Today see’s the start of 2015 The Great British Bake Off with the legend that is Mary Berry. I have been using her cookery books to teach me about baking long before I knew who she was. Then Bake Off came along in 2010 and around about the same time I had to go gluten free due to having Coeliac disease. What dreadful timing!
Now Mary is probably one of the most well known bakers and cooks in the country. I love watching Mary on the telly, she continues to inspire me to bake new and more difficult cakes and pastries, converting them to gluten free, low sugar versions for myself and my family.
My Mum often recounts the story of when I was doing a practical home economics assignment at senior school she gave me rock solid butter to make Mary’s Pineapple upside down cake I think I spent almost all the allotted time trying to beat the solid butter into submission. Thankfully I am slightly more organised these days.
I thought today I would make the Madeira cake as the contestants have been asked to bake this simple cake, the only difference being that mine will be gluten free and lower sugar.
Madeira cake
recipe-
180g soft unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
200g gluten free self raising flour
50g ground almonds
3 large free range eggs
zest 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method –
Pre heat your oven 150c fan
grease and line an 8 inch loaf tin
cream the butter and sugar together until very smooth
add one of the beaten eggs
and beat
add the ground almonds and beat again
add the remaining beaten eggs and vanilla essence
and beat thoroughly
sieve in the flour and zest and fold in gently
if the mixture is a little thick add a splash of milk
spoon in to your prepared tin
bake for 50 mins
check the cake is cooked by using a skewer
cool completely, remove from tin and slice
Review –
The Madeira cake I am pleased to say was a success. Using only 100g of sugar didn’t affect the rise or texture and the cake is quite sweet enough. A simple cake, very easy for a new baker . Perfect for slicing and serving with a cup of tea. You could use this recipe in a round tin and slice through and fill with jam or for a Lemon Madeira just add juice of one lemon and add zest of an extra lemon. Or to make it extra special you could serve with lemon curd.
We will be enjoying our Madeira cake while watching The Great British Bake off tonight,
My parents are staying with us and they are not normally fans of the show. My Dad says he can’t watch it as it frustrates him as he can’t smell or taste the offerings on show, and for my Dad who really does Love Cake its just too tough!
Hopefully tonight with the added incentive of freshly baked Madeira cake they might get hooked.
Happy Baking!
The Great British Bake Off < website here
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