Citrus and summer fruit are an ideal combination. Mixed berries - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries - are delicious all on their own. When berries are paired with this Orange Marmalade cake you have a celebration of summer.

The recipe is based on a Victorian jam cake recipe and tea rooms still serve it. I lightened the recipe by using butter-flavored Crisco, sugar-free marmalade, Splenda, and light cream cheese. You may serve the cake plain with a dusting of confectioner's sugar, but it tastes best when topped with whipped cream (or sugar-free topping) and berries.

If you really want to get fancy double the recipe and make a layer cake. Frost the center layer with whipped cream (or sugar-free topping) and add a layer of mixed berries or sliced strawberries. Put the top layer on the cake and repeat this process. Chill the cake a few hours before slicing. Orange Marmalade Cake takes only minutes to make and freezes well.

ORANGE MARMALADE CAKE WITH MIXED BERRIES

1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
2/3 cup Splenda
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar-free marmalade (or light marmalade)
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
1 1/4 teaspoons orange extract
1/2 cup regular flour (the presifted kind)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (may be omitted)
1/2 cup flour-coated currants (may be omitted)

Put butter-flavored Crisco, Splenda, eggs, and cream cheese in small mixer bowl. Cream ingredients at medium speed until fluffy. Add orange extract. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Fold currants into batter.

Coat a 9-inch round layer cake pan with baking spray. Pour batter into the pan and spread it out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan. Makes 8 servings.

Harriet Hodgson

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years. She is a member of the Association of Healh Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. A prolific writer, she is the author of 25 published books and hundreds of print and electronic articles.

Hodgson has written about parenting, recycling, sexual harassment, aging, Alzheimer's disease, caregiving, communication, nutrition, physical activity, weight management, anticipatory grief, and many other topics.

She started out as a teacher and earned a B.S. with honors from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. She went on to earn an M.A. in Art Education from the University of Minnesota and did additional graduate work. After spending a dozen years in the classroom Hodgson changed careers and turned to writing.

All of her writing comes from life experience. Hodgson has talked about her experienes on some 150 radio talk shows, including CBS Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, WCCO Radio and "Coping With Caregiving," an Internet-only radio program broadcast worldwide. In addition, she has appeared on dozens of television programs/stations including CNN.

Hodgson is a Past President of the Wing of the Aerospace Medical Association. A past president of the Minnesota Medical Association Alliance (MMAA), she represented MMAA members on the Minnesota Medical Association Health Care Reform Task Force. She is an active community volunteer and all of her volunteer efforts focus on health.

Hodgson is cited in "Something About the Author," "Who's Who of American Women," "Who's Who in America," "Who's Who in the World," "The Dictionary of International Biography," and "Contemporary Authors," published by Gale Research.

Hodgson lives in Rochester, Minnesota with her husband, C. John Hodgson. She enjoys learning, travel, antiques, singing, and spending time with her twin grandchildren.