Madeira cake
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 to 2 hours
- Serve
- Makes 1 x 18cm/7in cake
James Martin’s simple recipe for making Madeira cake, will have you whipping up a soft, buttery afternoon treat in no time. With a hint of citrus this easy-going bake is a delight with a cuppa.
Ingredients
- 175g/6oz butter, at room temperature
- 175g/6oz caster sugar
- 3 free-range eggs
- 250g/9oz self-raising flour
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- 1 lemon, zest only
- candied peel, to decorate (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a deep 18cm/7in round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture well between each one and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture curdling.
Sift in the flour and gently fold in. Add just enough milk to give a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the top. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
To serve, decorate the cake with the candied peel, if using. Store in an air-tight tin.
Recipe tips
You can use a 20cm/8in cake tin instead but be aware that the cake won't be as tall and could cook faster, so keep an eye on it after 25 minutes.
Madeira cake isn't as light as a Victoria sponge, but that also means it keeps well and is perfect to use in a Christmas trifle as it's quite robust.
Despite the name, Madeira cake isn't from Madeira. It's a traditional British cake that was typically served alongside Madeira wine.
To freeze, wrap tightly in a double layer of cling film and a double layer of foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, unwrap and leave on a wire rack at room temperature.
