Madeira Cake: the simple English dessert recipe

The madeira cake is a plain British cake that you can serve as birthday cake or enjoy at breakfast or tea time. Because of its name, most are inclined to believe that it originated on the Portuguese island of Madeira or that the recipe calls for the Madeira, a sweet wine similar to sherry or port.

In fact, the origins of this cake date back to the Victorian era, when it was served at Madeira, a famous afternoon decadence. Not surprisingly, the first traces of this dessert can be found in a cookbook from 1845.

Similar in look to a basic sponge cake, the Madeira cake requires more flour, so it has a denser texture. This is a very easy recipe to make, create a smooth mixture of eggs, milk, butter, flour, vanillin, flavor it with lemon zest and bake it until soft inside and golden brown outside.

You can fill it with your favorite cream or spread, or top it with a powdered sugar or pieces of candied lemon.

Madeira Cake Ingredients

For your Madeira cake you need few pantry ingredients like flour, eggs, milk, butter, vanillin and a leavening agent like baking powder. Use the zest of one lemon to add flavor to this dessert.

Tips for making Traditional Madeira Cake

Don't use too much flour otherwise the wet ingredients will be absorbed and the cake will be dry. Also add the right amount of eggs and butter to prevent this.

For a lighter Madeira cake, use 185 g of oil instead of butter as the ratio to be used for baking should not be 1:1, but 3/4 of oil for the given amount of butter.

For your madeira cake you can choose either a circular cake pan or a rectangular cake pan. However the doses vary, depending on the size you choose. For a cake pan with a diameter of 24/26 cm follow the doses of the recipe, if instead you have a cake pan with a diameter of 18/22 cm the doses should be halved.

If you like tangy flavors, you can also ass the juice of one lemon to the dough.

Madeira Cake Filling Ideas

You can fill your madeira cake in many ways, be creative: you can choose the classic stuffing of whipped cream and Nutella, a quick and easy solution for children's birthday parties.

You can also make it more refined with a tangy cream cheese frosting, or you can go on the safe side with a delicate and elegant filling of chantilly cream and small strawberries.

How to store Madeira Cake

You can store the Madeira cake in the refrigerator for up one week, closed in an airtight container. You can also freeze or use the leftovers as trifle base.

How to make Madeira Cake

Pour the eggs and milk in a bowl and blend. Add in butter, sugar, and lemon zest in another bowl and work them with an electric whisk.

Pour a part of the egg mixture and blend.

Gradually add the flour mixed with the baking powder and the vanillin, alternating it with the egg mixture.

Combine well the ingredients until you get a smooth dough, without lumps.

Pour the mixture into a buttered and floured cake pan.

Bake at 160° C in a static oven for about 1 hour. Check out the cooking with a toothpick and, after you have taken out of the oven your madeira cake, let it cool before opening the cake pan. Put it on a cutting board. Serve and enjoy!