We are often asked “Can you use a carrot cake/Victoria sponge etc?”
The simple answer is that Lindy prefers not to for two reasons.
- Firstly a soft cake, such as a Victoria sponge will be tricky to carve and won’t hold its shape so well when iced. We have seen examples of ‘crumpled’ icing where the weight of the icing has caused the cake to literally squash down. This is especially important with the ball shaped cakes.
- Secondly, a cake that is moist, such as a carrot cake or a fudge cake, will only stay fresh for a day or two.
So the Madeira and Chocolate Cake recipes that you see in Lindy’s books are those that she recommends to give a firm sponge perfect for carving and covering and also will last up to 2 weeks. These cakes will also freeze well (un-iced) for up to a month and will be fresh when defrosted.
We are not saying that these are the only recipes that will work, but they are the recipes that we trust to give great results. Perhaps you have some fab recipes that you are happy to share?
Andy
Hi Lindy and friends!
After I’ve followed your course in january in Beek, (Netherlands) the Madeira cake has become one of my favorite cakes. Indeed, when carving is needed for the famous Wonky cake, I feel Madeira is the best recipe.
But….of all the tips you gave that day, I forgot the tip for storing the cake after it had been baking. Should I keep in the refridgerator or not? And should I cover it or not?
My apologies for my poor English but it has been a while since highschool!
Greetings
Chantal
Hi Chantal
So pleased to hear you really like my madeira cake recipe. The best way, that I’ve found to store it after it has cooled, is to wrap the cake in baking paper or foil and place it in an airtight container or plastic bag. There is absolutely no need to place it in a fridge.
Hope this helps
Lindy
I have been asked to make a decorated eggless sponge cake and I don’t want to use a cake mix. Can you recommend a recipe I can use please?
Hi Jane
I’ve tried a few recipes for these and but haven’t really liked any! I suggest you try searching on the internet or perhaps someone else can help.
Does anyone have a recipe for eggless sponge cakes that they would like to share?
I’m making a cake for my sons Birthday. At the moment it’s really hot and I would like to know if my sugarpasted cake needs to go in the fridge or not. The party is on Saturday. Thanks.
Hi Helen
Sugarpaste in the UK is not designed to be refridgerated. If you place a sugarpaste covered cake in a fridge you’ll find that the icing will absorb moisture and any decoration will either wilt or the colours will probably run! I suggest that you try to find a cool dry place to store your cake until saturday. Professional cake decorators often use air conditioning units and dehumidifiers in hot weather!
Hope this is a little help.
Lindy
hi,lindy,
Would it be okay to fill a madeira cake with jam and
buttercream as in the tiered pink sparkle cake. many thanks
Hi Sharon
Absolutely fine to do so, my daughter always requests jam and buttercream in her cakes. I suggest however that you make separate layers of jam and buttercream rather than put the two in the same layer. If you put them together, you’ll find that they slide over each other and the cake is harder to cover as it is not as stable.
Hope this helps
Lindy
Hi Lindy
I am in the planning stages of making a wedding cake – as it will be a madiera cake I am a little worried about how long it will stay fresh when it it white iced and sealed on a board – can you help please?
Many thanks Kate
Hi Kate
I always advise that a madiera cake has a 2 week shelf life, so this gives you one week to bake and decorate and one week for the bridal party to eat. Note: madiera cake always improves once it has been kept a few days.
Good luck with the wedding cake
Happy baking
Lindy
hi lindy…..need to pick your brain re madeira…i have got a kenwood chef and love it to bits….usually i beat my marg\butter with sugar add eggs and bit of flour (sr and plain as per receipe) and then rest of flour and beat it like crazy with the kenwood…..my cakes are nice , but wondered if it made a huge difference if the flour is folded in…..??
i just feel reluctant to try it because if it comes out too heavy its a waste….
can you help ??
shelley
Hi Shelley
I make all my madeira cakes in a Kenwood, but I do it in stages as explained in my books. I cream the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until it suddenly changes colours and becomes very pale. I add the eggs one at a time with a little flour, just mixing enough to combine thoroughly and I then fold the remaining flour in with a large metal spoon. The cakes turn our beautifully! I have made all in one cakes but only using all in one recipes, not a madeira recipe. I’m afraid you are going to have to answer your own question, by having a go!
