I decided to cook a Madeira cake after seeing it featured as a challenge on The Great British Bake-Off last week… I’d eaten it as a child but never made one. It was a different recipe from the usual one I make, different quantities of the standard butter, sugar, eggs, flour recipe but as I set to it all blended well and made a fine mixture. it looked good as I poured it into the buttered, lined tin, and I set it to cook for 75+mins. I kept checking it, not opening the door but putting on the little oven light; I moved it to a lower and less hot shelf halfway through its cooking time, and when it was done,took it out, left it to rest for a few minutes then took it fromm the tin to cool.
It looked great, with a domed top and a crack – well, actually two cracks… and as I looked at it cooling on the rack, I was taken back to similar cakes my mum had made when I was a child.
At last it was cool, and I cut some slices and we sampled it… well, I hate to blow my own trumpet, but I have to say it was pretty delicious! The only slight criticism was that I think I will add an extra few drops of lemon essence next time, and maybe a little more lemon zest! Otherwise I’m thrilled with my result!
Apparently the cake was introduced around the 1800’s, and was so called because Madeira wine was drunk with it.. sounds a retty good idea to me!
Lois Elsden 
This cake looks delicious, and well done you for making such a tasty looking version when some of the bakers struggled with the challenge of it! I look forward to seeing if you’re inspired by any other bakes from the show!
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Yes! it feels almost like homework – except interesting and challenging homework! I have had to postpone my Black Forest gateau as the guest I was making it for has an allergy to chocolate!
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Homework that involves baking is definitely the best kind! Oh no!! What an awful allergy to have! Oh well, maybe you’ll be able to try one of the bakes from the next show for them? This could be a weekly thing, hahah!
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I think it may be a weekly habit! Yes it is unfortunate as he loves chocolate, has a really sweet tooth – but also loves cheese… which he is also allergic to!
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I thoroughly enjoyed that episode but didn’t approve of the outlandish flavours some of the bakers were using. No need for it. mmmmm I must make one, haven’t done so for years.
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I thought some of their ideas were just plain silly… a Madeira cake is a Madeira cake and wouldn’t you have thought that bloke would have picked up on the necessity to chop his dates?!!
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Yes – you can’t improve on a traditional Madeira! I think that people used to actually dip the cake into Madeira wine.
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Now that sounds like a fine idea… oh, I don’t have any Madeira wine… would Welsh whisky do?
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Penderyn? Maybe you need some Bara Brith with that 😀
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I have some in the cupboard… now I need to make the Bara Brith!
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I once had a lovely dessert in a restaurant in Mumbles where they served a piece of Madeira drizzled with raspberries that had been marinaded in brandy and sugar, with lashings of whipped cream.
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We have more visitors next week… that sounds just perfect!!
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