These mini naked cakes filled with sweet and tangy orange marmalade and garnished with fresh flowers are an elegant treat for a springtime brunch. They may look fancy, but they're simple to make.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
Make the cake batter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat on high for another minute until well combined.
Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Then beat on medium-high speed until the ingredients are well combined.
Turn the mixer back to low speed and slowly add the flour mixture. Beat the batter just until all of the flour is incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed while combining the ingredients.
Bake the cake.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about one hour, until top of cake is golden brown and a stick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Set the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, run a butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake, then flip the pan over onto the wire rack to release the cake.
Assemble the mini cakes.
Cut the cake into ½ inch wide slices. You should have 18 slices. Using a 1 ½ inch circular cookie cutter, cut 2 small circles from each slice of cake (except for the two ends). You should now have 32 small circles. Save or discard the leftovers.
Spread 1 tsp. of the orange marmalade atop half of the little cakes. Top each with the remaining cakes.
Make the glaze.
In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and milk to create a glaze. The glaze should be pourable but thick. If your glaze is too runny, add a little more powdered sugar. If it's too stiff, add a tiny bit more milk.
Glaze and decorate the mini cakes.
Pour the glaze over each petit four and quickly spread the glaze over the top with the back of a spoon. Some glaze may drip down the sides, but the sides should not be completely coated with glaze. If using, garnish with edible flowers.
Notes
Storage: Store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to two days.