Madeira cake has been part of our lives for as long we can remember. The pale pre-packed, sugary, often broken versions found in retail outlets are not Madeira cake, they are poor imitations of bad sugar cake. Madeira cake is always rich and moist and buttery and absolutely delicious on it’s own and when used in desserts, does magical things to it. Most importantly, this cake, when eaten with a glass of good Madeira wine is an experience to be cherished.. Garnish with candied lemon, citron peel or sugared lemon slices and give it the respect it deserves. Everyone needs to know how to bake one, so here’s a recipe!

Ingredients

• 175 g butter, at room temperature
• 175 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 250 g self-raising flour, you may need a little more or less
• 3 tbsp thin cream
• 1 lemon, zest only

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180.

• Grease an 18 cm round cake tin, line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the 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 the flour and gently fold in, with 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 lightly level the top.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
• Place the candied peel on top of the cake and bake for a further 30 minutes or until a warm skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Note: to the lady in the coffee shop that gave me this recipe – thanks so much! We chatted for ages and I never asked your name – I’m so sorry about that.