Contents

Title Page

Introduction

01/ Easy

02/ Fast

03/ Healthy

04/ Classic

05/ Teatime

06/ Dessert

07/ Children’s

Decorating ideas

08/ Celebration

09/ Festive

Cake essentials

List of Recipes

Thank yous

Copyright

About the Publisher

Introduction

I love every type of cake, whether light and buttery or dense and fudgy. In fact, I have adored baking ever since I was a child, when I began making cakes with my mother and sister. I was transfixed by the whole process – from stirring the ingredients in a big bowl to popping the filled tin in the oven and waiting for the magic to happen. Then, hey presto, the mixture had turned into a proper cake, beautifully risen and golden and with mouth-watering smells filling the kitchen. Our finished creation was then carefully removed and decorated before being placed on a plate and proudly presented to the rest of the family or to friends.

I know I’m not alone in my passion for cakes. Indeed, I get asked for my cake recipes more than any other type of dish! This book is aimed at anyone who has ever enjoyed a slice of cake – whether baking is your favourite pastime or if you’ve never tried it before. My previous book, Bake, was dedicated to all types of baking, from pies and casseroles to puddings and biscuits. This volume focuses exclusively on cake baking, showing you how to quickly master the basics, add effortless decoration and expand your repertoire of great-looking, great-tasting cakes to give, share and enjoy.

There is always something in my diary that offers the perfect excuse to bake a cake. With this in mind, I’ve divided the book into sections, each with a selection of cakes for different occasions, be it a simple picnic or coffee with a friend, or an elaborate event like a wedding, birthday or special celebration. You’ll find chapters devoted to fast cakes, festive cakes, classic and teatime cakes, novelty cakes for children’s parties and recipes catering specifically for people with allergies or food intolerances.

The recipes in this book are all easy to follow, with no particular level of skill or experience required. Most are quick and simple to make, while a few will take a little more time and effort. The sections on cake decoration include recipes for honeycomb, chocolate squares and fondant-icing shapes, each of which will help you add that special finishing touch or real ‘wow’ factor. Icing and decoration are usually tailored to specific cakes, but you can experiment with mixing ideas from different recipes and be as creative as you like.

There is something in Cake for everyone, from the casual cook to the committed baker, and I hope you enjoy using this book as much as I’ve enjoyed creating the recipes for it. I believe that divine recipes are made to be shared and cake tastes best when enjoyed with friends or family. It’s true that cakes are an indulgence and not something to have every day, but eaten every so often they are a genuine treat. Even a tiny sliver can really brighten your day or transform an otherwise ordinary get-together into a memorable occasion – magic not only in the making but in the eating!

You don’t always need a special reason to bake a cake and this chapter is full of cakes that are really easy to put together. The recipes are not elaborate; there are no grand tiers or complicated icings here. The cakes are straightforward without involving too much technique or hours of labour. These cakes are the ones that I keep in a tin in the kitchen, ready for when a friend calls round or invites me over for coffee. They are also good for popping into a lunchbox or at the end of a simple supper, when you don’t need a fancy dessert, just a little slice of something sweet. Easily achievable and simply delicious, these are cake recipes that you’ll return to again and again.

01/ Easy

Lemon poppy-seed cake

Lemon poppy-seed muffins

Apricot, pistachio and saffron muffins

Pear and ginger muffins

Coconut and lime cake

Apple and walnut cake

Bakewell cake

Marbled chocolate crumble cake

Lemon crumble cupcakes

Lemon curd

Tropical cake

Toscatårta or Swedish almond cake

Lemon and rosemary polenta cake

Orange sour-cream cake

Lemon poppy-seed cake

Poppy seeds are used in cakes and many other dishes across the world, their fragrant nutty taste going especially well with the citrus flavour of lemon or orange. There is a lot of milk in this recipe, which makes the crumb very tender and soft. It’s baked in a bundt tin, which gives more of a crusty outer layer, though if you don’t have one, a standard round cake tin would do just as well, or you could use the mixture to make muffins. If you like, you could decorate with candied orange slices, placing these on the iced cake instead of sprinkling over the poppy seeds.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 50–70 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 40 minutes

