With summer finally looking like it might be on its way (fingers crossed!), it’s time to move away from the heavy, chocolate-based comfort foods and onto something a bit lighter. I’d like to say healthier but I have too much of a sweet tooth for that! This recipe is a basic Madeira cake base, always a summer favourite, but (as always) with our own special twist. The lavender glaze compliments the subtle lemon of the Madeira for a sweet, summery treat. Anyone who’s been following our recipe blog will have worked out by now that I adore Nigella Lawson, so of course it’s her Madeira cake recipe that I started with! I have adapted the cook times slightly so that I could make individual cakes, but if you want a traditional loaf cake then Nigella’s is the recipe to go with.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
240g butter or margarine
200g sugar (Nigella recommends caster sugar, but if you’re lazy like me then granulated works fine)
grated zest and juice of one lemon
3 eggs
300g flour
2 tsp baking powder
6 small ramekins or 1 loaf tin
For the glaze:
6 heaped tbsp. icing sugar
3 tbsp lavender syrup
cold water
Method:
– Line either your ramekins or loaf tin with baking parchment.
– Preheat the oven to gas mark 3/170C
– In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add in the lemon zest and mix well.
– Add the eggs one at a time. Adding a tablespoon of the flour with each egg will help it to mix in better without curdling.
– Mix in the rest of the flour, stirring gently so as not to lose the air from the mixture.
– Add the lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
– Put into your preheated oven and bake for roughly 45 minutes if in ramekins or 1 hour if in a loaf tin. I start checking the cakes about 20 minutes before this, to avoid burning. You’ll know they’re done when a cake tester comes out clean.
– Put your cakes to one side to cool whilst you get on with the lavender glaze.
– In a bowl, mix together the icing sugar and lavender syrup. I use a fork for this to avoid any sugary lumps.
– Once the icing has formed a paste, add the cold water a teaspoon at a time. Stop when you have a relatively thin, runny icing.
– Before your cakes have completely cooled, turn them out onto a wire rack. Once they are cold, cover in the lavender glaze and leave to harden.
This really is a super easy recipe (like everything I make) and guaranteed to impress!