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MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S MADEIRA CAKE

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S MADEIRA CAKE

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Makes: 8-10 slices

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  • Nigella Recipe
  • Vegetarian

I don't know if I ever ate Madeira cake as a child, but just the sight of this golden-yellow loaf with its long crack down the middle makes me feel satisfactorily nostalgic. This recipe, given to me by my mother-in-law Carrie, is the best of any version I've tried. It's just one of those plain cakes you think you can't see the point of, until you start slicing and eating it.

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Ingredients

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  • 240 grams unsalted butter (softened)
  • 200 grams caster sugar (plus extra for sprinkling)
  • grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 3 large eggs
  • 210 grams self-raising flour
  • 90 grams plain flour
HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS

As featured in

HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS

Method

You will need a loaf tin (23 x 13 x 7cm), buttered and lined.

  1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar, and add the lemon zest.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of the flour for each.
  4. Then gently mix in the rest of the flour and, finally, the lemon juice.
  5. Sprinkle with caster sugar (about 2 tablespoons should do it) as it goes into the oven, and bake for 1 hour or until a cake-tester comes out clean.
  6. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool in the tin before turning out.

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  • Hi, i'm from Portugal and i love all your recipes. Is this a recipe of Madeira's Island Cake? I found it interesting because this cake is a typical Portuguese cake in a very rustic way.

    Posted by anasofiafreitas on 3rd Nov 2011 at 10.53

  • This is my all time favourite Madeira cake! Ah-mazing! Thank you! :D

    Posted by born2bake on 3rd Dec 2011 at 15.03

  • simple, elegant and home-hewn at the same time.

    Posted by manonlescaut on 2nd Apr 2012 at 12.56

  • I baked this cake at the weekend. it was absolutely fantastic - golden, melty and with a fantastic crisp top! I am going to bake it again this weekend for my work colleagues. Very quick and easy and a great result.

    Posted by AlisonSarah on 25th Jan 2013 at 8.56

  • Smells absolutely beautiful...can't wait till it cools and we can eat it. Thank you so much for the recipe - I have shared it :)

    Posted by Magda65 on 18th Apr 2013 at 11.01

  • Dearest Nigella.. U r my Kitchen God Mother.. U r the best Cooks we have. Thanks for making cooking task easy and interesting. With Lots of Love and Regards Maitreyee.. India

    Posted by Nivee on 13th May 2013 at 11.44