Serves: 10–14

325g (11½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ tsp salt

400g (14oz) caster sugar

25g (1oz) poppy seeds, plus 1–2 tsp to decorate

225ml (8fl oz) sunflower or vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

325ml (11½fl oz) milk

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Candied orange slices, to decorate (optional)

For the icing

200g (7oz) icing sugar, sifted

3 tbsp lemon juice

2.5 litre (4⅓ pint) bundt tin (about 23cm/9in in diameter) or 25cm (10in) diameter cake tin

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then grease the bundt tin with sunflower or vegetable oil and dust with flour. If you’re using a standard type of cake tin, grease the sides and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl, add the sugar and poppy seeds and mix together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until combined. Tip this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together using a wooden spoon to make a smooth batter. You may need to use a whisk briefly to get rid of any lumps of flour.

Tip into the prepared tin and bake for 50–60 minutes (60–70 minutes if using a standard cake tin). When cooked, the cake should feel springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow to sit for just 2 minutes, then loosen the edges with a small, sharp knife, place a wire rack upside down on top of the cake and carefully turn it over. Gently remove the tin and allow to cool completely.

While the cake is baking, or while it’s cooling, you can make the icing. Beat the icing sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Carefully transfer the cake to a cake stand or serving plate, then drizzle the icing backwards and forwards from the centre to the outside of the cake in a zigzig pattern. Sprinkle over the poppy seeds straight away and the candied orange slices, if you’re using them, before the icing has a chance to dry.

Orange poppy-seed cake

Make the cake as in the recipe, replacing the lemon zest in the sponge with the finely grated zest of 1 orange and using orange juice instead of lemon juice in the icing.

Lemon poppy-seed muffins

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 20–25 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour

Makes: 12 muffins

215g (7½oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

265g (9½oz) caster sugar

15g (½oz) poppy seeds, plus 2 tsp for sprinkling

150ml (5fl oz) sunflower or vegetable oil

3 eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

215ml (7½fl oz) milk

Finely grated zest of ½ large lemon

For the icing

130g (4½oz) icing sugar, sifted

1–2 tbsp lemon juice

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Mix the ingredients for the sponge following the main recipe, then divide the batter between the paper cases, filling each case three-quarters full.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden on top and springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the muffin tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool down fully.

Make the icing, then drizzle it over the cooled muffins and sprinkle with the poppy seeds to finish.

Apricot, pistachio and saffron muffins

I adore the combination of the sweet juicy apricots with the exotically perfumed saffron. Use peaches (fresh or tinned) in place of the apricots if you wish. These muffins are delicious served with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a piping-hot cup of coffee or tea.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 35 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Makes: 12 muffins

225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk

2 eggs

Pinch of saffron

300g (11oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

200g (7oz) caster sugar

125g (4½oz) butter, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

300g (11oz) fresh or tinned apricots (about 7 fresh apricots, stones removed), roughly chopped

75g (3oz) unsalted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Place the buttermilk, eggs and saffron in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix in the sugar. Add the cubes of butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the wet ingredients and mix together, then fold in the apricots and pistachios. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases, filling each case about three-quarters full.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and springy to the touch. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Pear and ginger muffins

These soft, moist muffins are flavoured with chunks of pear and the gentle heat of ginger. The riper the pears, the sweeter the muffins will be. They would be perfect for a picnic or a quick snack on the run.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes

Ready in: 45 minutes

Makes: 12 muffins

275g (10oz) plain flour, sifted

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp salt

4 eggs, beaten

150ml (5fl oz) vegetable oil

300g (11oz) pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm (½in) dice

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Place all the ingredients, except the pears, in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth, then fold in the pears and divide between the muffin cases, filling each case three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until well risen, golden and feeling springy to the touch.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then take from the muffin tray and place on a wire rack to cool down fully.

Apple and ginger (or cinnamon) muffins

Follow the recipe above, replacing the pears with the same quantity of chopped eating apples and either keeping the ginger or replacing it with 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon.

