Madeira cake
A classic sponge cake, Madeira cake is the perfect afternoon tea accompaniment to a warm English brew.
Ingredients
- 175 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 175 grams caster sugar
- 3 free-range eggs
- 250 grams self-raising flour
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- Zest & juice of 2 oranges, diced leftover flesh to add to mix
- 200 ml blood orange juice
- 150 grams caster sugar
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180C, grease and line four small loaf tins.
- In a bowl crystallise the sugar together by mixing well with a wooden spoon, with the orange zest.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time, beating the mixture well between each egg, then adding a tablespoon of flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Sift the flour and gently fold in, with enough milk to give a mixture the falls slowly from the spoon. Add the leftover diced flesh.
- Spoon into the lined tins and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to let cool.
- Bring to the boil the blood orange juice and the caster sugar, and reduce by 1/3rd then gently glaze the cake with this mix.
