Here's my really old, really easy, really delicious and really really forgiving recipe for madeira buns! (When I say really forgiving, I mean it. One time, I accidentally doubled the sugar and all that happened is they tasted somewhat sweeter and they were flat in the top - like, they rose, but no more in the middle than the edges.) The recipe is in imperial ounces, but it's so forgiving you could almost certainly convert to grams or whatever and round a little with no discernable consequences.





4oz caster sugar (that's the big granules)



4oz butter (salted. Nobody likes unsalted, plus you don't need to add any extra salt this way)



2 eggs



6oz flour



Half teaspoon baking powder



Flavouring of choice (eg vanilla, or nothing if you don't want - I never bother)



Splash of milk - to loosen the batter, although it's supposed to be pretty thick.





1. Cream together butter and sugar - use a stand mixer or, as I do, an electric hand whisk. You've got to beat air into it, and the sugar is what does that.



2. Whisk in the eggs - I normally stir them in with the hand whisk off, then turn it on to combine them fully.

2a. This is where you'd add in any liquid flavouring.



3. Fold in the flour - I use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Don't beat all the air out of it, but make sure the flour is well combined. Err on the latter side - this is the ideal recipe for small children.

3a. You'd sieve powder flavourings in with the flour, and fold anything else like raisins, glacé cherry bits or citrus zest etc in with the flour



4. This is where you add the splash of milk, if necessary to make sure it is of a spoonable consistency.



5. Spoon into bun cases (cupcake liners?) and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.



In my experience this recipe makes a dozen buns.