Coconut and lime cake

Ingredients grown together seem to go together. Just as apples and blackberries are a perfect match, so too are coconut and lime. The coconut flavour in this recipe comes from both desiccated coconut and coconut milk. The coconut milk is an unusual addition, but it is nonetheless an excellent baking ingredient that helps make the cake lovely and soft due to its high oil content. If at all possible, serve this cake outside on a summer’s evening, ideally accompanied by piña coladas or margaritas!

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 30–35 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 45 minutes

Serves: 8–12

150ml (5fl oz) coconut milk (see the tip)

50g (2oz) desiccated coconut

25ml (1fl oz) milk

250g (9oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

250g (9oz) caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

Juice and finely grated zest of 2 limes

275g (10oz) self-raising flour

50g (2oz) coconut flakes, toasted (see the tip), to decorate

For the icing

15ml (½fl oz) coconut milk

250g (9oz) icing sugar, sifted

Juice of ½–1 lime

20cm (8in) square cake tin with 5cm (2in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a square of baking parchment. Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and place over a high heat. As soon as it boils, remove from the heat and stir in the desiccated coconut and the milk.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs together with the lime juice and zest in a small bowl, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and fold in gently to mix.

Tip the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula or palette knife. Place in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. When the cake is ready, a skewer inserted into the centre will come out very slightly sticky.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges and carefully remove the cake from the tin before leaving on a wire rack to finish cooling.

As the cake cools, make the icing. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, icing sugar and the juice of half a lime, adding more if the mixture seems too stiff. Carefully pour the icing over the cake, to cover it in an even layer, then sprinkle over the toasted coconut flakes.

Tip This recipe uses a small (165ml) tin of coconut milk. If you can’t get a small tin, then use a larger one and store any leftover milk in the fridge, where it will keep (in an airtight container) for up to four days, or it can be frozen. Coconut flakes can be toasted in a dry, hot frying pan for a few minutes.

Apple and walnut cake

Some spices have their favourite accompaniments: cinnamon, for example, seems to prefer apple to almost anything else. The two are combined here with crunchy walnuts and muscovado (soft brown) sugar for its unrefined, caramel flavour. I’ve used some wholemeal flour in this recipe as I like the difference it makes, adding a little weightiness in both texture and taste. The cake makes a delicious dessert, eaten warm with whipped cream, or you could serve it in the afternoon with tea.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 55 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 45 minutes

Serves: 10–12

300g (11oz) plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp salt

175g (6oz) wholemeal flour

225g (8oz) soft light brown sugar

175ml (6fl oz) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

3 eggs

150ml (5fl oz) milk

3 eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1cm (½in) dice

75g (3oz) walnuts, roughly chopped

For the glaze

150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

75g (3oz) butter

25cm (10in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then grease the sides of the cake tin with sunflower oil and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Sift the plain flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl, then add the wholemeal flour and sugar and mix together.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil, eggs and milk, then tip these into the flour and whisk until you have a smooth batter, and stir in the apples and walnuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

About 5 minutes before the cake is due to come out, make the glaze. Put the sugar, butter and 1 tablespoon of water into a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat.

When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Using a small, sharp knife, loosen around the edges and carefully remove the cake from the tin before transferring to a serving plate.

Reheat the glaze and brush all over the cake, then allow to cool before serving. The glaze means this cake will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.

Bakewell cake

The Derbyshire town of Bakewell is responsible for the invention of the classic tart to which the town gave its name. The divine combination of raspberries and almonds makes for a gorgeous recipe – its inventor must have been someone who baked very well indeed! This cake is an evolution of the idea, using fresh or frozen raspberries rather than raspberry jam. It’s a simple recipe but a perfect example of how a simple combination of flavours can be deliciously effective.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 50–55 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 45 minutes

Serves: 6–8

150g (5oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

150g (5oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

A few drops (not more than ⅛ tsp) of almond essence or extract

50ml (2fl oz) milk

150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted

150g (5oz) ground almonds

150g (5oz) fresh or frozen (and defrosted) raspberries

25g (1oz) flaked almonds

Icing sugar, for dusting

Softly whipped cream and fresh raspberries, to decorate

20cm (8in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs and the almond essence or extract together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until combined, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Next beat in the milk, then add the flour and ground almonds, carefully folding these in just until they are mixed.

