Bake Off Classic Cake

Would
you like to learn to be a better baker?

We know that so many people watch The Great British Bake Off for the tips
and techniques you pick up – not only from the judges, but from watching the
bakers too. We wanted to distil that knowledge into a library of cookbooks that
are specifically designed to take you from novice to expert baker. Individually,
each book covers the skills you will want to perfect so that you can master a
particular area of baking – everything from cakes to bread, sweet pastries to pies.
We have chosen recipes that are classics of each type, and grouped them
together so that they take you on a progression from ‘Easy does it’ through
‘Needs a little skill’ to ‘Up for a challenge’. Put together, the full series of books
will give you a comprehensive collection of the best recipes, along with all the
advice you need to become a better baker.
The triumphs and lessons of the bakers in the tent show us that not everything
works every time. But I hope that with these books as your guide, we have given
you a head start towards baking it better every time!
Linda Collister
Series Editor
www.hodder.co.uk
First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton
An Hachette UK company
Copyright © Love Productions Limited 2015

Photography Copyright © David Munns 2015
The right of Linda Collister to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
BBC and the BBC logo are trademarks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence.
BBC logo © BBC 1996.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be
otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a
similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
Hardback ISBN 978 1 473 61525 0

Ebook ISBN 978 1 473 61526 7
Editorial Director: Nicky Ross

Editor: Sarah Hammond
Project Editor: Laura Herring
Series Editor: Linda Collister
Art Director: James Edgar
Layouts: Nicky Barneby
Photographer: David Munns
Food Stylist: Natalie Thomson, Lizzie Harris
Props Stylist: Victoria Allen
Hodder & Stoughton policy is to use papers that are natural, renewable and recyclable products and made
from wood grown in sustainable forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform
to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.hodder.co.uk
Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
WELCOME
BAKE IT BETTER
Baker’s Guide
Ingredients
Equipment
Skills
Help!
BAKE IT BETTER
Recipes
Easy does it
Spicy Scottish Rock Cakes
Vanilla Traybake
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
Simple and Pretty Fruitcake
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Old-fashioned Banana Bread
Quick Berry Muffins
Apple and Ginger Crumble Cake
Malted Tea-loaf Cake
Blackberry Cinnamon Streusel
Chocolate Brownies
Sticky Gingerbread
Lemon-scented Madeleines
Apple and Maple Syrup Traybake
Carrot Spice Cake
Gluten-free Sticky Orange Polenta Cake
Victoria Sandwich Cake
Rich Lemon Cupcakes
Fudgy Chocolate Birthday Cake
Double Marble Cake
Coffee and Walnut Cake
Classic Swiss Roll
Three-layer Banana Cake
Needs a little skill

Battenberg Cake
Whisky Dundee Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cherry Cake
Devil’s Food Cake
Black Forest Gâteau
Flourless Rich Chocolate Torte
Bitter Chocolate Roulade
Sachertorte
Gâteau le Progrès
Sea Salt Caramel Cake
Lemon Curd Layer Cake
Up for a challenge
Chess Cake
Porter Fruitcake
Mile-high Chocolate Cake
Fraisier
Gâteau de l’Opéra
WHAT CAKE SHALL I BAKE?
CONVERSION TABLE
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Welcome bakers!
When you’re learning to bake, there’s no better place to start than with a cake,
and there are 40 absolute classics in this book.
As well as being great bakes, the recipes have been carefully chosen to
introduce you to all the key techniques, such as creaming, whisking, rubbing in
and folding that not only set you up to bake better cakes, but which you will find
invaluable for all baking.
Start with the ‘Easy does it’ section and master the basics with recipes like
Quick Berry Muffins, Sticky Gingerbread or Apple and Maple Syrup Traybake.
As you grow in confidence you will feel ready to move to the recipes that ‘Need
a little skill’ – a Bitter Chocolate Roulade perhaps, a perfect Dundee Cake or a
sumptuous Devil’s Food Cake. The more you bake, the sooner you will be ‘Up
for a challenge’, testing your decorating skills with the Mile-high Chocolate
Cake or whipping up a light-as-air sponge for the classic Fraisier.
