Plum Madeira

The Madeira is a classic English sponge that is also a fantastic all-round loaf cake and is slightly denser than a Genoise. When it was first baked in the 18th or 19th centuries, it was traditionally served with a glass of Madeira, hence its name. But as you’ll see below, I like to include the Madeira in the cake, rather than with it, for added flavour. This cake works wonderfully well as a dessert, too, with a generous dollop of crème fraîche or custard.<