Madeira Cake

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F and grease and line an 18 cm round cake tin.

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2. Beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes, until very pale and fluffy.

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3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the flour with each.

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4. Fold in the remaining flour and the ground almonds, then the lemon zest and juice, milk and vanilla, until you have a soft dropping consistency.

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5. Spoon into the tin and level the top.

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6. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

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7. Cool in the tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

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Chef’s Tips

• Cream the butter and sugar for the full four minutes. It is where the lightness comes from.
• Add a spoonful of flour with each egg so it does not curdle.
• Use it as the base for a lemon icing or a marzipan-covered celebration cake.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cup of tea
• Lemon curd
• Fresh strawberries

Storage & Reheating

Keep in a tin 5 days. Freeze wrapped for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.