The classic Madeira cake is very rich in butter, eggs and sugar. My version contains a third of the original butter and half the sugar. I added some dried apricots to make this cake a little richer.

Difficulty: Very Easy
Serves 6
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Calories: Total 1566 kcal, per serving 261 kcal

180g (6 oz) self raising flour
2 eggs
60g (2½ oz) caster sugar
60g (2½ oz) butter, softened
30g (1¼ oz) dried apricots, diced
Zest of half a lemon
2 tbsp milk

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl until they become foamy. Stir in the sugar and continue to beat.
2. Stir in flour and softened butter. Mix well and add a few tablespoons of milk to make the dough soft and creamy.
3. Add the apricots and stir. Pour the dough into a greased small loaf tin and cook in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas4 for about 30 minutes.