Saffron Citrus Visiting Cake

Saffron Citrus Visiting Cake is a loaf you can bake a couple days ahead of time, making it the perfect sweet for a busy holiday season. It tastes even better a day after baking, and is a great alternative to the classic pumpkin loaf. Its flavors are elegant and warm, a real crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
Butter & flour for pan
1.5 cups flour
1.25 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch Lemonfair Saffron, ground with mortar & pestle
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1.25 cups sugar
1 lemon
4 eggs, room temp
1/2 cup heavy cream, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5.5 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled

Ingredients for glaze:
1 pinch Lemonfair Saffron, ground with mortar & pestle
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon water

In a small sauce pan over medium low, heat heavy cream until warm. Add first pinch of saffron and stir until cream is light yellow. Leave on heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature before using.

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a loaf pan with butter, then dust with with flour and shake out excess. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, ginger, and salt.

In a large bowl, add the sugar, then grate zest of lemon on top. Juice the lemon and set the juice aside. Rub Sugar and zest together until mixture is moist. Add one egg at a time, whisking between. Whisk in juice then heavy cream and saffron mixture. 

Stir in dry ingredients slowly. Then add vanilla and butter and slowly blend into batter. Add batter into pan.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for a few minutes. While it rests, make the glaze: Bring marmalade and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in saffron and remove from heat. 

Use a butter knife to help remove cake from pan and place on cooling rack. Brush glaze over the cake and allow to sit for 2 hours.