This basic Madeira mixture is my go to mix for birthday cakes, lemon cake, fruit cake and chocolate chip muffins for the lunch box. It’s an all in once mixture which is very versatile; just add lemon zest, fruit or chocolate to change the flavour. Make this batter gluten free by substituting the flour and baking powder with a GF variety. I like Dove’s Farm brand. Remember to include ¼ teaspoon of Xanthan gum.

 

150 grams/ 2/3 cup /6 ounces softened butter

150 grams/2/3 cup /6 ounces sugar

200 grams/2 cups / 8 ounces  flour (all purpose)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F

Simply place all the ingredients into your mixer and beat until you have a pale and creamy batter. I use a muffin scoop to divide the batter evenly into a 12 hole muffin pan lined with cases. Cook for 15- 18 minutes. Alternatively, line a 2 pound loaf tin approximately 9 by 5 inches with baking parchment or a readymade liner, scoop the batter into it and cook for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out cleanly.

Chocolate Chip

Add 175 grams/1 cup of chocolate chips to the basic batter to make 12 muffins or one loaf cake.

Lemon

Add the zest of one lemon and replace the milk with lemon juice for a zingy muffin or lemon cake. You can also drizzle the rest of the lemon juice over the loaf cake immediately when it comes out of the oven. Simple poke some holes with a skewer first so the juice can filter down through the cake.

Fruit Cake

Add 150 grams/ 1 cup of sultanas or your favourite dried fruit to the basic batter to make a simple fruit cake. You can even use a split of 2:1 dried fruit to mixed peel.  Also if you like you can replace the milk with a tablespoon of brandy or whiskey if you want a more festive flavour.

Cherries

Use 150 grams/ 2/3 cup of dried glacé cherries that have be cut in half and rinsed in warm water, dried and coated with flour to make an old fashioned cherry cake. The secret to stopping the cherries from sinking is to coat them in flour before you add them to the batter.

Marble cake

Divide your batter into three container and colour with your favourite food colouring. Then, simply drop tablespoons of the batter into your loaf pan or teaspoonfuls into your muffin cases alternating each colour. Swirl with a skewer at the end to mix your colours.

Chocolate

Reduce your quantity of flour by 25 grams and substitute 25 gram / ¼ cup of sieved cocoa to make a luscious chocolate muffin or loaf cake.