Lemon madeira cake (10 inch square)

This is the middle tier of the three tiered wedding cake I’m making – to go with the enormous 13 inch chocolate fudge cake bottom tier and the 7 inch fruit cake top tier.

Ingredients

700g unsalted butter

700g caster sugar

700g self-raising flour

350g plain flour

12 large eggs

Zest of 6 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tsp glycerine

Method

1. Grease and double line the 10 inch square cake tin with baking paper. Then line the outside of the tin with newspaper – at least 5 pages folded to about the height of the tin and secured with string or masking tape. 
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (or 140°C in a fan oven). Place a baking tray on the top shelf and a tray of water on the bottom shelf.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light, fluffy and pale.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flours.
5. Beat the eggs into the creamed mixture, one at a time, following each with a spoonful of flour, to prevent the mixture curdling.
6. Add the lemon zest and juice and the glycerine and stir well.
7. Sift the remaining flour into the creamed mixture and fold in carefully with a large metal spoon.
8. Transfer to the lined tin and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until well risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool in the tin.