I’d love to hear about your results
Happy baking
Lindy
Hi Lindy,
Do you think it would be possible to make a wonky cake with a sponge other than mediera? I’m making the cake a couple of days before I need it, would other cakes not be nice by then? Would it keep ok? Its for my wedding in September so hopefully not too hot.
Thanks!!
Hi Robyn
It is possible and I have done it myself, as have my students, however it is not as easy to carve and as the cake is softer the shape can distort under the weight of the icing. If this is your first wonky I would recommend using a madeira, flavour it as desired and store it for ideally 24 hours in an airtight container before carving.
Good luck
Lindy
Thanks Lindy, I wanted to ask another question, I am awaiting your DVD as we speak but I’m not sure what cake tins to buy? I want to have a go as soon as I get the DVD but I’m not sure how deep the tins need to me? Thank you,
Robyn
Hi Lindy,
I would like to know if you will attend to the ICES INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION in Chicago, and we will be able to buy the DVD there? I will love to see you at the Convention.
Thanks,
Gladys
Hi Gladys
I visited the convention last year, however I will not be coming this year as its too close to my trip to the Australian cake seminar in Sydney! Global Sugar Art will however be selling my DVDs, so I suggest that you visit their trade stand at the beginning of the convention before they sell out!
Hi Robyn
Your cakes will need to be 3in (7.5cm) deep, so I suggest that you buy tins that are at least this depth.
Good luck with the cakes
Lindy
Have made madeira cake base for wedding next week was just about to ice – have stored it in foil in fridge. A ‘friend’ just told me this was a really bad idea as it will go rock hard and be inedible! Is this true? It does seem harder than when baked but I thought it would soften as it came up to room temperature? What do you think? Bev
Hi Lindy,
I just read that a madeira cake has a 2 week shelf life and that the best way to store it, is to keep it wrapped in baking paper or foil in an airtight container or plastic bag. (No need to store it in the fridge). Could I store a chocolate cake (your recipe) the same way? And does a chocolate cake also has a 2 week shelf life?
Greetings,
Elisabeth
Hi Elizabeth
Yes my chocolate recipe does keep, but its 2 weeks maximium. Have you tried the chocolate a mud cake recipe – click here for a link – this is meant to last even longer!
Hi Bev
I never store my cakes in the fridge but I do freeze them. The freezing process adds moisture to the cake. I know that in the States they put their cakes in a fridge to set the buttercream icing and to prevent the icing melting, however they are not using madeira. If you are worried about your cake, why not cut away a small section of your cake from underneath and sample it. Remember that madeira cake improves with age, I think it is best to eat at about a week.
Hope this helps a little
Lindy
Hi Lindy,
I have been asked to make a chocolate biscuit cake for a wedding and was wondering if you have a recipe for this. Also, how long will it last once covered with sugarpaste?
Maura
Hi Maura
I grew up on ‘no bake’ chocolate biscuit cake that my Grandmother used to make for my sister and I as an after school treat. Here is the recipe that she used to make:
300g Nice or Rich Tea biscuits, crushed
100g butter
40ml (2Tbs) Golden Syrup
150g plain chocolate
25g sultanas
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) ground ginger
25g crystallised Ginger
50g cherries
Melt the butter, syrup and chocolate, then stir in the other ingredients. Pour into a foil or baking paper lined loaf tin and chill.
I’ve never used this myself as a wedding cake, but I don’t see why you couldn’t. I suggest that you use chocolate ganache to stick the sugarpaste to the cake or perhaps use a chocolate paste covering. For an excellent chocolate paste try Tracey’s Cakes
Hope this helps
Hi Lindy
I am doing a Ruby Anniversary cake for this weekend. I’ve already made the cake (madeira) and its in the freezer and, when defrosted, I was planning on using jam, buttercream and finally fondant icing to cover it. I’ve then made some ruby-coloured flower/sugar paste roses to stick on when its decorated and plan to pipe (with royal icing) some words and a border etc. My concern is how long it will keep at room temperature with buttercream on etc as I know you can’t keep it in the fridge? If I defrost and decorate the cake on Wednesday will it keep till the weekend? Also, the cake has to travel in the car for 5 hours to get to our destination so will it be okay in a large tupperware for this journey??
Any advice greatly appreciated!!
