Madeira Cake
Ingredients
- 175 g Unsalted butter, softened
- 175 g Caster sugar (normal or golden)
- 175 g Self raising flour
- 85 g Plain flour
- 3 Large eggs
- Zest of 1 or more Lemon(s) (optional)*
- A little extra Butter for greasing the tin
Accompaniment
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Description
A great traditional cake, using the traditional method rather than all in one, as it gives a slightly better result. Firm in texture, and ideal for covering with fondant.
Method
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1
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C fan.
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2
Grease and line the base and sides of a 16 - 18 cm round cake tin, 15 cm square tin, or a large loaf tin with baking paper.
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3
Wrap brown paper or newspaper around the outside, and secure with string.
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4
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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5
Sift the flours together into a separate bowl.
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6
Beat the eggs into the creamed mixture, one at a time, following each with a tablespoon of the sifted flours.
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7
Add the lemon zest, or other flavouring, if using.
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8
Sift in the remaining flour and fold in gently with a large metal spoon.
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9
Spoon into the prepared tin.
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10
If you want to avoid / minimise a domed top, scoop 3/4 thickness of the middle section of the cake towards the sides.
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11
Bake for about an hour and 15 minutes until the cake is golden, firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
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12
Leave in the tin for at least an hour, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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13
If not serving or decorating until the following day (or two), leave the baking paper on the cake, wrap well in foil and keep in a tin.
Chef's Tips
* For just a faint hint of lemon, use the zest of 1. For a really lemony version of a Madeira cake, use up to 4, and also add the juice of 1. Alternative flavourings: orange zest (as above), 1 - 2 tsp vanilla extract, or 1/2 - 1 tsp almond extract.
Double the ingredients for a 20cm round or 18 - 20 cm square cake and bake for about 1 hour 50 minutes (up to 2 hours).
As this is a firm textured cake and will last up to 2 weeks, it is ideal for special occasions like weddings and Christenings, for those who don't like fruit cake or for the additional tier(s). You can bake and decorate it in the first week, then you have a week to eat it.
I love it as it is, but if you prefer your Madeira to be more moist, you can beat in ¼ tsp glycerin per egg, before folding in the bulk of the flour.
This cake can be frozen for up to a month – keep the lining paper on the bottom of the cake, wrap the whole cake in more baking paper, then foil, then in a plastic bag. Leave to defrost before removing the foil etc.
For a dairy free version replace the butter with a dairy free alternative. I used dairy free Vitalite and it worked well. The taste wasn't quite the same to me but it was still enjoyed by all, and I don't think many people even realised it was dairy free.