{"id":1366,"date":"2015-01-19T22:25:57","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T22:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=1366"},"modified":"2015-01-19T22:25:57","modified_gmt":"2015-01-19T22:25:57","slug":"madeira-cake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecherryplumkitchen.com\/?p=1366","title":{"rendered":"Madeira Cake"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It’s been a cold and blowy week and I’ve hidden myself away making marmalade – which is a strange way to introduce Madeira Cake, but stay with me.<\/p>\n

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It all begins with Seville oranges – which are a ‘blink and you’ll miss them’ thing. \u00a0Imported, obviously. \u00a0You have to buy them when you see them. \u00a0Aside from vats of marmalade I like to make a Seville Orange Tart. \u00a0It’s a once in the year event, which is one of the things I love most about it. \u00a0For that I need 55g of Madeira Cake.<\/p>\n

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So, that’s how I got here. \u00a0Madeira cake for packed lunches and a ‘hidden-away’ slice for the Seville Orange Tart.<\/p>\n

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Madeira Cake is a really old fashioned cake. \u00a0The first recipes appear in the eighteenth century, but I doubt my ancestors were eating it. \u00a0It was luxury. \u00a0At a time when genteel ladies offered their afternoon callers ‘some refreshment’ Madeira Cake might have been served with a glass of Madeira, which is a Portuguese fortified wine. \u00a0That’s how it gets its name.<\/p>\n

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Start by preparing the 18cm\/7″ cake tin. \u00a0I use melted butter and place a circle of baking parchment at the bottom. \u00a0Pre-heat the oven to 160\u00baC\/325\u00baF\/Gas Mark 3.<\/p>\n

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The cake mixture begins with softened butter. \u00a0Give it a quick beat and then add the sugar.<\/p>\n

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This stage always takes longer than you think it should and the paler you can get it the better. \u00a0Spare a minute to the poor souls who did it all by hand.<\/p>\n

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Have your flour ready. \u00a0I sieve to get more air in and combine the two flours together.<\/p>\n

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Now the room temperature eggs. \u00a0Add them one at a time and beat in really thoroughly. \u00a0A spoonful of the flour will also help stop the mixture curdling. \u00a0Curdling is best described as a cake batter with cellulite. \u00a0It happens for a number of reasons – if you add fridge cold eggs, don’t add them singly and\/or beat them in enough. \u00a0You can rescue a curdled mixture by adding more flour and beating it in but your cake will be a little ‘heavier’.<\/p>\n

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Then add the grated rind of half a lemon. \u00a0(Save the other half.)<\/p>\n

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‘Fold’ in the flour. \u00a0That’s a gentle cutting movement. \u00a0Your aim is not to bash the air out of the mixture. \u00a0Just imagine you’ve been beating with a wooden spoon and you’ll treat it with care.<\/p>\n

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Add the juice of half a lemon. \u00a0You’ll get more juice from a warm lemon.<\/p>\n

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Combine the reserved lemon rind with the unused juice from the second half and freeze. \u00a0There’ll be a next time.<\/p>\n

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Put the cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top. \u00a0I like to decorate my Madeira Cake with some pieces of candied orange peel, but it’s not necessary. \u00a0Post Christmas I tend to have some handy. \u00a0Then bake.<\/p>\n

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Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about ten minutes.<\/p>\n

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The easiest way to release the cake from the tin is to rest the tin on a can and ease the sides down.<\/p>\n

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Transfer to a cooling rack.<\/p>\n

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My mum’s pressed glass cake stand seems the right way to serve it. \u00a0Maybe not Madeira wine? \u00a0I like a cup of tea.<\/p>\n

Eat.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_0152<\/a>Madeira Cake<\/strong><\/p>\n

Makes one 18cm\/7″ round cake<\/em><\/p>\n