Lemon Madeira cake and the power of syrup

Yes, I have baked another lemon cake. Again. It’s an addiction, I can’t control myself. :D

Cakes are my favorite thing to bake, lemon is my favorite flavor, and I usually have one or two around in the fridge, so it’s a no brainer. However, when this cake cooled and I sliced it, I felt it needed something else – it was a plain cake (the kind I love), but it needed a lift: it needed to be brushed with hot lemony syrup – that turned a good cake into a wonderful one.

I guess that the people in charge of Mad Men decided to brush hot, lemony syrup all over the show halfway through the sixth season – hurray! \0/

Lemon Madeira cake
slightly adapted from the gorgeous Seasonal Baking

Cake:
100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
280g all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
4 large eggs
300g granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
150ml heavy cream

Syrup:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
50g granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Generously butter and flour a 10-cup capacity Bundt pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and lemon zest until really light, fluffy and thickened. With a large spoon gently fold in the cream, followed by the flour mixture and lastly the melted butter and lemon juice. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold into a wire rack to cool completely.
Syrup: place the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it starts to boil. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and brush the cake generously with the hot syrup. Cool completely before serving.

Serves 10-12