Lemon Madeira cake with candied peel

                    

I must say, this is one delicious Madeira cake!
Every bite treats you with a burst of lemony tang that you just want to keep on eating this moist and soft cake.

Did I mention that I kept eating... 



For the candied peel
1 unwaxed lemon
200g granulated sugar
100g  caster sugar

For the cake
175g softened butter
175g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
50g  ground almonds
4 large eggs
1 large unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest on


For the candied peel, cut the lemon into 8 wedges, then cut out the flesh, leaving a 5mm thickness of peel and pith. Cut each wedge into 4 strips.

Pour 300ml  water into a small pan, add the granulated sugar and heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon zest and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until the lemon peel is soft and translucent.

Drain in a wire sieve and leave to cool. Spread the peel out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkle with caster sugar. Place in the oven on the lowest setting (approximately 110C for 1 hour until dry.

For the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/160C FanGrease a 18cm/7in deep round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Put the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, eggs and lemon zest into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat for 1 minute to mix thoroughly. 
Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface

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Bake for 35 minutes. Decorate with 3 pieces of candied peel and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre, comes out clean. 

Leave in the tin for 15 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

                                        

Enjoy...jue

recipe from Mary Berry, the great british bake off