Well this is my go-to recipe for a 9” slightly citrussy Madeira cake, paddyann, when I want something stackable or something dense that I can carve into whatever monstrosity the DGS have plumped for. It's never let me down (but then you say yours hasn't disappointed before either, so it's probably an oven issue, as you say). I always scoop a deep indentation in the mixture before I put mine in the oven as, if anything, I can get a slight dome, rather than it sinking.
12oz softened unsalted butter
12oz caster sugar
1lb plain flour
2.5 teasp baking powder
(or 12oz SR, 6oz plain without the baking powder)
6 large eggs
2 tblsp lemon/orange juice
Grated rind of an orange
1.5 teaspoon glycerine (optional, but helps make it moist)
Grease and line tin.
Cream butter and sugar very well. Sift flour at least twice. Beat in eggs 1 at a time (with a spoonful of flour after each). Fold rest of flours in, then the rind and juice, and glycerine if using.
Into prepared tin, hollow centre. Bake at gas mark 3, 2 hours in my oven, though the original recipe said 1 hour 40 mins.
Cool 5 mins in tin, turn out.
I read that baking it with a bowl of water in the bottom of the oven helps produce a moist cake, so I do that. Who knows whether it helps or not?