Welcome to the Cake Decorators Q&A

Hi, there are so many different recipes for Madeira cake. Some have only extra sr flour, others just a small amount Of extra plain and others have a greater amount Of plain. Does anyone know If there is a difference in the keeping qualities between these recipes? Thank you

Which Madeira Cake Recipe Is Best? Understanding Flour Ratios and Keeping Quality

CakeFlix Diploma

One of the most common questions bakers ask is why Madeira cake recipes vary so much. Some recipes use only self raising flour, while others include a mixture of self raising and plain flour. So, does it make a difference? The short answer is yes, but probably not in the way you might think.

The main reason for changing the flour ratio is to control how the cake rises and the texture of the finished crumb, rather than its keeping quality.

Self raising flour

A recipe made entirely with self raising flour usually produces:

• a lighter texture
• more rise
• a softer crumb

However, if the recipe contains a lot of butter, eggs or fruit, the extra raising agent can sometimes create a cake that rises too quickly before settling.

Adding plain flour

Many experienced cake decorators prefer replacing some of the self raising flour with plain flour.

Doing this can help produce:

• a tighter, more even crumb
• straighter sides
• a flatter top
• a stronger sponge for carving or stacking

This is one reason you’ll often see professional decorators use a combination of the two flours.

Does it affect keeping quality?

Not significantly.

The ingredients that have the biggest impact on how long a Madeira cake stays fresh are:

• the amount of butter
• the amount of sugar
• the number of eggs
• how the cake is stored

Sugar and fat naturally help retain moisture, so recipes richer in butter and sugar often stay fresh for longer than leaner recipes.

Provided the cake is well wrapped in cling film and stored in an airtight container, most Madeira cakes remain at their best for five to seven days at room temperature. They also freeze exceptionally well for several months.

Which recipe should you choose?

If you’re baking for everyday enjoyment, a recipe using mostly self raising flour will usually give a lovely light sponge.

If you’re baking celebration cakes or covering with sugarpaste, many decorators prefer a recipe using a mixture of plain and self raising flour because it gives a stronger structure without becoming heavy.

The best recipe is ultimately the one that consistently gives you the texture and stability you need for the type of cake you’re making.

Learn Paul’s Madeira Cake Recipe

At CakeFlix, Paul Bradford includes Madeira cake as one of his three core cake recipes in the CakeFlix Diploma. It is the recipe he has relied on throughout his professional career because it produces a dependable sponge with excellent structure, making it ideal for celebration cakes, stacking and decorating.

If you’re looking for a tried and tested Madeira cake recipe that performs consistently, Paul’s step by step Diploma lessons explain not only the recipe itself but also why each ingredient is used, helping you achieve reliable results every time.

As a CakeFlix Member you can access over 1,800 cake decorating and baking tutorials taught by over 100 of the world’s top cake artists. Members also get access to the CakeFlix Diploma which is an accredited certified learning Programme covering 8 of the key cake decoration disciplines. Members also get access to the CakeFlix Family community Facebook Group, which is full of active supportive members to help you on your cake journey.

A madeira cake is a sponge cake which contains a higher proportion of flour with regard to the other ingredients.

The total amount of flour can be all self raising or it can be a combination of up to a third plain flour. This depends on how firm the end product is to be. The additional flour produces a dense, close textured cake with good keeping properities, suitable for carving and for working on over a longer period of time. A shelf life of approximately two weeks would be reasonable. Some people find this type of recipe produces a drier cake although it becomes more moist as the days go on.

Some recipes contain smaller amounts of the additional flour. This will still produce a firm cake but it will be softer and more moist . The shelf life may be less or the same as a recipe which contains the higher proportion of additional flour. However it will keep longer than a sponger such as a victoria cake and it will still be good for carving and stacking.

Mrs Jones’ madeira cake recipe in the tutorials contains 40 gm additional plain flour to her main which is self raising. She has commented that her cake will keep for two weeks wrapped and stored in a cake tin.

So, it is a flexible recipe according to your requirements. I hope this explanation helps. If you need more information please post again. 🙂

Very clear. Thank you

Thank you, nice and clear.

Nookums and Kay4, you are both very welcome! 🙂