The colour strip on the right-hand side of the page tells you at a glance the
level of the recipe (from one spoon for easy to three spoons for a challenge), and
gives you a helpful checklist of the skills and special equipment you will use.
Before you begin, have a look at the Baker’s Guide at the beginning of the
book. That will tell you what equipment you need to get started (just a bowl, a
spoon and a cake tin will do!), introduce you to the most important ingredients,
and explain some terms and techniques in more detail.
We have chosen Classic Cakes as the subject of our first book in the Bake It
Better series because even the simplest of cake recipes gives impressive results.
It’s amazing what you can do with just flour, butter, sugar and eggs when you
know how. So dive in, and get baking!
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

SECTION 1: BAKER’S GUIDE
Read this section before you start baking.
The Baker’s Guide contains key information on ingredients (here), equipment
(here) and techniques (here) relevant to the recipes in the book.
Refer back the Baker’s Guide when you’re baking if you want a refresher on
a particular skill. In the recipes the first mention of each skill is highlighted in
bold.
SECTION 2: RECIPES
Colour strips on the right-hand side and 1, 2 or 3 spoons show the level of the
recipe.
Within the colour strips you’ll find helpful information to help you decide
what to bake: Hands-on time; Baking time; Makes; Special equipment; Sponge
used and Storage.
Refer back to the Baker’s Guide when a skill is highlighted in bold in the
recipe if you need a reminder.
Try Something Different options are given where the recipe lends itself to
experimenting with ingredients or decorations.
Easy does it

Up for a challenge
BAKE IT BETTER
Baker’s Guide
Ingredients
Equipment
Skills
Help!
Ingredients
The most important piece of advice we can give when you’re checking the
ingredients list of a recipe is don’t be tempted to substitute. This is particularly
true if you’re new to baking, or it’s a new recipe for you.
Below are the most frequently used cake ingredients, with advice on buying,
storing and using them – the more you understand your ingredients, the easier it
will be to avoid problems and get consistently good bakes.
BAKING POWDER, BICARBONATE OF SODA AND CREAM OF TARTAR
Some bakes need the help of a chemical raising agent to increase their lightness.
The two most common are bicarbonate of soda (an alkali) and cream of tartar (an
acid). Baking powder is a mixture of both.
Raising agents work by reacting together with moisture and heat to release
small bubbles of carbon dioxide, which lighten the crumb of your bake. Some
recipes use a slightly acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk or yoghurt, in
combination with bicarbonate of soda to produce the bubbles of gas. Make sure
you use the exact amount stated, and discard out-of-date or damp raising agents
as they won’t give you the best bake. To check if baking powder is still active
mix a teaspoonful into a glass of warm water – if it bubbles up nicely it’s fine to
use, otherwise, throw it out.
If you want to you can make your own by combining 1 teaspoon bicarbonate
of soda with 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, but baking powder is easy to come by
so it’s not really necessary. More useful to know is that you can make your own
self-raising flour by adding 4 teaspoons baking powder to every 225g plain flour.
BUTTER
Most bakers use unsalted butter, which has a lovely rich flavour and gives a
more evenly coloured bake because it contains less whey than salted butters.
Some salted butters also have a strong taste that can be overpowering in a sweet
bake, but if the urge to bake takes you and you only have salted butter, it’s really
not a big problem; just remember not to add any additional salt to sweet recipes.
Wrap butter well and store it in the fridge away from strong flavours, or
freeze it for up to a month. Remove from the fridge in plenty of time so that it’s
the right consistency for your recipe. Creamed and all-in-one sponges (see here)
use butter at room temperature so that it’s easier to smoothly incorporate into dry
ingredients; chilled and diced butter is needed for rubbed-in sponges (see here).
In an emergency you can soften diced butter cubes for a few seconds in the
microwave, but it takes much longer to firm up over-softened butter.
