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Home » Recipes » Loaf Cakes

Orange Madeira Cake Recipe

May 16, 2020 by Lynn Hill 10 Comments

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A moist, all butter Orange Madeira cake, similar in texture to a pound cake, with ground almonds, orange zest and fresh orange juice. Topped with orange icing and slices of fresh orange. The ideal cake for every occasion.

side shot of a cake with a slice cut out. White dish in the background.

I've totally updated this recipe since it was first published in May 2016. It was originally baked in an 8inch round cake tin. For this recipe, I decided to bake it in a 2lb loaf tin.

You can still bake this cake in an 8 inch round cake tin, but the baking times may differ slightly. And you may need to bake it a little longer.

Overhead shot of a cake on a long grey plate

Some of the ingredients are different too, I removed the plain yogurt from the previous recipe and added ground almonds. It's the ground almonds that help keep this orange cake nice and moist.

What is the difference between Madeira Cake and Sponge Cake?

Despite the name, Madeira cake did not originate on the island of Madeira. Nor does it contain Madeira Wine.

A real Madeira Cake recipe contains butter and was originally served with a glass of Madeira Wine. Hence the name of the cake. It also has a denser texture than a simple Victoria Sponge Cake, which is light and fluffy. Very similar in texture to a Pound Cake.

Despite the dense texture it keeps well when wrapped and kept in an airtight container and is really nice and moist.

Check out my other Loaf Cake Recipes This Coconut and Lime Cakes or this Marmalade Cake could become new favourites.

How to Make This Recipe

Get the oven on in plenty of time to allow it to come up to temperature. Invest in an oven thermometer. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment, this will make it easier for you to turn this Orange Cake out onto a rack after it's cooled a little.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.

Fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, Orange Zest and juice. Mix until well combined.

  • Cake batter in a baking tin with spatular
  • Baked cake in a 2lb loaf tin.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 – 50mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.

Leave in the tin for 10 mins to cool a little, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

How to make an Orange Icing Topping

Orange icing in a white bowl with orange slices and red knife

Cut a thin slice of orange and slice it into segments. Squeeze out the juice from the remaining half that you used to make the cake batter.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, gradually add the orange juice until you reach a thick spreadable consistency.

Spread the orange icing over the cooled cake, top with pieces of orange segments. Leave to set.

NOTES:

  • Always make sure your oven come up to temperature. Invest in an oven thermometer if you can.
  • Line the tin with baking parchment makes it easier to lift the cake out of the tin.
  • Will keep for a few days if wrapped well and in an airtight container.
  • You can bake this cake Orange Madeira Cake in an 8 inch round cake tin, but the baking times may differ slightly. And you may need to bake it a little longer.
side shot of a cake with a slice cut out. White dish in the background.

Orange Madeira Cake Recipe

Lynn Hill
A moist, all butter Orange Madeira cake, similar in texture to a pound cake, with ground almonds orange zest and fresh juice. Topped with orange icing and slices of fresh orange. The ideal cake for every occasion.
4.73 from 18 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 11
Calories 340 kcal

Equipment

  • 8 inch Square Cake Tin
  • Baking Parchment

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake

  • 180 grams unsalted butter Softened
  • 180 grams white caster sugar
  • 3 Medium Sized Eggs
  • 125 grams White Self Raising flour
  • 55 grams ground almonds
  • Zest of 1 Medium Orange
  • 1 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

For the Orange Icing Topping

  • Slice of Orange cut into small sections
  • 200 grams icing sugar sieved
  • 2 tbs fresh orange juice
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Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180 deg c conventional oven. Grease and line 1 x 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
  • Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
  • Fold in the remaining flour, ground almonds, Orange Zest and orange juice. Mix until well combined.
  • Bake in the oven for 45 – 50mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
  • Leave in the tin for 10 mins to cool a little, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Orange Icing Topping

  • Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, then gradually add the orange juice until you reach a thick spreadable consistency.
  • Spread the orange icing over the cooled cake, top with slices of orange.

Notes

  • Always make sure your oven comes up to temperature. Invest in an oven thermometer if you can.
  • Line the tin with baking parchment makes it easier to lift the cake out of the tin.
  • Will keep for a few days if wrapped well and in an airtight container.
  • You can bake this cake in an 8 inch round cake tin, but the baking times may differ slightly. And you may need to bake it a little longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 20mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 480IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Orange Cake, Orange Icing, Pound Cake
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jayne

    January 09, 2022 at 5:56 pm

    Could the ground almonds be left out could I substitute it with something else.

    Reply
    • Lynn

      January 09, 2022 at 9:06 pm

      Without testing, I’m not sure what alternatives could be used. Unless you used all flour.

      Reply
  2. Jacqueline

    February 06, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    What a delicious cake - added grated orange zest to topping as previous poster did - gorgeous.
    Thank you for your recipes. They always turn out to perfection.

    Reply
    • Lynn

      February 06, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      Thanks Jacqueline. A lovely idea to add grated orange zest to the topping.

      Reply
  3. Karen

    August 30, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    5 stars
    Made this cake today as an 8 inch round. Delicious ? really moist and orangey, I added zest to the icing and also sprinkled some poppy seeds on top. Lovely ?

    Reply
    • Lynn

      August 30, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      I’m thrilled to hear that it also works baked in a round cake tin.

      Reply
  4. Elvi Bruce

    May 23, 2020 at 6:12 pm

    5 stars
    Lovely cake. Definitely the ground almonds add softness and moisture. The orange zest and juice give the cake a soft orange flavour.
    I made the cake last Wednesday and I used it for my picnic birthday celebration with my husband in Bushy Park. I didn’t cover it with the orange icing topping but instead I used sugar paste to cover the top of the cake and I decorated it with some sugar paste flowers. We enjoyed it very much. We finished the last piece today.

    Reply
    • Lynn Hill

      May 24, 2020 at 7:58 am

      Thanks, Elvi. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the cake. What a lovely idea to add sugar paste for the topping and turn it into a birthday cake. Belated happy birthday to your husband.

      Reply
  5. Tom Davies

    May 19, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    5 stars
    I have made this cake twice great quick recipe i did the loaf tin one but i added orande zest to the icing gives it a lovely citrus taste this is a lovely moist cake lovely texture its a must bakers to try this Tom

    Reply
    • Lynn Hill

      May 19, 2020 at 3:35 pm

      Thank you, Tom. Such a lovely idea to add a little orange zest to the icing to give it that extra zing.

      Reply

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