Little loaf cakes are fun to make and great for small snacks or in lunchboxes for adults or children. These mini damson madeira loaf cakes are perfect to share!
Did you catch the first episode of The Great British Bake Off this week?
If you’re anything like me you’ll have been looking forward to this moment since the last series finished. It seems ages ago since Nancy won back in October last year.
I’m not sure how we’ve managed to get by, but it probably involves cake (and biscuits, pies and tarts, bread, patisserie…).
This week, in a nod towards one of this week’s bakes on GBBO, I’ve baked mini damson madeira loaf cakes, using damsons (plums) from my garden.
I spotted the deep purple of these lovely plums up in the trees, and, risking the neighbours thinking I am even more crazy than they first suspected, got up on a chair with a broom to encourage some down.
Our haul will be enough for a small batch of jam as well, fingers crossed.
If you fancy making some small loaf cakes for batch cooking or filling up the cake box for the week ahead, then these make a nice change.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need for the recipe – quantities are in the recipe card further down:
- butter
- caster sugar
- eggs
- self-raising flour
- baking powder
- milk
- lemon zest
- damson plums – or other small plums
Method
- Cream the butter and the sugar together until very soft.
- Add the eggs one by one and mix well.
- Fold in the flour and baking powder.
- Add the milk and lemon zest and mix until just combined.
- Prepare the mini loaf tin by spraying each cell in the tray with cake release spray.
- Divide the cake mixture between the cells evenly and spread it out well.
- Cut each damson in half, remove the stone and place two or three halves (depending on the size of the damsons) on top of each loaf cell. Press them in gently.
- Bake at 180°C for approx. 20 minutes, until golden on top of the Madeira cake and a cake tester comes out clean.
If you were listening to Mary Berry, you will know that for Madeira cake you are looking for a dome and a crack to form on the surface of the cakes, and a light but close texture.
These mini loaves have a light lemon flavour and the damsons turned bright pinky-red in the oven.
More madeira cake recipes
If you want more ideas with madeira cake, check these out:
- Lemon and raspberry madeira cake from the Cake Trail
- Slow cooker blueberry madeira cake
- Gin and tonic madeira cake from It’s not easy being greedy
Recipe
Mini Damson Madeira Loaf Cakes
Ingredients
- 110 g (½ cups) butter unsalted, softened
- 110 g (½ cups + 1 tbsp) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 medium eggs
- 175 g (1 cups + 1 tbsp) self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp milk
- Zest of a lemon
- 10 damson plums
Instructions
- Cream the butter and the sugar together until very soft.110 g / ½ cups butter, 110 g / ½ cups + 1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- Add the eggs one by one and mix well.2 medium eggs
- Fold in the flour and baking powder.175 g / 1 cups + 1 tbsp self raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder
- Add the milk and lemon zest and mix until just combined.3 tbsp milk, Zest of a lemon
- Prepare the mini loaf tin by spraying each cell in the tray with cake release spray.
- Divide the cake mixture between the cells evenly and spread it out well.
- Cut each damson in half, remove the stone and place two or three halves (depending on the size of the damsons) on top of each loaf cell. Press them in gently.10 damson plums
- Bake at 180℃ / 350℉ for approx. 20 minutes, until golden on top of the Madeira cake and a cake tester comes out clean.
I am linking this post up with Jenny from Mummy Mishaps and the Great Bloggers Bake Off (#GBBOBloggers2015).
Kat says
These look gorgeous, I can imagine it would be very easy to eat more than one! Thanks for entering into Treat Petite!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Kat
Emily @amummytoo says
They look delicious. I love the way to juice is softly oozing into the golden sponge. Very tempting.
bakingqueen74 says
Yes they were, I may have eaten a couple!
Beckie says
I love damsons and other “traditional” fruits, and am so sad that I don’t have any damsons near me currently. Thank you for linking to #cookblogshare
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks for hosting Beckie!
efwalt says
Awwww these are so cute!!! I love that they are mini 😀 I love damson gin but have never actually eaten the fruit before. These look like a great way of using the fruit
bakingqueen74 says
Mmmm gin… 🙂
Mummy Vs Work says
These look great, I’ve never had damsons but need to give these a go!
Sneaky Veg says
Oh I love these, you’re so lucky to have a damson tree in your garden. Ours is hardly big enough to swing a cat in, let alone have a fruit tree. Something to dream of for the future perhaps!
bakingqueen74 says
This one is quite tall and is just by the fence so it doesn’t take up any room, we have the previous owners of the house to thank for it really. Going to make sure I don’t miss the fruit ripening next year now!
Boo Roo and Tigger Too says
Ooh these look fabulous, and would be perfect as a little picnic treat
bakingqueen74 says
Great idea 🙂
Cat says
These are so cute! I’ve never had a damson so think I’ll have to give them a try!
bakingqueen74 says
You must try one, they are lovely Cat
Hannah Webster-Sudborough says
These are so cute! I’m obsessed with damsons, they are the best fruit, especially with gin 😉
bakingqueen74 says
Ooh gin, good call!
HELEN says
these are so cute. I bet they taste amazing – I love how plums go so jammy when they’re cooked.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks, plums are so tasty aren’t they
Ciara (My Fussy Eater) says
These look delicious. I love the addition of the damsons. Have pinned! Im so rubbish at baking but love watching Bake Off nonetheless!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Ciara! It is such a fun show isn’t it
jenna @ butter loves company says
These are so cute! I’ve been loving fresh fruit in my cakes too! 🙂
bakingqueen74 says
It is great in the summer when there is so much choice isn’t it! Thanks.
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Mmm, these look scrummy. I love the idea of the damsons in them, it must have added so much more beautiful flavour alongside the lemon.
Angela x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Angela, they were tasty 🙂
jenny Paulin says
oooh these looks lovely. i bought myself some mini loaf tins ages ago but have yet to use them!
thank you for linking up x
bakingqueen74 says
They are good for portion control 😉 x
Carrie - Time to be an Adult says
Lovely idea to make miniature loaves, I’ve order myself a tray to start making some too…Tesco have theirs for £4.50 at the moment x
bakingqueen74 says
They are so handy aren’t they! was lucky enough to get mine in a half price sale a while back, always a stroke of luck.
Rebecca Beesley (The Beesley Buzz) says
what a fab fruit to have growing in your garden! I love you mini loaf tin too – they come out looking so cute. popping by from #gbbobloggers2015 linky.
bakingqueen74 says
I have never managed to eat them before, usually the birds get them! So grabbed the chance this year 🙂
Cathy Glynn says
These look amazing, love the idea of damsons, any spare to go with my cuppa? X
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Cathy, I’ll send you one
Debbie says
Wow! These look fantastic- I was laughing at the idea of you encouraging down with a broom, but it definitely looks as though it was worth the effort.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks so much! Was determined the birds wouldn’t get them all this year.
choclette says
Ooh cute little cakes Lucy and you got them all with cracks too. I love damson jam, but I’ve never had them in a cake. So glad GBBO is back – very exciting.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Choclette, this is the one TV program I watch, there are no interruptions on a Wed night in our house!
Coriander Queen says
I love these, they are so cute! Perfect for an afternoon tea, and a great way to use up damsons!
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Isabella, mini loaves are great for a small treat aren’t they