Orange flavoured Madeira cake

This cake has become a great favourite, both in my house and amongst many of my costumers too.

It is very easy to make and a perfect cake to make this time of year when the oranges are really nice and sweet.

Here’s what you need:

1 2lb rectangular bead/cake tin

150 g soft butter

150 g sugar

3 medium eggs

150 g self raisin flour (or a mix of 140 g plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder)

50 grams of ground almonds

1 orange

Method:

Turn the oven on 175 degrees or 160 if using fan oven. Line the tin with baking parchment.

Mix butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk. Keep mixing until white and fluffy. It really makes a difference to the cake if you give this step some time.

Add one egg at a time, make sure you thoroughly mix in the egg before adding the next one.

Zest the orange and add it to the batter along with the flour and ground almonds. Fold it in gently using a rubber spatula. Don’t mix in the self raising flour with the electric whisk! As the cake will become a bit “rubbery”. Finally cut the orange and squeeze out the juice from on of the halves and mix it in with the batter. Keep the other half for decoration.

Add the mixture to the cake tin and bake for about 30-35 min. This will always depend on your oven. To test if the cake is done, just pierce the cake with a skewer, if it comes out clear, the cake is done.

Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack.

This cake can be eaten as it is, but for a nicer presentation, you can mix some icing sugar with a bit of orange juice (from the orange you used for zesting). Drizzle the icing over the cake.

And finally cut little orange triangles using the other orange half and place them on the top of the cake. Enjoy with your favourite warm drink:)