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1. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom and sides of a 1½ -quart English pudding basin or charlotte mold with 1 tablespoon of the softened butter. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
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2. Slice a cherry in half, place it cut side up in the center of the mold, and arrange 8 strips of the angelica in a spoke like pattern around it. Decorate the sides of the basin with 6 to 8 rows of raisins, arranging them so that the rows reach about 4 inches up the sides of the mold. (The chilled butter should hold the raisins in place; if it doesn't, chill the mold a few minutes longer.)
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3. Now, line the mold with ladyfingers in the following fashion: Split 9 ladyfingers in half, and place 3 or 4 of the halves, cut side up, on the bottom of the mold.
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4. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Madeira. Stand 14 or 15 ladyfinger halves, cut side in, around the inside of the mold, overlapping them slightly to line the sides completely.
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5. Cut the remaining angelica and cherries into ¼-inch dice and combine them with the remaining raisins in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Madeira and set aside.
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6. For the custard, beat the eggs and sugar together with a whisk, rotary or electric beater, for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until the mixture is thick. Gradually beat in the milk and the cream.
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7. Assemble the pudding in the following fashion: Sprinkle the bottom layer of lady fingers with a tablespoon of the diced fruits and pour over it ½ cup of the custard mixture.
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8. Break 4 ladyfingers into coarse pieces 1 inch square; spread half of them on the custard, sprinkle with a tablespoon of Madeira, and arrange about 1/3 of the diced fruit on top.
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9. Add another cup of the custard, cover with the rest of the ladyfinger pieces and spread them with the remaining diced fruit. Pour in the remaining custard and place the remaining ladyfingers, halved, on top. Sprinkle with the rest of the Madeira.
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10. Cut out a circle of wax paper 2 inches larger in diameter than that of the mold and, with a pastry brush, coat it with the remaining tablespoon of soft butter.
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11. Place the wax paper, buttered side down, over the mold, and turn down the edges to hold it securely in place. Moisten a kitchen towel with cold water, wring it dry, and sprinkle it evenly with the flour.
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12. Shake the towel to remove the excess, and drape it, floured side down, over the top of the mold. Bring the ends of the towel down around the sides of the mold, and tie the towel in place about 1½ to 2 inches down the side with a long length of kitchen cord.
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13. Bring up two diagonally opposite corners of the towel and tie them together on top of the pudding. Then bring the remaining comers together and tie them similarly.
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14. Place the pudding in a large, heavy pot or saucepan, and pour in enough boiling water to come three fourths of the way up the side of the mold. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to its lowest point, and steam for 1¼ hours.
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15. Do not let the water come to a boil again; if necessary place an asbestos mat under the pot. Replenish the water in the steamer with more boiling water as it boils away.
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16. To serve, remove the towel and paper. Wipe the outside of the mold dry and let the pudding rest for 2 or 3 minutes. Then place an inverted plate over the top, grasp the edges of the mold and plate together firmly, and turn them over quickly.
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17. The pudding should slide out easily. If any raisins or bits of fruit cling to the mold, return them to their original position on the pudding. Serve the pudding warm.
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