An easy marzipan cake made in a loaf tin, with a layer of soft white marzipan running through the moist almond and orange sponge. Finished with a zingy orange drizzle icing.
It's simple, tasty, and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, to get you through the dreaded mid-afternoon slump! You might also like to try my easy lardy cake recipe.
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If you love almonds you are going to love this easy marzipan loaf cake! The sponge is light but moist, and delicately flavoured with almond extract, orange zest, and soft, sweet marzipan.
👩🍳 Love loaf cakes? Try my sticky golden syrup loaf cake too.
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Cake batter made in one-bowl.
- Uses up leftover marzipan from Christmas.
- Easy to make loaf cake.
- Freezer-friendly.
🛒 Ingredients
To make the marzipan loaf cake you will need the following ingredients:
Marzipan - Either white or golden marzipan works for this recipe. Roll a thin layer of marzipan into a shape that roughly matches your loaf tin.
Butter - Use softened, unsalted butter for a rich and creamy texture.
Sugar - Caster sugar is ideal, but for added depth of flavor, try using a mix of half caster sugar and half light brown sugar.
Eggs - Four large, free-range eggs at room temperature will ensure the best consistency.
Flour - Self-raising flour is recommended for a light and nicely risen cake.
Almond Extract - Opt for high-quality almond extract for the best flavor. Avoid using almond essence as it lacks the same richness.
Orange - You'll need the zest for the cake itself and the juice for the icing, providing a fresh citrusy touch.
Icing Sugar - Essential for the orange drizzle icing. Be sure to sieve it to achieve a smooth, glossy finish when mixed with the orange juice.
🔪 How to make marzipan loaf cake
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Cream together the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Two: Beat in the eggs and almond extract.
Three: Fold in the self-raising flour and orange zest, being careful not to knock any air out of the batter. Place the bowl to one side.
Four: Put the marzipan on a wooden board and dust with a little icing sugar. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a shape that is roughly the same size as the loaf tin.
Five: Spoon half the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin.
Six: Lay the marzipan over the top, then spoon on the remaining cake mixture. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes - 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Seven: Whisk together the orange juice and sieved icing sugar until you get a glossy glaze and drizzle with a teaspoon over the cooled cake.
Top Tips
- Ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs, are at room temperature before you begin for the best results.
- If you prefer to use a 1lb loaf tin, simply halve the quantities of the ingredients.
- For convenience, consider using a loaf tin liner to make preparation easier.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the marzipan loaf cake for afternoon tea, along with cherry scones, mini sausage rolls, and cucumber sandwiches.
You could also serve slices for pudding with custard, whipped cream, or honeycomb ice cream.
📖 Variations
- Use a lemon instead of orange to flavour the cake and icing.
- Sprinkle flaked almonds onto the drizzle (so they stick to it), for crunch and texture.
- If you love almonds, double the amount of almond extract.
- Add 100g glace cherries for a marzipan and cherry cake.
- Add fresh strawberry and raspberry pieces to the cake batter.
🥡 Storage
Store - the loaf cake will keep for up to 5 days wrapped in parchment paper and stored in an airtight tin or container.
Freeze - wrap in a layer of clingfilm then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before slicing and serving.
❓ FAQs
Marzipan is a paste of sugar and ground almonds. Compared to almond paste, marzipan has a higher proportion of sugar, which makes it sweeter, smoother, and more pliable. It's typically used for coating fruit cakes before icing them.
The origin of marzipan is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in the Middle East, possibly in Persia or Arabia. It was introduced to Europe during the Middle Ages and became popular in countries such as Spain, Italy, and Germany.
The marzipan layer on fruit cakes typically served at Christmas and weddings, helps to trap moisture in the cake and stop it going stale. It also provides a smooth surface so that the final icing looks neat and tidy.
Marzipan is used in a variety of ways in baking and confectionery. It is often used to make marzipan sweets, such as marzipan fruits or animals. It can also be used as a cake decoration, rolled out and used as a topping, or molded into shapes. In some countries, it is used as a filling for pastries and other desserts.
Marzipan is generally gluten-free, as it is made from ground almonds and sugar. However, some manufacturers may add wheat flour or other ingredients to their marzipan, so it is important to read the label carefully if you have a gluten allergy or intolerance.
😋 More loaf cakes to try
The following cakes are also made in a 2lb loaf tin:
- Lime and Coconut Loaf Cake
- Apple Loaf Cake
- Madeira Loaf Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake
- Blueberry and Banana Bread
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Recipe
Easy Marzipan Cake
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Equipment
- Wooden Spoon
- Citrus Juicer
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Paper
Ingredients
- 225 g Butter unsalted and softened
- 225 g Caster Sugar
- 4 Eggs large
- 225 g Self Raising Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 Orange zest only
- 100 g Marzipan
For the drizzle icing
- 50 g Icing Sugar sieved
- 1-2 tablespoon Orange Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ gas 4) and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper (or use a loaf liner).
- In a mixing bowl cream together the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.225 g Butter, 225 g Caster Sugar
- Beat in the eggs and almond extract.4 Eggs, 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- Fold in the self-raising flour and orange zest, being careful not to knock any air out of the batter.225 g Self Raising Flour, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 1 Orange
- Place the marzipan on a wooden board and dust with a little icing sugar. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a shape that is roughly the same size as the loaf tin.100 g Marzipan
- Spoon half the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin.
- Lay the marzipan over the top, then spoon on the remaining cake mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 55 minutes - 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (use the baking paper to help you) and place on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, whisk together the icing sugar and orange juice and drizzle over the cake with a teaspoon.50 g Icing Sugar, 1-2 tablespoon Orange Juice
Gloria
What a fun dessert for any day of the week. I bet this freezes well too. I need to bake up a loaf soon.
Kate
I am so glad I tried this recipe! My marzipan loaf turned out moist and delicious!
Maria San Juan
Thanks for making this looks so easy to make! I will surely make this for my kids!
Elaine
This cake has the perfect texture - exactly how I like to make mine!
Jay
Will this cake still taste good if I skip the icing?
Beth Sachs
Hi Jay, yes it will still be lovely and moist and taste great!
Fran
I made this cake following the instructions , after removal from the oven the cake started to sink in the middle. I have made a similar cake , but a different recipe from online , & the exact thing happened . The cake was cooked through, tasted fine , but did not look so good with a dip in the middle.
Any reason this should happen ?