The best madeira cake recipe that is easy, delicious and trusted! This traditional Madeira cake is light, soft, moist with a firm texture. Perfect for everyday baking or carved and decorated for occasions.
Madeira cake and sponge cakes are two of my most baked cakes! As a previous part-time professional cake maker, I have baked many cakes in my lifetime and I can say I have mastered the art of cake baking. In fact my cake baking days started when I was a little girl when I would help my mum make cakes for sale at the supermarket she owned then. The good old days 🙂 . I still do bake cakes for my family and above all, I enjoy eating cakes.
Cakes bring people together, whether for afternoon tea, celebration, treat at home or parties, children and adults like to have a slice or more. This cake recipe is one of the simplest cakes you'll bake.
MADEIRA CAKE RECIPE
Madeira cake is a type of British sponge cake that got its name from Madeira wine, a Portuguese wine that was popular in England in the mid-1800s. Traditional madeira cake is not made of wine but was popularly served with madeira wine back then in the 1800s hence its name. Madeira cake can be served with teas and used in celebration cakes.
This is the best madeira cake recipe and anyone can make it. When next you go grocery shopping before you reach out for that store madeira cake, remember you can make yours in easy steps, you'll know exactly what's in your homemade cake, no hidden preservatives and you can make as much cake as you want whenever you want.
In this post, I have included tools you'll need, ingredients, measurements, how to make madeira cake, tips, how to store and more. Let me show you how to make simple madeira cake in easy steps.
IS MADEIRA CAKE SAME AS VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
No, it's not. Although madeira cake is a type of sponge cake and uses the same creaming method as pound cake and victoria sponge cake, it has a denser texture than victoria sponge cake. Madeira cake is made with more flour than victoria sponge and has a firmer texture and is, therefore, more suitable for carving as it holds shape when carved and iced. It's ideal for celebration cakes like wedding cakes. Madeira cake domes and crack at the top during baking.
TOOLS FOR BAKING CAKE
To make this recipe and for most cake recipes, you'll need these simple tools:
Mixing bowl - A mixing bowl big enough to contain the cake batter and leave room for mixing.
Mixer - Hand or stand mixer. I mostly use a hand mixer for my cakes as they are more convenient for me.
Spatula - To scrape the sides of the mixing bowl and fold the flour in.
Cake Pan - Loaf tin for madeira loaf cake, round cake pan for the 8 and 10".
Baking paper - Also called parchment paper. This is to line the cake pan so the cake comes out of the pan cleanly after baking.
Cake tester - Skewer or toothpick will do just fine. This is to test cake doneness.
Cooling rack - To cool cakes on.
INGREDIENTS FOR MADEIRA CAKE
You need just a few ingredients for this cake recipe (Detailed ingredient list and direction in the recipe card at the bottom of this page) and they are:
Butter - Bring to room temperature.
Sugar- Granulated or Caster sugar
Eggs - Bring to room temperature
Milk
Self-raising flour - Sifted. If you don't have self-raising flour, you can make it by adding a teaspoon of baking powder to every 200g of plain flour.
Lemon or Orange flavouring or Vanilla extract - Use one of these flavouring.
Lemon or orange zest - For lemon madeira cake or orange madeira cake
HOW TO MAKE MADEIRA CAKE
Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
Rub butter in the cake pan and line with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pan aside.
In a mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar then use a mixer to mix till batter is light and fluffy.
Break eggs in a seperate bowl (i like to do this so in case there's any bad egg in the batch, you wouldn't have ruined your batter). Add lemon or orange or vanilla flavouring to the eggs and whisk.
Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and mix with the mixer for a few minutes.
Add flour in the batter and mix with a spatula. Fold in till incorporated.
Pour cake batter in lined cake pan and place in preheated oven. Bake at temperature of 170C for 45 minutes or till a cake tester comes out clean.
Turn cake onto a cooling rack and leave to cool.
LEMON MADEIRA CAKE RECIPE
For lemon madeira cake, use the ingredients and directions in this post but where the ingredient list indicated flavouring, use lemon flavouring (lemon extract) and zest of a whole lemon.
