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–+ servings
Madeira loaf cake on a wooden board with a slice cut.
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5 from 12 votes

Easy Madeira Cake Recipe

An easy Madeira cake recipe made in a loaf tin! A simple and classic British bake that's perfect with a cup of tea.
Course Baking, Cake
Cuisine British
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 287kcal
Author Beth Sachs

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scales
  • Microplane Grater
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Mixing Bowl
  • 2lb Loaf Tin
  • Baking Paper
  • Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary
  • 180 g Butter softened
  • 180 g Golden Caster Sugar
  • 3 Eggs large
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Lemon zest of whole lemon and juice of half.
  • 200 g Self Raising Flour
  • 50 g Plain Flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 170°c (150 fan/ Gas 3/ 320F) and grease and line a 2lb (900g) loaf tin with baking paper.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.
    180 g Butter, 180 g Golden Caster Sugar
  • Beat in the eggs one by one to prevent the mixture from curdling, and mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
    3 Eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 Lemon
  • Fold in the flours and mix until you have a thick smooth batter.
    200 g Self Raising Flour, 50 g Plain Flour
  • Pour the batter into your prepared 2lb loaf tin and bake for 55 minutes - 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the tin and removing it to a wire rack

Notes

Expert Tips:
  • If your batter seems a bit dry (it should be a smooth thick cake batter), add a splash of milk.
  • Don't worry if your cake has a crack in it! Traditional Madeira cake is meant to have a crack in the top of it! It's a sign that the recipe has worked perfectly!
  • Use the correct size loaf tin (2lb/900g) to ensure the batter doesn't overflow.
  • Line the tin (with baking paper or nonstick parchment paper) and grease the sides with butter to ensure you can remove it from the tin easily at the end of cooking. Or use loaf tin liners to save time!
 
Variations:
  • Make a chocolate Madeira cake by replacing the plain flour with cocoa powder.
  • Use ground almonds (almond meal) instead of plain flour.
  • Add 100g of glace cherries to make a cherry madeira cake.
  • Decorate the top of the cake with a lemon sugar syrup and candied lemon slices.
  • Swap the lemon zest for orange zest and the lemon juice for orange juice. Or use lemon extract instead.
  • Bake the cake in a round springform pan instead.
 
Storage:
Store: The cake will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container or cake tin. Wrap it in parchment paper to prevent it from drying out
Freeze: Once cool, wrap the cake in parchment paper, followed by a layer of tin foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost at room temperature before slicing.
 
Nutrition:
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
 
Nutrition Facts
Easy Madeira Cake Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
287
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
49
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
20
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
72
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
42
g
14
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
18
g
20
%
Protein
 
8
g
16
%
Vitamin A
 
83
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
 
36
mg
4
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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