CHOCOLATE
The flavour of chocolate cakes and ganaches, toppings, fillings and frostings
really depends on the chocolate you use. Good-quality chocolate is widely
available in supermarkets these days and you can get chips in larger bags from
online suppliers. Store bars of chocolate well wrapped in a cool, dry, dark
cupboard, and away from strong-flavoured ingredients.
Take care when melting chocolate (see here) as it easily scorches if it gets too
warm and then becomes unusable. Chocolate chunks and chocolate chips are
useful for adding to sponge mixes and for toppings/decorations, but you can also
use bars chopped into similar-sized pieces.
Dark chocolate is most widely used in this book. One with around 70 per cent
cocoa solids will give the best flavour. Anything over 75 per cent can be too dry
and bitter for general baking.
Milk chocolate has a much lower cocoa content and a milder, sweeter taste that
can be slightly greasy. Good-quality milk chocolate has a higher percentage of
cocoa solids, giving better flavour and a slightly firmer set when used as a
coating, or decoration.
White chocolate doesn’t contain any cocoa solids, so cocoa butter content is
what you’re looking for here: 30 per cent or more (children’s bars usually have
hardly any actual cocoa butter). Because there is more fat in white chocolate it
sets less firmly than dark or milk chocolates.
COCOA POWDER
A dark, unsweetened powder made from pure cocoa with nearly all the cocoa
butter removed – it is very bitter and powerfully flavoured, and adds an excellent
chocolate taste to lightly textured sponges and butter icings. Don’t use drinking
chocolate, which has had sugar and dried milk powder added to it, as a
substitute.
CREAM
Always use the cream recommended in the recipe – the fat content varies
significantly and can have a huge effect on your bake.
Single cream has at least 18 per cent butterfat and is good for pouring and
adding richness to rubbed-in mixtures (see here), but it is not suitable for
whipping.
Double cream has at least 48 per cent butterfat and whips well (see here) when
thoroughly chilled. Don’t use the extra-thick double cream labelled ‘for
spooning’ as you won’t be able to whip it; nor is it suitable for making ganache.
Whipping cream does exactly what it says on the tub. It has at least 35 per cent
butterfat. For best results, chill it thoroughly before whipping (see here).
Buttermilk, often found in supermarkets as ‘cultured buttermilk’, is low-fat or

non-fat milk plus another lactic acid-producing culture to give it an acidic ‘tang’.
It is often used, along with bicarbonate of soda, to add lightness and flavour to
cakes.
Clotted cream has at least 55 per cent butterfat and is best for serving on the side
with a slice of cake, not for whipping or ganache-making.
Sour cream has only around 18 per cent butterfat and is made by introducing a
bacterial culture to give it a naturally ‘soured’ tang.
Crème fraîche is cream that has been soured in a similar way to sour cream, but
with a richer, milder flavour.
DRIED FRUIT
Vine fruits, such as raisins, sultanas and currants, are preserved but still soft.
They add sweetness and moisture, as well as a fruity flavour, to cakes and,
soaked overnight in alcohol, tea or fruit juice, plump up deliciously. Soft-dried
apricots, prunes, figs, cranberries, blueberries, sour cherries and dates are also
useful additions and can replace vine fruits in many recipes. Candied peel is
widely available ready chopped, but can also be found in boxes as whole pieces
of orange, lemon or citrus peel, allowing you to cut the pieces into a size and
mix that you prefer. Store opened packets in a screw-top jar to stop the fruit
getting hard.
EGGS
All the recipes in this book use medium-sized eggs (about 62–65g each). Eggs
help your cake rise. Their size is important as they work in ratio with other
ingredients (fats, sugar and flour). Using a different-sized egg might affect
results – you might need more liquid, or it may not bind together well, rise
properly or cook all the way through.
Store eggs in the fridge, pointed-side down, to protect the yolk from drying
out and spoiling. Keep them in the box they came in and in the cooler body of
the fridge, not the door, and use by the best before date. Spare egg whites freeze
well for up to a month – mark the quantity and date on the container and defrost
thoroughly before use.
Eggs should be used at room temperature as they give a greater volume when
beaten, so always try to bring them out of the fridge 30–60 minutes before using.
