Madeira Cake

DSC_0145 1Makes one 18cm/7″ round cake

  • 175g/6oz butter
  • 175g/6oz caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 150g/5oz self raising flour
  • 100g/4oz plain flour
  • grated rind and juice ½ unwaxed lemon
  • candied peel to decorate (optional)

Grease and line the base of an 18cm/7″ round cake tin and pre-heat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3.

Beat the butter and sugar together until it is pale.

Add the room temperature eggs, one at a time. Beat well. A little flour added with each egg will lessen the risk of the mixture curdling.

Gently fold in the flours, then add the rind and lemon juice. Transfer the mixture to the tin and level the top. Decorate with candied peel if liked.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1-1¼ hours. Aga: Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the Baking Oven with a sheet of bake-o-glide resting on top of the tin for 40 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Eat.