Next add the raspberries and fold in gently so as not to break them up too much. Tip the batter into the prepared tin, then scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake for 50–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool down completely before transferring to a serving plate.

Dust with icing sugar. Serve with softly whipped cream if you wish, or decorate with fresh raspberries.

Marbled chocolate crumble cake

I adore marbled cakes – they look so special with the different colours of sponge swirling into each other. In this recipe the crumble topping adds a contrasting crunch as well as an extra hit of chocolate. Serve on its own or after dinner with some softly whipped cream or crème fraîche.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 50–60 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 6–8

225g (8oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

225g (8oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g (8oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

50ml (2fl oz) milk

25g (1oz) cocoa powder

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the crumble topping

125g (4½oz) plain flour, sifted

75g (3oz) caster sugar

75g (3oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

75g (3oz) dark or milk chocolate, in chips or roughly chopped into pieces

23cm (9in) diameter spring-form or loose-bottomed cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

First make the crumble topping. Using your fingertips, rub together the flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl until it resembles thick breadcrumbs, then mix in the chocolate pieces. Set aside in the fridge while you make the sponge.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and butter the sides and the base of the cake tin. If you’re using a spring-form tin, make sure the base is upside down so there’s no lip and the cake can slide off easily when cooked. Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until combined, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in carefully, then add the milk and mix gently to combine. Tip half of the cake mixture into another large bowl, then sift the cocoa powder into this bowl and fold it in.

Place the two different cake mixtures in the prepared tin by alternating heaped tablespoonfuls of the vanilla batter with the chocolate one, then, with a skewer or similar implement, gently draw swirls through the cake mixture to ‘marbleise’ it. Try not to over-mix or you won’t get that wonderful marbled effect.

Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake mixture and bake for 50–60 minutes or until the crumble is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and remove the sides of the tin. Place the cake (sitting on the base of the tin) on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Use a palette knife or metal fish slice to loosen the bottom of the cake from the base of the tin, then slide the palette knife or fish slice under the cake and carefully ease it onto a plate. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Lemon crumble cupcakes

This recipe takes lemon cupcakes to the next level. The lemon curd is easy to make – though you could use a bought variety, of course – and adds a wonderfully sweet-sharp citrus softness. The crumble topping is quick to put together, meanwhile, and adds a great contrasting crunch.

Prep time: 30 minutes (excluding the lemon curd)

Baking time: 30 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 12 cupcakes

200g (7oz) butter, softened

200g (7oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

200g (7oz) self-raising flour

Juice of 1 lemon

150g (5oz) lemon curd

For the crumble topping

75g (3oz) plain flour

75g (3oz) caster sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

100g (3½oz) butter, chilled and cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

First make the crumble topping. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the sugar and lemon zest and mix together to combine. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture forms coarse flakes and crumbs, then set aside in the fridge until needed.

To make the cupcake batter, cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and add the lemon juice, then fold in gently to incorporate.

Divide half of the batter between the muffin cases, filling each about one-third full. Add roughly ½ tablespoon of lemon curd to each paper case, so that it forms a small dollop in the middle. Then divide the other half of the batter between the cases, spooning it over the lemon curd. Finally divide the lemon crumble mixture between the cupcakes.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until nice and golden on top and lightly springy to the touch in the middle. Don’t worry if some of the curd bubbles over the top of the cupcakes while they cook.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tray and placing on a wire rack to cool down completely.

Lemon curd

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ready in: 30 minutes

Makes: 300g (11oz)

75g (3oz) butter

150g (5oz) caster sugar

Juice and finely grated zest of 3 lemons

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

In a saucepan over a very low heat, melt the butter with the sugar, lemon zest and juice. Place the eggs and egg yolk in a bowl and beat together well, then pour into the pan.

Stir carefully over a low heat until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take care not to let the mixture get too hot, or the eggs may scramble.

Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl or a sterilised jar (tip). The lemon curd will thicken further as it cools. Stored in the fridge, it will keep for a couple of weeks.

Orange curd

Make in the same way, substituting the lemons with two oranges and reducing the amount of caster sugar to 125g (4½oz).