If you’ve left it to the last minute you can gently warm up eggs by placing them
in a bowl of lukewarm water for 10 minutes.
EXTRACTS AND FLAVOURINGS
Try to avoid synthetic flavourings as they can give your bake a rather unpleasant
‘fake’ taste.
Vanilla extract and almond extract are concentrated liquids, so use them in tiny
quantities. You’ll find ‘essences’ and ‘flavours’ in the shops, but these won’t
have the same effect so try not to use them.
Vanilla paste is made from the seeds of vanilla pods and provides an even more
concentrated flavour than vanilla extract.
Coffee flavour can come from bottled coffee essence, although some people find
it a rather strange flavour so you can instead use instant espresso powder or
granules dissolved in boiling water.
Ground spices should be measured carefully and kept in screw-topped jars rather
than open packs. Try to use them when they are still fresh, preferably within a
few months of opening; it’s probably best to buy them in small quantities.
Alcohol in the form of liqueurs or brandies is used in cake-making. Génoise

sponges are often brushed with sugar syrup mixed with a dash of liqueur or
brandy. When making a rich fruitcake, dried fruit is usually soaked in alcohol to
balance the sweetness and help the cake keep for longer.
FLOUR
Use flour when it’s still fresh and store it correctly – keep opened packs either in
storage jars, plastic food boxes or plastic food bags to stop the flour getting
damp. Don’t add new flour to old in storage jars, and aim to use it within a
month of opening or by its best before date.
Wheat flours are the most frequently used flours in cake-making. Plain flour is
just that: flour with nothing added. Self-raising flour is made from plain flour
with baking powder added so that the mixture expands and rises in the oven.
Make your own self-raising flour by adding 4 teaspoons baking powder to every
225g plain flour.
The flours used for cake making are known as ‘soft’ flours, as they have a
relatively low proportion of protein to starch – usually 8–10 per cent protein
(protein is the gluten-forming part of the flour which is necessary for bread-
making, but is too much for making cakes). Finely milled wholemeal and spelt
flours labelled ‘plain’ or ‘self-raising’ are great for more robust cakes as they add
a slightly richer and nutty flavour, but they are too heavy for finer bakes like
creamed sandwich cakes (see here).
Gluten-free flours are now readily available and inexpensive. They are usually
made from a combination of rice, potato, tapioca, maize, chickpea, broad bean,
white sorghum or buckwheat flours, and vary in taste and texture from brand to
brand, so it’s worth trying a few out. A few are specially made for cake-making
and can be substituted fairly easily, although some suggest adding xanthum gum
(which comes in powder form) to help the structure of the bake and allow it to
rise. Others recommend adding more liquid to your recipe, so make sure you
follow the advice on the packet. (It’s also worth checking whether your baking
powder is gluten-free.)
HONEY
Look out for honey that comes from the nectar of a single variety of flower or
plant (such as orange blossom), as the flavour should be more distinct, but be
careful that it doesn’t overpower the flavours in your bake. As a general rule, the
paler the honey, the milder the flavour. Soft-set honey (but not honeycomb) is
easiest to blend in, but solid honey can be used if it is softened first (by gentle
warming in the microwave or in a small dish set in a bowl of hot water). Honey
also adds moisture to cake mixtures, but too much can make it dense, so make
sure you follow the recipe.
ICING SUGAR
Icing sugar comes as either a very finely powdered white sugar or a lightly
golden unrefined sugar, which dissolves readily and can be used for piped or
spreadable icings, frostings and toppings. Refined white will give you pure white
icing, while unrefined will give a hint of gold. Sift icing sugar well to remove
any lumps before use (see here). Fondant icing sugar is a combination of icing
sugar and dried glucose syrup that you mix with water or juice to make a glossy,
satiny icing that’s slightly more substantial, or to make a dough-like modelling
paste for edible decorations. Royal icing sugar is a mixture of icing sugar and
dried egg white that can be mixed with water to make a stiff white icing. Ready-
made ready-to-roll and rolled icing can be used to cover and decorate cakes and
cupcakes.
