RECIPE | Take advantage of Marmite's return with sweet, savoury muffins

I love a Marmite cake and often turn the batter into muffins. It's that combination of sweet and savoury flavours that South African palates enjoy that make this so popular. I enjoy serving this cake warm, straight from the oven, for breakfast or brunch and have on occasions enjoyed a slice with a thick spread of marmalade. The flavours work so well and especially with a thick slather of butter/margarine.

MARMITE CHEESE MUFFINS

Makes: 1 large cake or 12 muffins

Ingredients:

80ml (⅓ cup) sugar

60g butter or baking margarine plus an extra 45ml (3 tbsp), melted

1 extra large egg

240g (2 cups) cake wheat flour

15ml (1 tbsp) baking powder

Pinch of salt

175ml milk

250g (1 cup) cheddar cheese, grated   

15ml (1 tbsp) Marmite

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cream together the sugar and 60g of butter or margarine. Add the egg and beat again.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add to the creamed mixture with the milk.
4. Fold in ¾ of the cheese into the mixture and pour batter into a 23cm cake pan with cooking spray OR a 12-cup muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes for the cake and 20 minutes for the muffins.
5. Combine the Marmite with the 45ml (3 tbsp) melted butter and stir to combine. Drizzle over the cake or muffins after 20 minutes of baking the cake, drizzle over the top and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes. If you are making muffins, remove after 15 minutes of baking, brush each muffin with the Marmite butter mixture and sprinkle with cheese before baking for another 5 minutes.