Lucy
Hi Lucy
Your cake will be fine even if you defrost it now. We are not due a heatwave so the buttercream will be perfectly OK at room temperature. Regards transportation you ideally need a large cardboard cake box, not a tupperware as a tupperware will make the icing too soft and unstable.
Good luck with the cake
Lindy
Hi
I have recently started my own cake business and have been getting good feedback, however recently two of my customers have said that my cake is quite dry and hard.
I follow your Madeira recipe and wonder if it is simply that they are used to eating sponge cake or am I doing something wrong.
I usually test a bit of the cuts and it tastes fine to me. Can you give me any advice ?
Thanks
lindsay
Hi Lindsay
If your customers have only been used to eating shop bought cakes then Madeiras are going to have a different firmer texture to what they are used too. However madeira cakes should be moist and not dry. Here are a few tips:
Storing your cakes in an airtight container for a few days before using them – I have found that madeiras improve with age, up to two weeks
Try adding a gylcerine to the cake mix as this helps the cake absorb moisture – 1/2 tsp per egg
Freezing also helps make the cake more moist.
Hope these tips help
Lindy
Thanks very much for your speedy reply Lindy, I’ll definitely try those tips !!
Lindsay
dont know if it helps but i have started making alot of cakes for people and have made loads now including wedding cakes….i always use a sugar syrup on mine after i have cut them, and then on the sides….it also helps the buttercream go on a little easier….i flovour the syrup depending on the cake ie vanilla or lemon ….it makes the cake really moist and yummy!!!!
Thanks Shelley, yes I forgot to add this tip – as you say a simple syrup works really well and can be flavoured.
Lindy,
I just happened upon your website. I made my first madeira cake today. I was wondering if I should carve it before or after freezing it? If after, do I thaw at room temp? (it is summer here around 80 degrees…).
Thanks,
Amy
Hi Amy
You could carve it before , after or whilst its still frozen what ever suits you best.
hi I have made a madeira cake (12 august) and covered it with marzipan (13 august to allow me to cover it with royal icing……I am not sure how to store the cake after i have iced it though and how long will the cake last as my birthday is this wednesday (19august)????? please i really need your help.
Your cake will be fine for Wednesday, just store it in a cardboard cake box away from heat and moisture.
Happy Birthday
Hi Lindy,
Thank you for all your help! I made my first cake the other day and it was fab! I’m making my own (wonky) wedding cake but I want to add a 4th tier and I was going to do a ‘dummie’ cake for it. how long in advance could i ice it? I would like to do it before i do the others but i have no idea how long the icing lasts without cracking and going nasty! Thank you x
Hi Robyn
If you are using a dummy you have as long as you want, just as long as you keep your cake away from moisture. Store it somewhere dry and in a cardboard box. I have dummy cakes in my cupboard that are at least 12 years old!
Good luck with your wedding cake
Lindy
Thank you Lindy! Now all I have to do is find a dummy cake n the right shape, don’t suppose you’d know where i could find one? or what i could make one out of?
Thank you for all your help!
xxxxxxx
Try dummies direct, they are based in Birmingham, UK. I haven’t got their contact details I’m afraid as I’m in Australia teaching!
Hi Lindy,
I just wanted to say thank you so much, I have called and they’re making one for me! I’ve never made a wonky cake before and you’ve been so lovely & helpful, not many kind people like you left in the world!!
Thank you so much. Have a wonderful holiday.
Love Robyn
Hi Lindy
I made my very first commissioned cake last week for a colleague. I used your madeira recipe and the cake was a triumph. The client was delighted with the detail (so much so that I kept getting messaged that it was too good to cut into!) However, she finally cut into it 4 days later and took out a few pieces which were lovely. But when she went back to it the next day it had turned mouldy at the bottom. She contacted me, and I was mortified. But is this my responsibilty? Just wondered if you had ever had a similar experience (in 20 years of baking, it’s never happened to me before). Thanks so much
Sarah
Hi Sarah
I’d be mortified too. You don’t mention when the cake was baked or how it was stored before being covered. It’s not happened to me so I can only guess what may have caused it – contamination, climatic conditions, incorrect storage…are my suggestions
Lindy
Hi Lindy
Cake was baked 5 days before delivery to give me time to decorate. It was a very large 12″ cake so I had to store in a cool place wrapped in greaseproof for 1 night after cooking and it was then covered. I think after delivery it was just left in it’s box for the 4 days in a fairly warm kitchen, and the customer did say that she had not wrapped or covered it at all once it was cut into – is this likely to have been the cause?
