Madeira Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cupbutter, softened
• 3/4 cupsuperfine sugar
• 3eggs
• 2 cupsself-rising flour
• 3 tbspmilk, enough to give a mixture that drops slowly from the spoon
• 1lemon, zest only
• mixed peel, candied peel; for decorating the top

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F / Gas 4. Grease an 18cm round cake pan, line the base with parchment paper and grease the paper.

2. 2

   Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding 1 tbsp of flour with the last egg to prevent curdling.

3. 3

   Sift the flour and fold in gently, adding enough milk so the mixture drops slowly from the spoon. Fold in the lemon zest.

4. 4

   Spoon into the pan and level the top gently. Bake on the middle shelf for 30–40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

5. 5

   Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Decorate the top with strips of candied peel.