Tip To sterilise jars for jams and preserves, wash them in hot soapy water, then rinse and dry. Place the jars upturned on a baking tray in the oven (preheated to at least 130°C/250°F/Gas mark ½) for approximately 15 minutes or until completely dry. Leave them upturned on a clean tea towel until ready to use. Alternatively, you can put them through a hot cycle in the dishwasher.

Tropical cake

Fresh pineapple is almost reason enough to head to sunnier climes – tangy slices dripping with juice can be one of the great culinary pleasures of a holiday in the tropics. The pineapples we get here can be a little dry by comparison. For this recipe it’s fine to use tinned pineapple, however, as it is more predictable in the amount of moisture and sweetness it contains. With the coconut and mango, this cake is a real celebration of tropical flavours.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 45 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 8–12

250g (9oz) tinned pineapple (drained weight of a 432g tin)

200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar

225g (8oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

3 eggs

125g (4½oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

100g (3½oz) desiccated coconut

1 large mango, peeled and sliced, to decorate

For the icing

250g (9oz) mascarpone

50g (2oz) icing sugar, sifted

23cm (9in) square cake tin with 5cm (2in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and dust with flour and line the base with a square of baking parchment.

Place the pineapple in a food processor and whiz for a minute or two until puréed, then put into a saucepan with the sugar. Set over a low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture turns a light brown colour. Then set aside and allow to cool.

Beat the cooled pineapple purée with the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for just a few seconds until mixed, then gradually add the eggs to the pineapple and butter mixture, beating continuously. Sift in the flour, add the coconut and fold in gently to combine.

Tip the batter into the prepared tin, then bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for about 20 minutes, then use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges and carefully remove the cake from the tin before leaving on a wire rack to cool down completely.

To make the icing, whisk together the mascarpone and icing sugar, then spread over the cooled cake using a palette knife and finish by decorating with the sliced mango.

Toscatårta or Swedish almond cake

There is a banquet of baked Swedish treats, from kanelbullar (cinnamon buns) to kladdkaka (sticky chocolate cake), but one of the most well known is this relatively simple but absolutely divine almond cake – a light sponge topped with sweetened buttery almonds. Traditionally eaten at Christmas, it goes down just as well in the summer. Great on its own or with sweet, ripe strawberries.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 45–50 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 8–10

3 eggs

150g (5oz) caster sugar

150g (5oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp milk

75g (3oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

For the topping

50g (2oz) butter

100g (3½oz) flaked almonds

50g (2oz) caster sugar

2 tsp plain flour

3 tbsp double or regular cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

23cm (9in) diameter spring-form or loose-bottomed cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then grease the base and sides of the cake tin with butter and dust with flour. If you’re using a spring-form tin, make sure the base is upside down, so there’s no lip and the cake can slide off easily when cooked.

Using a hand-held electric beater or an electric food mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar for 5–7 minutes or until thick and mousse-like.

Sift in the flour and baking powder and pour in the vanilla extract, milk and melted butter, then fold everything in until combined. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out moist but not totally clean, as the mixture will still need another 10 minutes of cooking. Increase the heat to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.

Just before the 30–35 minutes are up, make the topping. Place the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. When it has melted, add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, allowing the mixture to bubble away for 1 minute.

After the cake has been cooking for 30–35 minutes, remove it from the oven and spoon the almond mixture evenly over the top. Place it back in the oven and bake for about 10–15 minutes or until the topping is golden.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, using a small, sharp knife, loosen around the edges and carefully remove the sides of the tin before placing the cake (still on the base of the tin) on a wire rack to cool down fully.

To transfer to a plate, use a palette knife to loosen the bottom of the cake from the tin, then slide the knife under the cake and ease it onto the plate to serve.