MARGARINE AND SPREADS
Margarines are based on vegetable oils, with added salt and flavourings. Some
are made specifically for baking and can be used straight from the fridge; they
give good results but won’t taste quite the same as bakes made with butter.
Spreads designed for use on breads and crackers are not meant for baking and
won’t give a good bake as they contain too much water and not enough fat.
Check the pack as most say whether they’re suitable for baking or not.
MARZIPAN
Made from a sweet paste of ground almonds, this can be rolled out to cover and
decorate, or used as a filling ingredient.
NUTS
With distinct and varied flavours and textures, the type of nut you use is very
important to your bake. Some nuts are oilier than others, which will alter the
crumb and can make it heavier than expected. Their consistency, whether whole,
chopped or ground, is also crucial to baking success, so check the recipe to make
sure you are using what is needed. Toasting nuts increases flavour, but they burn
easily, so watch them carefully. Nuts can quickly turn rancid and bitter, so store
them in a screw-topped jar or airtight container in a cool, dark spot and use
before they hit their best before date.
OILS
American-style cake recipes, like Apple and Maple Syrup Traybake (here), often
use vegetable oil instead of butter. The advantage is that it speeds up the method
because you don’t have to cream butter; plus it is a handy store-cupboard
ingredient. Sunflower oil gives the best results as it has very little flavour, but a
light, mild olive oil can also work very well. Don’t use vegetable frying oil,
which will give a distinctive, unpleasant ‘savoury’ flavour to your baking.
SUGAR
It’s important to use the type of sugar specified in the recipe. They all combine
with other ingredients in slightly different ways and this affects the end result.
Caster sugar is best for most sponges as the grains are fine and quickly break
down when beaten with butter. Golden caster sugar is less refined than caster
sugar, which gives it a pale golden colour and very slightly richer flavour.
Granulated sugar takes much longer to dissolve and often gives a speckled finish
to the tops of cakes.
Brown muscovado sugars are available in both light and dark; they add a toffee-
ish flavour and colour to cake mixes, but they also tend to make them slightly
more moist and heavy. They will form into lumps during storage, so you’ll need
to sift/press out the lumps before use.
SYRUP AND TREACLE
As with sugar, it’s important to use the syrup or treacle specified, as they have
quite different flavours. Golden syrup is a sticky, pale gold syrup made from
sugar cane sap. It’s sweeter than sugar and gives cakes a moist, dense texture.
Black treacle is much darker brown, thicker and stickier than golden syrup and
has a very strong, almost bitter, flavour. It gives the characteristic flavour and
dark colour to gingerbreads (see here). Maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of
sugar maple trees and has a wonderful red-gold colour and unsurpassed flavour.
It is expensive, and do beware of cheaper ‘maple-flavour’ syrups that won’t
produce the same results.
Syrup and treacle can be awkward and messy to measure and weigh, but if
you sit the whole tin in a bowl of just-boiled water, or warm the measuring
spoon in a mug of boiled water beforehand, you will find it much easier and less
messy by far.
Equipment
The beauty of baking is that you don’t need huge amounts of kit to get started; in
fact you can probably produce your first bake with items you already have – a
bowl, a cake tin or two, scales for weighing your ingredients accurately and a
wooden spoon should just about cover it. The other bits of kit you get will
depend as much on the size of your kitchen as your enthusiasm for cake-making.
Bear in mind that for more complex recipes you may need more than one tin or
baking sheet, although you may be able to re-use what you already have. Read
the equipment list alongside each recipe carefully before you start to make sure
you have everything you need.
BAKING PAPER AND LINERS
Lining papers make it easier to remove your bake from the tin once it’s cooked
(see here). Some recipes require a double layer of lining paper to give extra
protection from the heat of the oven. Non-stick baking paper or baking
parchment is suitable for most purposes and both are good for delicate mixtures.
Parchment-lined foil is heavier and can be folded to make a sturdy cake case –
useful for making Battenberg Cake (see here).
Ready-made cake tin liners and discs for lining the bases of tins will save you
time and effort if you bake dozens of cakes, and are available from most
supermarkets. Re-usable silicone liners are excellent for lining baking sheets and
can be cut to fit other tins you use regularly.