IS MADEIRA CAKE A POUND CAKE
No, it's not. They are similar however pound cake is made with pound measurements for each of the ingredients.
TIPS FOR MAKING MADEIRA CAKE
- Remember to preheat oven at temperature before putting cake batter in the oven. If using a conventional oven, preheat at a temperature of 170C/ gas mark 3 and for fan oven it's 150-160C.
- Put cake pans and bake cake in the middle of the oven for best heat distribution.
- Fold the flour in with a spatula (as recommended in the directions) rather than using hand mixer.
- Don't overmix batter once the flour has gone in or you might end up with dense cake.
- Put the batter in the oven immediately.
- You can add any type of flavouring like orange, lemon, nutmeg.
- Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes while the cake is baking. This might cause the cake to sink in the middle. You can open towards the end of baking time to check for doneness.
- Cool cake on a cooling rack.
Check out these other amazing cake recipes easy coconut cake recipe, simple banana cake and carrot cake.
HOW TO STORE
Madeira cake tastes better the next day. Cakes can remain safely at room temperature for up to 5 days, however, it's best to refrigerate. Allow cake to cool completely and wrap tightly in clingfilm or foil, put in freezer bags and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up 6 months.
SOME OTHER EASY RECIPES ON THE BLOG
Recipe
Best Madeira Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Cake pan/Loaf tin
Ingredients
- 150 g Butter
- 150 g Sugar
- 3 small Eggs
- 150 g Self raising flour
- 50 g Plain flour
- 1 tablespoon Milk
- 1 teaspoon Flavouring orange or lemon or vanilla
- 1 Zest of whole Orange or Lemon (for orange or lemon madeira cake)
For 8" round madeira cake, double this recipe and share cake batter in two 8 inch cake pan.
Instructions
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.
- Rub butter in the cake pan and line with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pan aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar then use mixer to mix till batter is light and fluffy. Break eggs in a seperate bowl (i like to do this so incase there's any bad egg in the batch, you wouldn't have ruined your batter).
- Add milk, lemon or orange or vanilla flavouring to the eggs and whisk. Add the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and mix with the mixer for few minutes.
- Add flour in the batter and mix with spatula. Fold in till incorporated.
- Pour cake batter in lined cake pan and place in pre heated oven. Bake at temperature of 170C for 45 minutes or till cake tester comes out clean.
- Turn cake onto cooling rack and leave to cool.
- Slice cake and enjoy.
Notes
- Remember to preheat the oven before putting the cake batter in the oven. If using a conventional oven, preheat at a temperature of 170C/ gas mark 3 and for fan oven it's 150-160C.
- Put cake pans and bake the cake in the middle of the oven for best heat distribution.
- Fold the flour in with a spatula (as recommended in the directions) rather than using a hand mixer.
- Don't overmix batter once the flour has gone in or you might end up with dense cake.
- Put the batter in the oven immediately.
- You can add any type of flavouring like orange, lemon, nutmeg.
- Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes while the cake is baking. This might cause the cake to sink in the middle. You can open towards the end of baking time to check for doneness
Nutrition
If you try this madeira cake recipe, rate it and leave a comment below.
Subscribe to the blog for free weekly recipes in your email. Also follow recipe vibes on Instagram and pinterest.
Fuumijoe says
I tried this recipe on the day posted on Instagram and to my surprise, it came out perfectly like a professional.
You're the best tutor and thanks for sharing ur knowledge with others.
Kemi says
I'm glad to know it turned out perfect for you. Thank you for the feedback and for being part of recipe vibes family.
Lisa says
Hi, can I use this recipe for birthday cake?
Kemi says
Yes, you can.
Fuumijoe says
You're the best
Kemi says
Thank you for your kind words.
K says
Is this 170 fan?
Kemi says
170C for conventional oven and 150C fan.
Tessa says
Hi Kemi, would I use lemon flavour and lemon zest for a lemon maderia or could I do vanilla essence and lemon zest?? Also can I freeze the cake in glad wrap? Thank you
Bunmi says
I tried this recipe and it came out great! My kids loved it!
