Does anybody know of a good madeira cake recipe I can use for my decorated cakes.
I have one that I use regularly but I think it is a bit too sweet. I dont know if this is
because of the buttercream recipe or the fondant icing, the jam or the whole lot. I have promised
to make a cake for a friend - the first cake I shall be charging for - and now I am panicking
incase they think it looks great but tastes awful.

Please help

The recipe I use is 10oz flour
8oz sugar
8oz butter
4 eggs

Does the sugar in this seem a lot? It is from a reputable cookbook.

firstly don't worry, take your time and follow the instructions and it will turn out just fine!

Nigella Lawson does a lovely madeira cake that uses slightly less sugar than yours. If you're using vanilla extract then leave out the lemon zest, and add a couple of tablespoons of milk to replace the juice.

8 oz (ounce) unsalted butter softened
7 oz (ounce) caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1 lemon zest & juice
3 large eggs
7 oz (ounce) self-raising flour
3 oz (ounce) Plain flour

As featured in
HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS Method1.Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3.
2.Cream the butter and sugar, and add the lemon zest.
3.Add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of the flour for each.
4.Then gently mix in the rest of the flour and, finally, the lemon juice.
5.Sprinkle with caster sugar (about 2 tablespoons should do it) as it goes into the oven, and bake for 1 hour or until a cake-tester comes out clean.
6.Remove to a wire rack, and let cool in the tin before turning out.

Thank you so much for this.

I will have a trial run before the big cake day so as not to get in a flap. Maybe the lemon in it will cut through the sweetness. I am a big fan of Nigella but have been using a Carole Deacon recipe. Thanks again