Delicious recipes for the moments that matter by Una Leonard.
Madeira cake with fresh cream and strawberries
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200g butter, softened
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 eggs
- 250g self-raising flour
- 50g plain flour
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
For the filling:
- 300ml double cream, whipped
- 200g fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 170°C. Grease and line an 8-inch (20cm) round cake tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides. This will take a few minutes, but it’s worth it for a soft, airy sponge.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it’s starting to split, just add a spoonful of the flour to bring it back together.
4. Fold in the self-raising flour, plain flour, and lemon zest if using. Stir through the vanilla extract and milk until the batter is just combined. Be careful not to overmix – you want to keep it light.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50–55 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Once cooled, slice the cake in half using a serrated bread knife and arrange the sliced strawberries on the bottom half. Then generously pipe on the whipped cream and place the remaining cake half on the top. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Best enjoyed on the day it’s made. If needed, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.