Sarah
Let me start off by saying how beautiful your cakes are, truly inspirational. This may be a stupid question, but I want to do this right. I am attempting to make one of your wonky cakes, and according to your directions I should use a 8×3, and a 5×3 pan. I found various recipes for the Maderia cake, however the recipes appear to be for an 8×2 in pan. Should I just double the recipe to accomidate the large pan?
Thanks,
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie
If you have access to my books they will give you the recipe quanities you need, I’m currently in Australia so can’t check my books myself. I would have thougth however that 11/2 times your recipe would be sufficent.
hope this helps
Lindy
It sounds to me as if it was how your customer stored the cake rather than how you handled it. Perhaps in future you should advise customers to store cakes in a cool environment and to wrap or cover their cakes once they are cut.
Hope this helps a bit
Lindy
Thanks so much Lindy, I had come to the same conclusion myself but to have a professional opinon has put my mind at rest. I will take your advice and in future be a bit more basic in explaining storage to customers (I always just assume that everyone is as ‘cakey’ as me!).
Best wishes
Sarah
I have just recieved my Cakes to Inspire and Desire and i’m so thrilled I’m just starting my own business after making cakes for a hobby and I will be making the snowflake cake for my very first client in December! I will be doing the Orchid cake for my own wedding in a couple of years I can’t wait, the kids have taste tested the cakes I make and they love them 3 cheers for Lindy what a fantastic book and I will be buying the other 2 too!!
Hi Lindy,
I’m in the process of making a wedding cake and the bottom tier will be madeira – I’ve been asked to fill it with buttercream. I know the madeira will keep for 2 weeks, is that also the same for the buttercream?
thanks
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen
As you are in the Uk and it’s not the hight of summer you will be fine, however I suggest that you don’t make the the layer of buttercream too thick as this can destabilise the cake.
Hope this helps
Lindy
Hi Lindy,
I just thought I’d show you my wedding cake. I used your DVD to help me make it and I’m so pleased with myself! The bottom teir is a dummie cause I couldn’t get it right because it was so big. Not only was it my first ever wonky cake but its the first cake I have EVER made and iced! I dont think it was too bad considering
it did take me 1 whole days to ice though….
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p39/robynprincess/Wedding%20pics/Cake%20ideas/49708ff1.jpg
thank you for all your help, you’ve saved me about £400 and I have the self gratification of knowing i made it all by myself!
Hi Robyn
Thank you so much for sharing your photograph of your 5 tier wonky cake. We are simply bowled over that this was your first ever attempt to make and ice a cake let along a wedding cake extravaganza! No wonder you are proud of yourself. You are truly an inspiration to all those out there to ‘give it a go’ and we are delighted that you found the DVD a real help and easy to follow.
Andy
Lindy’s Cake Team
I have been looking for a weding cake recipe to make for a wedding which is in 1 weeks time. I thank you for your tips.
Hi Lindy
I have been making cakes for a couple of years and have alwayd used your recipes. I am so upset that a customer has complained saying the cake was too dry and heavy. Please help, what can I do to improve this in the future. Also I dont know how to deal with her complaint. HELP
Regards
Michelle
Hello Michelle
Don’t be dishearted – a real Madeira cake should be dense and moist. Commercial cakes sold in the supermarkets are very different to traditional Madeira cakes. They are full of air so are very light – perhaps this is what your customer was expecting.
If you think your cakes may be a little dry, it’s a good idea to put a bowl of water in the oven and wrap newspaper around the cake tin to stop it cooking around the outside too quickly. Also you could add 1/4 tsp of glycerin per egg. This will help it stay moist.
Hope this helps.
Hi there,
can someone help? I have buttercreamed the outside of my maderia and filled it with buttercream and jam, how long will it keep befor I must ice it and eat it. What’s the best way to store it for maximum life ?? Thanks !!!
Hi Lucy
The buttercream on the outside of a maderia is there to act as a crumb coat and also to help the sugarpaste stick to the cake. It is usual practice to buttercream and ice a cake all at the same time so this time I suggest that as you have already buttercreamed your cake that before icing it you run a hot knife over the buttercream. A maderia cake will keep for up to 2 weeks I usually allow a week to decorate and a week to eat.
