Marmalade Cake

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1.5 cups cake flour 
• 0.8 cup currants dried
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.5 cup grand marnier orange-flavored
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 0.8 cup brown sugar light packed ()
• 2  navel oranges scrubbed
• 0.5 cup orange juice fresh
• 3 tablespoons orange marmalade ()
• 2 tablespoons orange zest finely grated
• 1 cup sugar 
• 10 tablespoons butter unsalted plus more for pan room temperature ()
• 0.5  vanilla pod split
• 0.3 cup milk whole
• 1  star anise whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• wire rack

Directions

1. Using a sharp knife,cut all rind and white pith from oranges inwide strips. Trim off any flesh still clingingto the white pith.
2. Place peel in a small heavysaucepan.
3. Add cold water to cover; bring toa boil.
4. Drain. Repeat with cold water.
5. Drain;reserve peel.
6. Combine sugar and 2 cups water in samesaucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugardissolves.
7. Add the orange peel, star anise,and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil. Reduceheat to low and simmer, partially coveredand stirring occasionally, until peel is softand syrup has thickened, 50-60 minutes.
8. Let cool slightly.
9. Transfer peel to a cuttingboard and thinly slice. Return peel to syrup.DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead.
10. Place in a jar, cover, and chill.
11. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter pan.Line with a parchment-paper round; butterpaper. Bring currants and Grand Marnier toa simmer in a small saucepan over mediumheat.
12. Remove from heat and let steep.
13. Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder, andsalt into a medium bowl. Using an electricmixer, beat 10 tablespoons butter and sugar in alarge bowl until light and fluffy, about3 minutes. Beat in orange juice, marmalade,and orange zest. Beat in eggs one at a time,blending well between additions (mixturemay look curdled).
14. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions andmilk in 2 additions, beginning and endingwith dry ingredients and beating to blendbetween additions. Beat in any Grand
15. Marnier not absorbed by the currants. Foldin currants.
16. Pour batter into prepared pan;smooth the top.
17. Bake cake until a tester inserted intothe center comes out clean and the top isgolden, 40-45 minutes.
18. Let cool in pan ona wire rack. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 dayahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
19. Remove pan sides from cake. Invertonto a serving plate. Arrange candiedorange peel over and brush with some ofsyrup, if desired.