange and lemon cake | © National Trust Images/William Shaw

1 orange
1 lemon
250g baking margarine
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
200g ground almonds
50g polenta
100g marmalade
Candied citrus slices, to decorate

Top tip

To make this citrus showstopper a little more indulgent, add a scoop of rich clotted cream to the side of your slice.

Allow video to play? This page contains content that is published to YouTube.

We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as this content may introduce additional cookies. You may want to read the Google YouTube terms of service and privacy policy before accepting.

Video

Orange and lemon cake

Watch our step-by-step video on how to make orange and lemon cake.

Step 1

Place the whole orange and whole lemon into a saucepan, cover with water and boil for one hour. Top up with water if needed to ensure that they remain covered. Remove from the water and allow to cool completely.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 150°C (130°C fan/gas mark 2). Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Step 3

Cut the cooked fruit open and remove any pips. Place the whole fruit into your food processor and blitz until you have a smooth paste.

Step 4

Place the margarine and sugar into the orange and lemon mixture. Beat together until light and fluffy.

Step 5

Add the eggs into the butter, sugar and citrus mixture. Mix to combine.

Step 6

Next, add in the ground almonds and polenta. Combine thoroughly.

Step 7

Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and place in the oven for 1 hour, until the cake has slightly risen, is golden on top and cooked all the way through.