Hope this helps
Lindy
Hi Lindy,
was wondering if you have a good buttercream recipe that can be stored out of the fridge for the same length as the maderia cake?
Thank you
Lou
Hi
am about to bake a batch of mini madeira cakes in the 5cm tins- have read all your comments and tips so am going to give it a try! out of interest how long can cake be frozen for? and I imagine mini madeira cakes will not take long to defrost!! do I need to do a barrier? I dont understand that bit fully- could you explain for madeira and fruit cakes please and for both if they are placed on either a foil board or a covered board? I listened to the bit on your jewellry dvd but still dont understand!! By the way I couldnt sleep last night- all I could think about was beads and toppers!!!
Many thanks
Amanda
Hi! Me again!
am trying to upload my photos to facebook site but struggling a little to get to fans photo album- here is my link to the mini christmas cakes- I was very pleased with how they turned out but what I was really excited about was how much I enjoyed this first attempt at cake making and decorating! I love mini cakes!!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=513122&1-bba4762d11&id=1178974135
it was lovely to give these as presents
Hi Amanda
Normally I would recommend that a madeira can be frozen for up to a month and as you say they won’t take long to defrost. For madeira you don’t need a barrier – with fruit cake the barrier is there so the acid in the fruit doesn’t dissolve the silver covering on the cake board.
have fun
Lindy
do any of your books have the madera recipe for all tin sizes?
Yes they do, your best bet is either ‘cakes to inspire and desire‘ or ‘celebrate with a cake’
Hi Lindy
I am about to attempt a christening cake for my son, having never used sugarpaste icing before. I thought Iwould try your chocolate cake recipe in 2 square tins (18cm and 25cm).
Could you please tell me recipe quantities and cooking times? Also, will I need to put buttercream between the cake and sugarpaste roll out icing?
Thanks very much.
Julia
Hello Julia,
You would need to use a 7″ 8-egg and 10″ 16-egg recipe! You’ll find recipes in Lindy’s Cakes to Inspire and Desire. You will need to coat the cake in a thin layer of buttercream to act as a glue for the sugarpaste.
Jane
Hi Lindy,
Just wanted to let you know a photo of my cake has been published in the latest Wedding Ideas Magazine. I have also posted saying that it was your wonderful DVD that was the reason I oculd make something so amazing! A bit of publicity for you
Robyn
x
Thank you so much Robyn
Hi Lindy
Can you freeze a chocolate biscuit cake or will it affect the taste or crunchiness of the biscuits? If you can, for how long and then how long does it take to thaw?
Freezing chocolate biscuit cake will affect the consistency of the biscuit in the recipe.
Freezing and thawing will make the biscuit less crunchy.
Dear Lindy,
I have found your comments extremely helpful. I have baked madeira cakes in the past and found them soft, moist and melt in your mouth. The best thing about madeira cake is they are solid and easy to carve into a shape when I am decorating birthday cakes. However, I always find them to be shallow when baked and I wonder if I could double the mixture to make it deeper. I am worried about the length of the cooking time in the oven will make the sponge go dry and burnt on the sides. What advice could you give me?
Siobhan
hi lindy, Im making a cake for my friends wedding which is in 2 weeks (26th). I was planning on making the cakes tomorrow (13th) and freeze them until the 19th giving me a week to ice them….could you give me a rough guideline on how long they’ll take to defrost…and how to go about it….do i unwrap them and put them on wire racks? Im making 4 cakes – a 12″, 10″, 8″ and 6″ Madeira.
thanks for your help
Jo
Hi Lindy
Firstly I must say how much I enjoy your books – a great inspiration! I am hoping that you will be able to help with my question on buttercream as I am hoping to sell cupcakes. From the moment they are iced in buttercream how long can they be kept at room temperature?
Many thanks
Jules
Hello Jules,
There is no straightforward answer to your query.
It really depends upon the temperature of your room and how dry or moist the atmosphere is.
I would suggest doing some experimenting.
A coolish room with a dry atmosphere will give you the best results.
However we have heard of disasters where buttercreamed cakes have been left in a car boot for a couple of hours and have ended up as a complete mess.
Do let us know your results and any top tips you can offer.
Hi Jo,
Lindy defrosts her cakes whilst still wrapped.
I cannot give you an exact de-frost time as it depends on how fierce your freezer is and how warm the room you are defrosting in.
