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Madeira Cake

Madeira Cake is a British classic, a beautiful treat that is delightfully versatile.

Its dense and firm texture with a hint of lemon zest makes it a perfect companion for afternoon tea or a delightful dessert with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of cream.

Here, we share an easy recipe to make this charming Madeira cake at home.

sliced Madeira cake on a plate with a dollop of cream on top

How To Make Madeira Cake

There are many different ways to make Madeira cake, from classic versions like this one to adapted recipes that include cherries or chocolate.

What You Need

For more detailed instructions and to print the recipe, please head down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

ingredients for Madeira cake laid out: flour, sugar, eggs. butter, lemon zest
  • 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 175g golden caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Optional: 100ml milk, if the mixture seems too thick

Equipment

The extra baking equipment needed to make this classic delight includes:

An 18cm (7in) round cake tin:

MasterClass 18cm springform cake tin
£13.28
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11/04/2024 06:02 pm GMT

Or any 900g/2lb loaf tin:

The Great British Bake Off 2lb Loaf Tin
£8.99
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Making It

Baking a Madeira cake is as simple as its ingredients, making it perfect for everyone to make.

Start by preheating your oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Next, grease the tin – you can optionally line it with parchment paper to help lift it out at the end. To do this, make sure the paper extends over the sides of the pan so that you have something to grab onto.

greased baking tin

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Next, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. You can do it manually if you don’t have an electric mixer.

batter for Madeira cake in electric mixer

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each one.

Sift in the flour and the lemon zest. Gently stir together until smooth, be careful not to overmix. If the batter is too thick, mix in the milk, but only a bit at a time – you may not need it all. The batter should be thin enough to fall off a wooden spoon.

Transfer the mixture to the greased and lined tin and bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Insert a skewer in the middle; it should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from the tin. Gently peel away the paper and leave it to cool down completely before slicing it.

slice of Madeira cake on a plate

    Tips for Making Madeira Cake

    • Always use room temperature ingredients as they combine more easily, ensuring a smooth batter.
    • Overmixing can make your cake tough, so only mix until everything is combined.
    • Cover your cake with aluminium foil halfway through baking if it is browning too quickly.
    • Always let the cake cool completely before slicing to prevent it from crumbling.
    • Serve with a dollop of cream, a dusting of icing sugar, or as it is.

    How Long Does Madeira Cake Last?

    A properly stored Madeira Cake lasts up to three days in an airtight container.

    sliced Madeira cake
    sliced madeira cake on a plate

    Madeira Cake

    Yield: 1 cake
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Additional Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

    Madeira cake has a dense and firm texture with a hint of lemon zest, making it a perfect companion for afternoon tea or a delightful dessert with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of cream.

    Ingredients

    • 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
    • 175g golden caster sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 225g self-raising flour
    • Finely grated zest 1 lemon
    • Optional: 100ml milk if mixture too thick

    Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Grease and line tin.
      2. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
      3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
      4. Sift in the flour and lemon zest, and gently stir until smooth. If too thick, add a bit of milk. Add it slowly until the batter just slowly falls off the spoon.
      5. Transfer to tin, bake for 50-60 mins. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean.
      6. Cool for 10 mins in the tin, then remove and let cool completely before slicing.

    Notes

    • Use room temperature ingredients.
    • Don’t overmix batter.
    • Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
    • Cool completely before slicing.
    • Storage: Keeps for up to three days in an airtight container.
    Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 302Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 407mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 5g

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