It was lovely to get a mention in The Scotsman last week…
it put the wind up me a bit though… I have no idea where they got the notion that I’d be making a Bette Davis Marmalade cake! It’s not exactly going to be a “retro afternoon dinner party” either but I do like that idea for the future…
So, on top of rehearsing my introductory speech, packing all my props and panicking slightly about the impending trip to Hippfest in Bo’ness (I’ve never been, and I am VERY excited) I thought I’d better make 2 x Bette Davis Marmalade Cakes to take with me for the 24 folks who will be coming to my workshop.
Regular readers of the blog will know that I am not very good at making marmalade or jam. Chutney yes, but preserves no. My three attempts at Bette’s marmalade had varying success but mostly resulted in a very runny marmalade – attempt one, attempt two, attempt three…. Whenever I read about the first attempt it does make me laugh. Firstly because it takes me back to something that is now a thing of the past, I hope, crying over rubbish men. Secondly because the making of that first batch of marmalade made my mum swear – a very rare occurrence.
So here’s Bette’s marmalade recipe but it comes with a warning… For me, it has never set…
But, I am very happy to report that by amazing force of serendipity, last night I met Queen of Marmalade Vivien Lloyd and we had a LONG conversation about marmalade. She is going to have a look at Bette’s recipe and see what she makes of it. I will report back… Just one of the many reasons I love being a member of The Guild of Food Writers…. I have met so many amazing people at their workshops.
So anyhow, a small disclaimer, my Bette Davis Marmalade Cake isn’t made to a Bette Davis recipe for cake, it’s a cake within which, I use Bette Davis Marmalade. I use the brilliant and delicious recipe in Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. My favourite non-movie-star-related cookbook.
You can find their recipe all over the interwebs including here – Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake.
I’ll let you know what the good folk of Hippfest make of the cake.
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Have a lovely time! I can’t wait to read about your adventures here.
It was SO BRILLIANT! Report coming soon xx
I hope someone took pictures! Sounds like a great time. (and the contrast between your old postings, and boy trouble; and current postings is wonderful)…
Aw thanks, there are some great pictures which I’ll post soon and the boy trouble does make me laugh so much now! As Morrisey would say though: “at the time it was terrible” – ha ha!
What cookbook did the original recipe for Betty Davis marmalade cake come from? I’m curious about William Warren too.
Hi Michele – as I mentioned at the end of the post, it was a cake made with Bette Davis Marmalade, which I felt I had to do, as for some reason The Scotsman newspaper said I was going to be making one! Truly, I have no idea where they got the idea from…
“So anyhow, a small disclaimer, my Bette Davis Marmalade Cake isn’t made to a Bette Davis recipe for cake, it’s a cake within which, I use Bette Davis Marmalade. I use the brilliant and delicious recipe in Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. My favourite non-movie-star-related cookbook.”
The Bette Davis marmalade recipe is in this book: Hollywood’s Famous Recipes of the Movie Stars – Goodan-Jenkins Furniture Co. 1932
The Warren William recipe beneath it is for something called “Mousse Freeze” – if you would like the recipe, just get in touch with your email address via the Contact Page and I’ll send it over to you.
Thanks for dropping by – Jenny