Small cakes can defrost in just half an hour, the larger cakes will take longer.
You can decorate the cakes whilst they are still partially frozen in the middle. This can cause the sugarpaste on that part of the cake to melt but this returns to normal in due course.
Good luck and I hope this helps
Hi Lindy
Thanks for you reply about buttercream icing. If the buttercream covered cakes were kept in a cool room for 2-3 days will the buttercream go off?
Thanks for the fantastic tip about putting a heated wire into the flowerpaste cone for roses in your book, it’s saved so much time.
Many thanks
Jules
Hi Jules
The problem with cupcakes is that they can dry out quite quickly. If you want to store them decorated for a few days make sure you use good quality paper cases and cover the tops completely with buttercream, then you should be OK. I suggest you do some taste test trials then you will be sure.
Hopes this helps
Hello Siobhan,
Most standard cake tins are 3 ” high. If you are able to source a deeper cake tin, I think you would run the risk of the cake drying out around the edges to ensure that it is cooked right through. A much simpler solution is to bake 2 separate madeira cakes and simply sandwich them together with a thin layer of buttercream.
Good luck.
Hi Lindy
I have been asked to make a cake for a birthday, but will be away on holiday when they need it, is it possible to make a chocolate madeira cake, buttercream it and put fondant icing on it a week before the birthday?? and how long will it last once cut
Thanks
Julie
Hello Julie,
The rule we tend to follow with madeira cakes is – one week to decorate and one week to eat, so you should be fine decorating your cake up to one week in advance. After cutting, cover and consume within a week and the cake should still taste fresh.
hi linda
i just made a madeira cake with your recipe on saturday and it turned out very nice.
the problem is that i decorated it on sunday by filling it with apricot jam and buttercream before i was informed that the cake will be used on friday.
how fresh will the jam and the buttercream be by friday as i have coverd it with fondant already?
PLS HELP…
thank you.
Hello Danny,
We say a week to cover and a week to eat so you are just in! Make sure you keep it in a cool place.
Jane
Hi lindy can you help,i made a christening cake for a friend on wed for the christening on the sun,it wasnt cut until the following wed and it was mouldy can you give me any advice on why.It was a 1 stage sponge which i have used for years,jammed and buttercreamed and iced with sugerpaste.thanx Tish.
Hello Tish,
It must of been contaminated some how before you covered it. Did you use a recycled cake board?
Jane
In one of my cake books, it advises you to brush white alcahol i.e. vodka, over the cake board, and let it dry. This is supposed to prevent bacteria, mould from growing between the cake and the board. Not sure if this is any help!
The vodka will help to sterilise the board so it does work!
Hi Lindy, I wonder if you can help. I baked a coconut madeira cake using your recipe in the Celebrate with a Cake book. It tasted great but was dry. I wasn’t sure if this was because of the added coconut(I used the 110g recommended)? I have read in a few recipe books that using a sugar syrup can make a cake moist. This is not mentioned with the madeira recipe so I just wanted to check what your thoughts were on using a sugar syrup with the madeira cake, and if so, whether you can give a recipe for this? The cake is for my husband’s 40th party and I really want to wow him and the guests! Thanks
Sorry one other question! I have been reading on the message board that you can freeze a madeira cake. I’ve not tried this before and wanted to ask if there is a particular way in which it should be frozen and how long I should leave it to defrost before carving it and covering with buttercream and fondant? Thanks again!
hi lindy,can you tell me what i should use to make fondant icing stick to a madeira cake.
many thanks sandra.
Hello, I have made 2 madeira cakes and a chocolate cake using recipes from Lindy’s book. I lined the tin with greaseproof paper, wrapped newspaper around the outside then put baking sheet immediately above the tin in the oven. When I turn the cake out after cooling the paper is really wrinkled up causing the cake to have grooves in it. This will obviously be covered up by the buttercream and sugarpaste but I was wondering if I should be using baking parchment rather than greaseproof paper. I have also found the cake wall to be too shallow to then carve and flip the top for making the wonky cake style. I have used the recipe quantities suggested for 3 inch deep and followed Jane’s advise on making a deep well in the centre to reduce the domed result but it is still very domed. Please help.
Hi Sandra,
Use a thin layer of buttercream first and then add the icing on top.
