zucchini and marmalade loaf single

Around three o’clock in the afternoon I start to think about a little sweet yum-yum to get me through the rest of the day.

Sure, ideally I would reach for some fresh fruit, yogurt or pre-prepared vegetable sticks to curb those afternoon hunger pains.  Well, easier said than done with a sweet tooth like mine.  So admittedly, I regularly enjoy a sneaky sliver of cake, some deliciously rich chocolate, or even a melt-in-the-mouth cookie (or two!), around that time of the day where your will power is surely tested.

The moment I saw this cake on one of my favourite blogs, No Special Effects (taken from the Tartine book), I immediately got up from my laptop, walked to my copy of the book and marked the page immediately.  Mark had made this tea cake four times in two months.  It was that good.

Never having made zucchini bread before, I was eager to try the combination with a bitter orange marmalade (marmalade is a breakfast favourite in the Mélanger household!).

The cake is very moist thanks to the zucchini.  The small addition of cinnamon draws out a warm spicy flavour that combines well with the sweet and bitter orange marmalade.  I had omitted the recommended walnuts from the recipe, but they would bring a lovely crunch to each mouthful, too.

I can see why Mark made this cake so frequently.  It definitely is a perfect slice to sit down in the afternoon and enjoy with a cup of tea.

zucchini and marmalade loaf set

{ Zucchini and Orange Marmalade Tea Cake } Recipe by Tartine

* Ingredients *
1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

* Directions *
Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.  Grease a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 12 cm) loaf tin.  Set aside.  Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, sugar and marmalade until just combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour until just combined.  Add the nuts until incorporated.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 60-70 minutes until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minute, then turn out to let cool completely.  It will keep well, in the refrigerator for up to five days.

:: Today is Macaron Day, Jour du Macaron ::

All simple cakes are perfect to enjoy for an afternoon pick-me-up.  Except perhaps today.  If you have a Parisian patisserie close to hand, I dare say you will be enjoying a French macaron, or two! Today is Macaron Day, or Jour du Macaron.

For those with a keen eye, I honour this day by including a feature on French macarons from an issue of Régal magazine as a prop in the above photographs.

Looking for an afternoon macaron pick-me-up?  Try one of over 25 flavours of French macarons on Mélanger.