Equipment
Ingredients
Sponge Base
- 40 g unsalted butter, melted
- 40 g caster sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 3 g baking powder
- 15 ml milk
Flavor & Topping
- 60 g orange marmalade, divided
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 409 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 57 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 41 g
- Sodium
- 254 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 137 mg
- Potassium
- 107 mg
- Calcium
- 155 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 115 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 180 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.15 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 31 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place 40g of butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl (approx 500ml capacity). Microwave on high for 30-40 seconds until melted but not bubbling hot.
Whisk the sugar and beaten egg into the melted butter until well combined and slightly glossy.
Add the flour and baking powder. Mix gently until just combined, then stir in the milk to loosen the batter.
Drop half of the marmalade (30g) into the batter and swirl it once or twice with a spoon. Do not fully mix; you want distinct pockets of jam.
Microwave on high (based on 800-1000W) for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. The cake should rise significantly and look set on top, though it may still look slightly moist near the marmalade pockets.
Let the sponge rest for 1 minute (it will be extremely hot). Top with the remaining marmalade while warm and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Microwave wattages vary wildly. Start checking at 90 seconds. If the center is still raw batter, add 15-second bursts.
- For a true 'steamed pudding' texture, cover the bowl loosely with a microwave-safe saucer while cooking. This traps steam and keeps the top moist.
- This recipe relies on the interaction between baking powder and the acidic marmalade for extra lift, so ensure your baking powder is fresh.
- Safety Warning: The sugar in the marmalade gets significantly hotter than the cake crumb (over 100°C/212°F). Allow the 1-minute rest time to avoid burning your tongue.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Texture degrades quickly; best eaten fresh.
Reheating: Microwave for 15-20 seconds to restore warmth and texture.
Troubleshooting
Cake texture is rubbery or tough
Cause: Overcooked or overmixed the gluten
Fix: Serve with extra custard or cream to mask the texture
Prevention: Stop microwaving as soon as the surface looks dry; do not overmix the flour.
Batter overflowed the bowl
Cause: Bowl was too small for the aggressive rise of microwave baking
Fix: Clean the microwave; the cake is still edible.
Prevention: Use a bowl that is at least twice the volume of the raw batter.
Cultural Context
This is a rapid, modern adaptation of the traditional British Steamed Sponge Pudding, which usually takes hours to steam on a stovetop. It retains the quintessential British love for Seville orange marmalade, balancing sweet sponge with bitter citrus peel.
