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Hills, Chills and a Bit of Welsh Sunshine gone into baking a "Madeira Cake"

It was a chilly yet Sunny Sunday morning in the countryside called Newtown in Wales where I had gone to spend a weekend at my Best friend Meghana's place. Though she never gives a damn  about this place, I get a sense of serenity, tranquility and at peace whenever I come here. (May be because, I live in a city and I don't get to see those meadows, sheep and mountains anymore).  Sunday was well spent as we made some hot masala chai, poured it in a flask, took some crisps and drove to a tourist spot in Mid Wales called Llanidloes (Please don't take an effort to pronounce it, it's Welsh...and the spellings have no connection with the pronunciation..:P). We stopped at a beautiful man made reservoir called the Llani Lake and what a sight it was. The river Severn was locked inside the dam and tinge of snow covered hills surrounded it. I could only imagine, how beautiful it would be in peak summer. The picture below will give you an idea of how postcardish view it was. 



We spent some time there and drove back home and my friend was in a mood to bake something in her oven. She had never baked in her life and she wanted to start from somewhere. I, a cooking enthusiast was waiting for a push. I immediately took out my baking bible (I carry it anywhere, everywhere...;P) from my suitcase and suggested her  that we bake a MADEIRA Cake....Simple, Spongy and a first Start at Baking!!



 (view from Meghana's Balcony)
                                                       

 The Cake came out perfect as expected and what delighted us was that we used our hands and muscles instead of an electric beater. Our hard work paid off and the result was just YUMMY Yum!! 



 Ingredients:

  • 180 gm unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 185 gm caster sugar (plus 2 tsp extra)
  • 165 gm self-raising flour
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • icing sugar to dust (powder the caster sugar in a blender)
Method:
  1. Preheat the oven to 160 Degree Celsius. Grease and flour a deep 18 cm round cake tin.
  2. Beat the  butter and sugar with an electric beater until pale and creamy. Add the eggs gradually, one by one, beating well after each addition. 
  3. Fold in the flour, lemon zest and lemon juice until combined.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and level it with a spatula. Sprinkle the extra caster sugar on top of the mixture. 
  5. Bake for one hour. 
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and insert a skewer to check whether the cake is done. If it comes out clean, the cake is well done. 
  7. Allow the cake to cool for fifteen minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack. 
  8. Sprinkle the icing sugar on top of the cake before slicing them.  
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