Kemi says
Glad your kids loved it.Thank you for the feedback.
Mar says
Hi, would love to try this recipe but I don’t have butter, can I substitute with oil or margarine?
Kemi says
Hi Mar, i haven't used oil in madeira cake before but i have used it in sponge cake and some other type of cakes and it works fine. Margarine works fine. You might want to give it a try.
Rhonda says
Hello, I just found your blog while looking for a recipe to replicate this product:
I was hoping you might be able to answer a couple of questions.
First, for your recipe above, do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Second, if you happen to be familiar with the madeira cake in the link, should I be adding lemon or almond as in some other recipes?
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Rhonda
Kemi says
Hello Rhoda, I generally use salted butter but unsalted works fine too. I am not familiar with that particular cake brand and i do not know if they add lemon or almond.
Sameeha says
Hi,
Can you give the recipe in cup measurements? Please
Pamela Gray says
Hi,my cake tins are all 4” deep-what ratio should i use ?
Kind regards pam
Kemi says
Hi Pamela, You can use one 8" cake pan that is 4" deep. If you double the recipe, divide the batter into two 8" cake pans.
Belinda says
Tried this recipe, it turned out great. My family loved it. Would like to have your recipe for a chocolate madeira cake
Kemi says
That's good to know Belinda and thanks for the feedback. I hope to post my chocolate madeira cake recipe soon.
Lorraine says
Hi just a quick question. It says 150g self raisin flour and 60g plain flour x do I use both?
Kemi says
Yes both self-raising and plain flour.
Tia says
Do I use a 1lb or 2lb loaf tin?
Kemi says
Hello Tia, I use 2lb loaf tin.
Donna Peck says
This was the best Lemon Madeira cake ever.
Thank you, only this was, it took over 1 hour in my fan oven but so worth it.
Kemi says
Hello Donna, Glad you found it the best too. I appreciate the feedback.
Fatima says
Tried it today , i kept it plain with no icing or decoration it tasted wonderful , the zest of the whole orange made the difference , thank you . I havent baked in twenty years
Kemi says
Hi Fatima, I'm glad you found the taste wonderful. Thank you so much for the feedback.
Rosemary says
Can you give the quantities for a 10" round cake please?
Claire says
Hi kemi I wanted to use this recipe to make my son a birthday cake for his 2nd birthday I want to do the lemon madera cake do you have a nice recipe for a butter cream please be much appreciated many thanks Claire
Kemi says
Hi Claire, yes I do. Here's the link to my buttercream recipe https://www.recipevibes.com/easy-buttercream-icing-recipe/ or you can use the search button on the blog. Wish your son a happy 2nd birthday.
Catherine Wild says
Bang on.
Absolutely perfect and authentic Madeira cake. Dense but light and moist texture which is how it should be.
I doubled the sugar, SR flour and butter quantities, put in 100g ground almonds instead of plain flour, used four eggs and a tablespoon of milk added one teaspoon of almond extract and put flaked almonds on the top before baking at 160 in a fan oven for one hour. This produces an 8” round cake 4” in height with the appropriately cracked top. Great recipe. Thankyou.
Kemi says
Hi Catherine, the almond substitution for PF is also a good one. Welldone and many thanks for the detailed feedback.
Lisa says
Hello. If I double the recipe should I double the eggs too?
Kemi says
Yes, you should.
Cath Macs says
Beautiful just made everyone loves it thank you
Kemi says
I'm glad to know this. Thanks for the feedback Cath.
Imelda says
I’m trying to make a 6 inch and 9 inch cake. What’s the amount of ingredients I should use for both? And what would you say the baking time would be in two 6 inch tins, and two 9 inch tins? Thank you for your help. Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Yvonne says
Can I add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sultanas to this cake mixture?
Your recipe sounds delicious.
Ethel says
Hi - I wanted to make it in a 9x13 pan. Will I need to double the recipe form that ?
Darren Flynn says
Hi, what is the reason for using both types of flour? Can i just use self raising without the plain? And if so how much?
Kemi says
It's to reduce the raising agent in the cake and Yes you can use just self raising flour if that's what you have.