Greaseproof paper is best kept for wrapping cooked food as it is water
resistant, but its waxy coating doesn’t stand up well to heating and your cakes
will just stick to it.
BOWLS
You’ll probably end up with a variety of bowls. It’s useful to have more than one
and some different sizes, and there are pros and cons to the different types.
Heatproof glass bowls are probably the best all-purpose choice for mixing,
whisking and melting chocolate over hot water (see here). Stainless steel bowls
are unbreakable and dishwasher-proof, but they won’t go in the microwave.
Ceramic bowls are pretty, but can break quite easily and can be heavy. Plastic are
all-purpose and cheap, and ones with rubber bases are non-slip. (You can solve
the non-slip issue by placing a damp cloth underneath any bowl.) Anodised
aluminium bowls are very durable and will last a lifetime but, again, they’re no
good for the microwave.
CAKE BOARD
A cake board isn’t essential when you’re starting out – you can use a plate or the
base of a cake box in most cases – but it is useful for more advanced cake
recipes as it will protect the delicate sponge while you decorate. You can get
disposable and re-usable cake boards.
CAKE TINS
It is very important to use the tin that’s specified in the recipe. The quantities and
baking time have been calculated to work with that particular cake tin and your
bake won’t turn out the way it’s supposed to if you use a different one.
A really solid, heavy-duty tin will last forever, withstand repeated baking
without scorching or warping, and stay rust-free if you take care of it, which
means washing and drying it thoroughly after use.
Heavy-duty metal cake tins are probably the most reliable and durable, but
other options are non-stick metal tins, heavy aluminium, glass, ceramic or
silicone. Avoid flimsy non-stick tins as they will quickly lose their coating.
Never use a tin that has started to shed its coating as bits of it could end up in
your bake. If you opt for silicone moulds, a baking sheet underneath will help
stabilise the mould before you pour in the mixture, and when you’re transferring
it to the oven.
When you’re starting out you’ll get the most use out of a couple of 20.5cm
straight-sided deep sandwich tins, a 450g loaf tin and maybe a square 20–20.5cm
traybake tin. With these you’ll be able to make most of the Easy Does It recipes.
Unless you buy a tin with the size stamped on the base it’s a good idea to mark
the size underneath with an indelible marker to save getting out a tape measure
each time you bake.
Deep round/square cake tins are good for richer cakes and fruitcakes, such as the
Cherry Cake or the Porter Cake (see here or here) and are available with fixed or
loose bases. You can get ‘push-up’ loose-based tins with a watertight silicone
seal for easy release.
Loaf tins can be used for cakes like Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake or Double Marble
Cake (see here or here), as well as for bread-making. The 450g (about 19 × 12.5
× 7.5cm) and 900g (about 26 × 12.5 × 7.5cm) tins are the most commonly used
sizes.
Sandwich tins are the ones to start with. A pair of round, deep, straight-sided
sandwich tins 20.5cm across, with sides 4–5cm high, will allow you to make
most classic cakes. A third tin makes for quicker baking when making
American-style layer cakes, such as the Three-layer Banana Cake (here), but you
can always just re-use your other tin while the first layer is cooling.
Specialist tins are useful if you want to bake recipes such as the Lemon-scented
Madeleines (here), for which you’ll need a madeleine mould tray. Recipes such
as the Battenberg Cake (here) and Bitter Chocolate Roulade (here) also use
specialist tins, although you can use standard tins instead (see the recipe methods
for instructions on adapting regular tins).
Springclip tins have a spring release, a base that clamps in place when the clip is
fastened and a deep metal ring which lifts off when unfastened. These are really
helpful when making cheesecakes and cakes that are not inverted, or are
particularly fragile, such as the Apple and Ginger Crumble Cake (here). They
come in many sizes, but 20.5cm and 22–23cm tins are the most useful.
Swiss roll tins are rectangular with shallow sides about 2cm high. The most
useful sizes are 20 × 30cm and 23 × 33cm.
