Madeira Cake

Name: Madeira Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Europe, British
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Bake: 45 min. + cooling

Yield 12 servings

Test Kitchen Approved

Thanks to creamy butter and tart lemon zest, Madeira cake is dense in texture but light, crisp and fresh in flavor. Essentially, it's quite similar to a pound cake, and as such, it's especially delightful when served alongside berries, fresh cream and a cup of tea.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, room temperature
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan with parchment; grease parchment.
In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in lemon zest. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture.
Transfer to prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 304 calories, 17g fat (10g saturated fat), 87mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.

This classic British Madeira cake is often served with Madeira wine, which is how it got its name. Similar to a pound cake, it is commonly flavored with lemon and can also be served with tea or other sweet liqueurs. —Peggy Woodward, Shullsburg, Wisconsin

Recipe Creator