Mini Madeira Cakes with Mascarpone & Berries

nzme
Mini Madeira cakes with mascarpone and berry sauce. Photo / Babiche Martens

Easy-to-make mini Madeira cakes featuring a refreshing berry and orange zest topping.

If you serve these at a dinner party, store what is not needed in an airtight container and enjoy in the coming days.

MINI MADEIRA CAKES WITH BERRIES RECIPE

Makes 12

125g butter

1 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 Tbsp orange zest

1 ½ cup plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

Topping

1 cup frozen berries

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest

¼ cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 tsp arrowroot mixed with 1 tsp cold water

150g mascarpone

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line the bases of a 12-hole muffin tin with paper.

2. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla until light and creamy.

3. Add the zest, flour and baking powder, beating for three minutes.

4. Spoon the mixture evenly into the tins. Bake for 15 minutes or until spongy to the touch. Remove and cool before removing.

5. Place the berries, sugar, zest, juice and vanilla in a small pot for the topping. Slowly cook until the berries are thawed and heated. Add the arrowroot and bring to a simmer. Then remove from the heat and cool.

6. To serve, place a dollop of mascarpone on the top with a drizzle of berries.

Chocolate, berries, and gluten-free options.

Cherry & chocolate tart. A little cocoa in the pastry adds a touch of decadence.

Baked coffee & chocolate custard. If you have eggs, milk and some instant coffee, you can whip this baked custard up with little effort. Smooth and velvety, it is a delightful touch after the main course.

Gluten-free fig & raspberry loaf. The fig season is short, so hunt down a few while they are around. If you can get them straight from a tree, even better. When they disappear, replace them with other seasonal fruit, such as pears or apples, or add extra berries.

Lemon almond tart with mulled wine tamarillos. This is a showstopper of a tart. The deep, dark tamarillos add a great kick and colour to it, with plenty of gorgeous mulled wine flavours.

White chocolate, ricotta & berry ripple cheesecake. This cheesecake looks as good as it tastes.

Share this article:

Featured