Lemon and rosemary polenta cake

The polenta and ground almonds in this cake mean that it’s already moist even before it’s smothered in a rosemary-lemon syrup as it emerges from the oven. The polenta gives a slight crunch too, which contrasts with the moist crumb. If you use a gluten-free baking powder, the cake will be totally gluten free. Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for a week or so.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes–1 hour 25 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours 30 minutes

Serves: 10–12

225g (8oz) fine polenta

1 tsp baking powder

450g (1lb) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

450g (1lb) caster sugar

450g (1lb) ground almonds

6 eggs

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

3 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus sprigs of rosemary to decorate

For the syrup

Juice of 2 lemons

2 large sprigs of rosemary

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

25cm (10in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Mix the polenta and baking powder together in a bowl. In a separate large bowl or in an electric food mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the ground almonds.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Add the lemon zest and chopped rosemary, then gently fold in the polenta and baking powder to combine.

Tip the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake will cook to a deep golden-brown colour and may dip a little in the middle.

While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, along with 50ml (2fl oz) of water. Place the saucepan on the hob, and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 3–4 minutes until ever so slightly thickened, then remove from the heat and discard the rosemary sprigs.

When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Reheat the syrup and pour over the cake, then leave the cake to cool down completely before serving. I like to decorate the centre with a few flowering sprigs of rosemary.

Orange sour-cream cake

Cakes made with sour cream are especially moist and have a very slight tang to them, which here is complemented by the bittersweet marmalade glaze. That tang is nicely accentuated by serving with spoonfuls of rich, thick crème fraîche. Kept covered, this cake will keep for 3–4 days.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 40–50 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 6–8

200g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

200ml (7fl oz) sour cream

300g (11oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

For the glaze

Juice of 1 orange

100g (3½oz) marmalade

20cm (8in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½ in) sides

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Next beat in the orange zest and sour cream, then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in to combine.

Tip the mixture into the prepared cake tin, then bake for 40–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking, make the glaze. Place the orange juice and marmalade in a saucepan. About 5 minutes before the cake has finished cooking, place the pan on the hob and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the marmalade. Then remove from the heat.

When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for just 5 minutes. Loosening around the edges using a small, sharp knife, carefully remove the cake from the tin, peeling away the baking parchment, then transfer to a serving plate.

Straight away pour the marmalade glaze over the cake (after reheating it if it has had a chance to cool down), then allow the cake to cool down fully while soaking up the syrup.

Sometimes we need a cake quickly. It could be a last-minute panic or when there is simply too much else to fit into the day to dedicate two hours to cake making. These fast recipes are for times like that. People often assume that if you have made a cake it has taken hours of work and you must be a genius, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Making a cake can take minutes rather than hours. Some of these faster cakes are made in the food processor, some are quite simple and some are not iced, but none of them take long to make. These cakes are not about delicate sugar craft or laborious preparation, they are smart recipes that make great-tasting cakes without cutting any corners.

02/ Fast

Muscovado Madeira cake

Winter breakfast muffins

Macadamia nut and lemon cakes

Lemongrass coconut cake

Fast cinnamon yoghurt cake

Raspberry and blueberry friands

Marzipan cake

Marzipan

Apple, oat and pecan bars

Raspberry and coconut squares

Crunchy peanut butter banana muffins

Upside-down peach and saffron cake

Muscovado Madeira cake

This classic English cake got its name from the sweet Madeira wine that it was traditionally served with back in the eighteenth century. Nowadays it’s more often eaten with tea, although if you do have a bottle of Madeira or dessert wine, it would go perfectly with either of those. This version is flavoured with the deep molasses sweetness of muscovado (soft brown) sugar. It’s a versatile recipe and you could include a handful of glace cherries, the finely grated zest of an orange or even a teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you like, adding these at the same time as the flour. (See also the additional variations.)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 40–45 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves: 6–8

175g (6oz) butter, softened

175g (6oz) dark soft brown sugar

5 eggs

275g (10oz) self-raising flour

900g (2lb) loaf tin

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then line the base and sides of the loaf tin with baking parchment, with the paper coming above the sides of the tin to enable the cake to be lifted out easily.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for just a few seconds until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and fold in gently to combine. Tip the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully lift the cake out of the tin using the baking parchment, then peel away the paper and leave on a wire rack to finish cooling down.

Lemon Madeira cake

Make the cake as above, substituting caster sugar for the brown sugar and adding the finely grated zest of 1 lemon to the mixture with the eggs.

