Madeira Cake (from April 1958)

[connie]

Another of the old recipes. This one has a date on it of April 1958, so it is exactly 57 years since this was printed.

Madeira Cake

I'll put in some of the blurb that comes with it. Back then they were calling it "that old fashioned Victorian favourite" best served "with a glass of sherry".

Ingredients
6oz butter or margarine
6oz caste sugar
3 eggs
8oz self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
candied citron peel
a little milk to mix if needed

Method
Cream the butter and sugar
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt
Add the eggs to the butter cream, alternating 1 egg with 1 tbsp. of flour mix
Add all the remaining flour mix, then the grated rind and lemon juice.
Add enough milk to get a dropping consistency in the batter (so it can be poured but not too thin!)
Put into a greased, lined loaf tin and bake at 350F (gas 4) for 1 1/2 hrs.
After the first 20 mins, lay 2 thin strips of candied citron peel on the top of the cake to make the traditional decoration.
Let the cake stand in the tin for 5-15 minutes on a wire rack before trying to turn out.

There are several cautions, don't lay the 2 strips of candied lemon peel on the top of the cake prior to the first 20 minutes otherwise they may sink into the cake; never bang the oven door; and do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes otherwise the cake may sink and go soggy.

 

[Trellum]

Nice! I'd like to try this old recipe... a 57 years old recipe, almost as old as my mother... who happens to be 60, hehehe. It sounds nice and simple, I like the fact those recipes don't call for a bunch of overly processed ingredients. I think this one would be a good cake for someone who, like me, is trying to consume less processed foods (not totally avoiding them obviously).