Madeira Cake

Method6 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 180°C conventional / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a deep eighteen-centimetre round cake tin with the separate extra butter, line the base with baking paper and grease the paper.

   Uses A little extra butter for greasing the tin and lining paper

2. 2

   Step 2: Cream all the room-temperature butter (175 g) and caster sugar (175 g) until pale and fluffy. Beat in all three eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. With the last egg, add one tablespoon taken from the measured 250 g self-raising flour to prevent curdling; keep the rest of that measured flour for the next step.

   Uses 175 g butter, at room temperature · 175 g caster sugar · 3 eggs · 1 tbsp taken from the measured 250 g self-raising flour

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash the lemon and finely grate its zest, avoiding the bitter white pith; do not add the juice. Sift and gently fold all the actual remaining measured flour into the creamed mixture. Add two to three tablespoons milk gradually, just enough for a mixture that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in all the actual lemon zest.

   Uses All actual creamed mixture · All remaining flour from the measured 250 g after its 1 tbsp addition · 2–3 tbsp milk, just enough for a slow-falling mixture · Zest of 1 lemon, freshly grated in step 3; juice not used

4. 4

   Step 4: Spoon all the actual batter into the prepared deep round tin and lightly level the top. Bake on the middle oven shelf at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan / Gas 4 for thirty to forty minutes, until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

   Bake round Madeira cake until a skewer comes out clean · 40 minUses All actual cake batter

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove the actual baked cake from the oven and cool in its tin for ten minutes. Then turn it out onto a wire rack and leave it to cool completely.

   Cool cake in its tin before turning out · 10 minUses The actual baked cake in its tin

6. 6

   Step 6: Once the actual cake has cooled completely, decorate with the optional candied citrus peel if wanted, then cut portions as desired.

   Uses The actual completely cooled cake · Candied mixed citrus peel for optional decoration, as desired