Omen says
Tried this for the first time after a long search for a good Madeira cake and came out brilliant, thanks for the perfect recipe. I would like to make this for new year as it’s a Scottish tradition to have bun for the bells but I would like to add sultanas to it, how many grams do you think I should put in?
Kemi says
Thank you for the feedback and sorry I wasn't able to respond before the new year. Have you now made it with added sultanas and how did it turn out? I haven't tried with sultanas but If I were to would start with 2 tablespoons, see how it is and decide if to add more going forward.
Omen says
HI, yeah i did I made 2 one with sultans (175g) an some one with glacé cherries (200g) quartered the cherries to avoid sinking and added some almond extract. They both turned out amazing still really moist but still with the classic madeira note to them. Fab recipe going to try fruit and nuts next.
Kemi says
That's great.Thanks for the feedback
Sandra Gray says
I've made maderia cakes in the past, and they've always been a bit dry but this was amazing! I used Stork margarine and medium sized eggs (all I had) and it was so moist. I've saved this recipe and it will now be my go to recipe for birthday cakes. Thank you!
Kemi says
Thanks Sandra. I appreciate the feedback 🙂
Susan says
Hi there I’m new to your site. I’ve been asked to make my sons wedding cake, a semi naked one. Was thinking of doing a Madeira one. Please could you give the amounts needed for a 14 inch and a 12 in inch round cake please. Thank you.
Marzi says
It was very yummy. everyone seemed to enjoy it. I doubled it for the 8inch round cake. but I only had a 9inch cake pan. it didn't rise or crack like I was expecting. Though I can always tweak and find out what works or doesn't.
Kemi says
Hi Marzi, Thank you for the feedback. I will say you check your oven temperature next time. Perhaps it's not hot enough?
Michelle says
Hi, what should I increase the ingredients to for a 10” round tin?
Thank you
Elle says
Hi, dear. I am really interested with this cake recipe as I love dense cakes. I am just wondering, is it just 1 TBSP of milk and not a cup? Thank you.
Kemi says
Hi Elle, Yes it's just 1 tablespoon.
Linda Martin says
Hi, if you double the recipe and divide it between two 8 inch cake tins do you still bake for 45 mins? Thank you
Kemi says
The baking time stays the same as long as the cake tins are on the same oven rack side by side.
Viki Baker says
Fabulous cake I dug the middle out and it came out a good shape for icing my
Daughters birthday cake 🎂 thank you 🙏😊🌟
Bre says
Can I do this in 2 1lb loaf tins instead?
Kemi says
It would fit in a 1lb loaf tin.
Linda says
I want to make this cake but need he ingredient amounts to be in cup and teaspoon amounts. I'm not familiar with grams.
Biba says
I baked this cake last night. The batter was rather stiff but I didn't add any extra milk to thin it down as I recall reading that the cake is dense compared to sponge cake. The result was good, 3 thumbs up from my family.
Kemi says
Thank you for this feedback.
schoda says
Hi Kemi, can I put cocoa in this to make a chocolate Madeira? If so how much would I need to add? 😃
Kemi says
Yes, you can. Try 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder + an extra 10g of sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
Jayne says
What a simply delicious cake, buttery and soft and light as a feather. Really simple and yet so good thank you for the recipe.
Molly says
Is it possible to bake this cake in an 8" square cake tin 4" deep for this recipe? Do I need to double up ingredients? I'm a bit confused about sharing the mixture into two 4" deep cake tins. Can the cake be baked in just one 8" square cake tin 4"deep that I've got and should I double the ingredients? Thanks.
Adele says
I need to make 2 6inch round cakes and three 8inch for 80th birthday cake can you suggest recipe amounts and time to bake please
Tina says
Hi
Baking this tonight.
I hope mine turns out as good as yours. My question is regarding the calories. Are they per slice or the whole cake divided by the number of slices?
S says
Thanks a mil Kemi, the real deal, and easy. I've done it twice now, the second time I baked it in a 11x8inch pan, reduced the bake time and used it as a base for crumble cake. Worked a treat and absolutely delicious.
Thanks again S