Madeira Cake Recipe (Classic British Sponge Cake) 2026

Despite what its name might suggest, Madeira cake is a buttery sponge cake of British origin , traditionally served with tea. Its buttery, lemony flavor is delicious. It differs from other cakes in that it doesn't contain liquid ingredients, resulting in a thick batter.

This is why it's crucial to bake it perfectly to avoid a dry crumb. In this recipe, we explain how to prepare it to perfection. The result is a very tasty cake that can be cut into thin, clean slices since it doesn't crumble easily.

The name of this cake has nothing to do with the island of Madeira. Its name comes from the fact that it was traditionally served with the wine of the same name , although it is also very popular with afternoon tea, much like pound cake , another classic of British baking.

A unique feature of Madeira cake is that it's baked at a relatively low temperature to ensure it bakes evenly and maintains a nice shape, preventing the uneven rise common to other cakes. As always, to check for doneness, simply insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and make sure it comes out clean.

This is a delicious sponge cake, ideal to enjoy with a cup of tea for an authentic British experience, or with a latte if we prefer to stick to our traditions.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

Recipe Information

• Preparation time : 15 minutes
• Cooking time : 45 minutes
• Total time : 1 hour
• Servings : 12 portions
• Category : Pastry
• Type of cuisine : British
• Calories per serving (kcal) : 256

Ingredients of Madeira cake

• 175g of butter at room temperature
• 175 g of sugar
• 4 medium eggs at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• 200 g of wheat flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder (about 8 g)

Necessary utensils

• Oblong mold measuring 25 x 11 cm

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

How to make Madeira cake

We begin by preheating the oven to 160°C so that it is at this temperature when the cake is baked. We beat 175g of room temperature butter with 175g of sugar using a whisk.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

Add 4 medium eggs, one at a time, while continuing to whisk. That is, don't add the next egg until the previous one is fully incorporated into the batter.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 200g of sifted wheat flour, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Now, gently whisk until the ingredients are just combined into a smooth batter, being careful not to overmix.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

We place the Madeira cake mixture in the mold lined with baking paper.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 160°C (325°F) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once the indicated time has elapsed, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

We unmold the Madeira cake and let it cool completely before serving.

Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe

Easy-to-prepare summary

1. Beat the butter with the sugar
2. Add the eggs one at a time while beating.
3. We incorporate the wheat flour and lemon zest into the mixture
4. We transfer the dough to the mold lined with baking paper
5. We bake the Madeira cake at 160ºC with heat from above and below
6. We unmold it and let it cool on a wire rack.
7. We serve the Madeira cake

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