What exactly is Madeira cake? I think Madeira is a type of wine, but I've seen recipes for this kind of cake that do or don't call for the wine. And from pictures I saw on Google, it looks similar to a pound cake? Anyone know about or have experience with this kind of cake? TIA

...bumping...

As far as I know, Madeira cake doesn't have any madeira or other spirits in it. I think it is called that becasue it used to be served with madeira, which is a kind of wine, but even that may be incorrect.

It's a question for the Brits among us, because it traditional in England.

I will go try to look it up. I know I've read about it somewhere....

Shalom,
itsacake!

I found the following definition in more than one place on line:

Madeira cake
A traditional English favorite that's like a simple pound cake, the top of which is sprinkled with candied lemon peel halfway through baking. The name comes from the fact that it is usually served with a glass of Madeira. Some cooks also sprinkle the baked cake with Madeira before it cools.

I have several English cake decorating books and found a couple of madeira cake recipes. The one I am looking at now is from a book called Ceative Celebration cakes by Steve Benison, Lindy Smith and Linda Wilson-Barker. It has a recipe for Madeira Cake and suggests you can flavor the cake with vanilla, citrus, or chocolate. If you want the recipe, PM me and I'll send it tomorrow. I need to sign off in a couple of minutes now.

Shalom,
itsacake!

Thanks so much for all that detail! I thought the pics I looked at looked pretty much like pound cake.. But I'd love to try a recipe just to see how it comes out and how it's different from our pound cake. Thanks!

They hold up really well for carving as well.