Thanks,
Marina
Hi Yets,
To freeze a madeira cake wrap it in greaseproof paper first, then foil and then place in a plastic bag.
We would take it out of the freezer the night before carving and covering it.
It needs to be 1/2 defrosted before you start playing with it.
Hope this helps.
Have fun!
Marina
hi linda i always use your maderia recipe from inspire and desire . However I have been asked to do a combination of small cake and cupcakes.Is it possible to use the same recipe for cupcakes .If so what volume would I need to create 40 cupcakes
Hi Suzanne,
I have spoken to Lindy about your enquiry and she recommends make the mix up as if you was making an 8 inch round cake and this should leave you with a few more than 40 cupcakes.
You will need to make the Madeira mix slightly runnier than usual by adding milk as it may be too stiff for the cupcakes.
Then half fill the cupcake cases and bake them for 20 minutes.
Practise making a small amount first to get the right levels needed for the cupcakes and to check the time your oven needs to bake them.
There is more information available in Lindy’s book Celebrate with a Cake that may help you.
http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/CelebratewithaCake.htm
I hope that all this helps and you have fun with your quest.
Marina
Hi
I have been making cakes for a few years now and love decorating every single one.
I have read on here that a maderia cake tastes better after a few days?? I make most of my cakes two days before i deliver them, cook one day cool over night, ice nest day and then deliver the following day. Should i think about making them sooner??
Also i have been asked to do a cake but i go on holiday that week and was wondering that if i made it and decorated it whether 7 days later it would be ok to deliver still??
I hope someone can help answer what must seem like simple questions.
Many thanks
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Yes you are right Madeira cake tastes better after a few days because it is more moist.
Lindy says with a Madeira that you have 2 weeks to eat it. So she bakes and decorates it in the first week and then this leaves a week for it to be eaten.
Day 1, Bake Cake
Day 2, Cover Cake and leave it to crust/harden
Day 3, Decorate Cake
This then leaves you 4 more days to decorate the cake and then a further week to eat it.
Have a lovely holiday.
Marina
Hi Yets,
Here is more info on how to make the Madeira cake: http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2009/12/17/baking-the-perfect-madeira-cake/ and this may help you with making the cake moist.
Lindy doesn’t use the sugar syrup on big cakes as she feels it makes them too sweet.
However Lindy does use flavoured syrup’s on some of her cupcakes to help prevent these small cakes from drying out and to add flavour.
In Lindy’s book bake me I’m yours Cupcake Celebration she uses Flavoured Syrups: http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/bakemeimyourscupcakecelebration.htm
Good luck with your husband’s birthday cake.
Marina
Hi Gwen,
There needs to be a space above the cake to allow the steam to escape. This page may help with more information on baking a good Madeira: http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/Blog/2009/12/17/baking-the-perfect-madeira-cake/?s=mad
Lindy uses Baking Parchment rather than greaseproof paper.
To deepen the cake wall Lindy suggests making more of the mixture and still follow Jane’s advice on making a deep well.
Hope these tips help!
What did I do wrong? I recently made a sponge cake for an 18th. I wanted a wood effect fondant to cover my board so used a mixture of white fondant and regalice teddy bear brown. Everything went ok, however, a while after I placed my fondant covered sponge cake on top of the board the fondant underneath the cake started to go syrupy and small puddles started to appear at the base of my cake.When I took the cake off the board (what a nightmare that was) there was just a syrupy mess and I had to cut this all out before I could put the cake back on again. Should I have placed my cake on a piece of cake card, before placing it on the fondant covered board? or was it something to do with the icing mix that I used to cover the board?
Hi there
I usually use Lindy’s madeira cake recipe for all the cakes i make, but i’ve been asked to do a carved chocolate cake this time. I have used Lindy’s chocolate cake recipe before which is great to carve but i feel is too ‘grown up’ in flavour for a childrens cake. I have another chocolate cake recipe but this cake i fear will be too soft to carve. So, my question is, is it possible to make a chocolate madeira cake? By replacing say 40g of flour with 40g cocoa powder do you think you would get a decent tasting cake?? Have you ever tried this??
Thanks, Emma
I have made the chocolate cake recipe from Lindy’s book ‘Celebrate with a cake’ and it tasted delish. However, I just wanted to know what purpose, the addition of icing sugar was for and whether it would make any difference to the cake if it was left out of the recipe. thanks