Coffee Madeira cake

Replace the brown sugar with caster sugar and mix in 3 tablespoons of coffee essence (Camp or Irel) with the eggs before adding to the batter.

Tip If any of this cake is left over, you could use it for making Cake pops.

Winter breakfast muffins

A hint of spice and a little ginger is sometimes all I need to perk me up on a frosty winter’s morning. Well, that and ten minutes standing by the Aga with a big cup of coffee! I like the plump juiciness of sultanas, but if you’d prefer you could use currants or raisins instead.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 30 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes

Makes: 12 muffins

300g (11oz) plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp mixed spice

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

125g (4½oz) butter, cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

2 eggs

175ml (6fl oz) buttermilk

100g (3½oz) golden syrup

25g (1oz) stem ginger in syrup (drained weight), finely chopped

50g (2oz) sultanas

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spice into a large bowl, then add the sugar and mix together. Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and golden syrup. Tip this into the flour mixture along with the chopped stem ginger and the sultanas, and beat until well mixed.

Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each about three-quarters full.

Bake the muffins for about 30 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch. Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the tin and placing on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tip If you like, you could use some of the syrup from the stem-ginger jar to brush over the top of the muffins after they come out of the oven.

Macadamia nut and lemon cakes

This quick recipe uses a food processor to whiz up macadamia nuts before incorporating them into a lemon sponge mixture. The sharpness of the lemon contrasts so well with the rich and buttery nuts. If you can’t get hold of macadamias, you can replace them with ready-ground almonds for an even speedier cake, as the almonds won’t need whizzing in the food processor.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 15–18 minutes

Ready in: 50 minutes

Makes: 12 cakes

50g (2oz) macadamia nuts

150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted

150g (5oz) caster sugar

3 eggs

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

100g (3½oz) butter, melted

For the icing

200g (7oz) lemon curd (to make it yourself,

25g (1oz) macadamia nuts (or almonds), lightly toasted (see the tip) and roughly chopped

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Place the macadamia nuts in a food processor and whiz for a minute or two until fairly fine. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse just until combined. Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each up to three-quarters full.

Bake for 15–18 minutes or until the cakes spring back lightly to the touch. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool down fully.

When the cupcakes are cool, spread generously with lemon curd, then scatter over the toasted macadamia nuts.

Tip To toast nuts, either scatter them over a baking tray in a single layer and toast them in the oven (preheated to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4) for 4–5 minutes or until golden brown, or place them in a frying pan and toast over a medium–low heat for a similar length of time. In either case, the nuts need to be shaken every so often to prevent them burning on one side.

Lemongrass coconut cake

Coconut and lemongrass, two quintessentially Southeast Asian ingredients, are combined here in this deliciously moist cake. The lemongrass is added to a syrup that infuses the sponge with its aromatic flavour. Found in supermarkets as well as in Asian food shops, the taste of lemongrass is certainly reminiscent of lemons but has a unique floral flavour all of its own.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Baking time: 40–45 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 6–8

4 stalks of lemongrass, base and tops trimmed, outer leaves removed but reserved for the syrup

250g (9oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

200g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

125g (4½oz) desiccated coconut

125g (4½oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tsp baking powder

Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche, to serve

For the syrup

Reserved trimmings and outer leaves of the lemongrass

75g (3oz) caster sugar

23cm (9in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Butter the sides of the cake tin and dust with flour, then line the base with a disc of baking parchment.

Slice the lemongrass stalks quite thinly into rounds about 3mm (⅛in) thick, then place in a food processor with the caster sugar and whiz for 1–2 minutes or until the lemongrass is finely pureed and very aromatic. Add the eggs, butter and coconut and whiz again until combined, then sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the machine, whizzing very briefly just until the ingredients come together.

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Roughly chop the lemongrass trimmings, place in a saucepan with the sugar and 75ml (3fl oz) of water and set over a high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes before removing from the heat and leaving to infuse.

When the cake has finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake from the tin before transferring to a serving plate.

Reheat the syrup, then pierce holes all over the cake with a skewer and pour the hot syrup through a sieve onto the cake, moving the pan and sieve around as you pour so that the syrup covers the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool down completely.

Serve with a dollop of natural Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche.

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