Traybake tins are square or rectangular with sides that are about 4cm high. They
are endlessly versatile and are used in this book for making Chocolate Brownies
(here) as well as basic sheet cakes like the Vanilla Traybake (here). The most
useful ones are loose-based, or slide apart for the easy removal of your bake. A
20–20.5cm square tin and a 20.5 × 25.5cm rectangular tin will come in handy
most often for the bakes in this book.
6- or 12-hole deep muffin tins/cupcake tins are what you need for small bakes,
muffins and cupcakes. You can get non-stick or silicone versions (choose wire-
framed for stability), which may not need lining with paper cases.
COOLING RACKS
A large wire cooling rack with legs allows air to circulate underneath your
cooling cakes, preventing condensation (and the dreaded ‘soggy bottom’). If
needs be, you can improvise with a clean grill-pan rack, but the finer wires on a
collog rack are more effective.
FOOD-PROCESSOR
A food-processor makes light work of chopping and blending. Some will also
make cake mixtures with a plastic blade or paddle, but results vary, so go on
personal recommendation if you wish to use the machine for cake-making.
Generally, they’ll work better for some of the wetter mixtures than for recipes
where you need to incorporate a lot of air.
ICING TURNTABLE
This is a non-essential but useful bit of equipment that enables rotation of the
cake while you’re decorating. Pick one with a non-slip base.
KNIVES
A large sharp knife for chopping nuts and neat slicing is vital (as is a knife
sharpener). A long-bladed serrated bread knife is good for slicing cakes into
layers (see here). A palette knife is good for spreading, and an off-set palette
knife (one with a kink in the blade) is essential for more advanced cake-
decorating.
Knives are made from different materials. The main ones to consider are
stainless steel, which is cheaper but needs to be sharpened regularly; carbon
steel, which is more expensive, harder and easier to keep sharp; and ceramic,
which is far harder than carbon steel ones, much lighter and don’t require
sharpening – but can chip easily.
LARGE METAL SPOON
A large metal spoon with a long handle is useful for folding in (see here) and for
transferring your cake mixtures.
MEASURING JUG
Pick a heat-resistant and microwave-safe jug that has both metric and imperial
measures, starting from 50ml if you can find one, otherwise 100ml, and going up
to 2 litres. A small jug or cup that measures from 1 teaspoon (5ml) up to 4
tablespoons (60ml) is a very useful extra. You can also get measuring jugs with
cup measurements – useful if you bake a lot of North American recipes.
MEASURING SPOONS
Everyday teaspoons, dessertspoons and tablespoons vary enormously in size so
you shouldn’t use them to measure ingredients. Baking is such an exact science
that it’s worth investing in proper measuring spoons for small amounts of liquids
and dry ingredients (such as baking powder, spices, salt and sugar), ranging from
⅛ teaspoon to 1½ tablespoons. Go for spoons with narrow ends that will fit into
fiddly spice jars. Unless the recipe says otherwise, all spoon measures in these
recipes are level – skim off the excess with a finger or the back of a knife.
OVEN THERMOMETER
Baking requires accuracy and ovens vary; their internal thermostats can be
notoriously unreliable. If you really get the baking bug you might want to invest
in an oven thermometer to double-check it’s the correct temperature and to work
out where in your oven the hotter and cooler spots are located.
PASTRY BRUSH
Available in a variety of widths and bristles, pick a brush in a medium width for
brushing on melted butter, beaten egg, glaze or sugar syrup. Make sure whatever
type you buy is heat resistant and dishwasher-proof.
PIPING BAGS
Disposable plastic piping bags in various sizes are available from most
supermarkets. Generally the ones with the non-slip exteriors are easiest to use.
You can also find reusable nylon piping bags from specialist shops and cake-
decorating suppliers. They have a little more weight and strength to them and
don’t have seams for the mixtures to leak through. Most can be rinsed and then
washed inside out in very hot water. Always make sure they are completely dry
before putting them away. (See here.)
PIPING NOZZLES
These conical tubes fit into the end of piping bags and are available in scores of
shapes and sizes from the finest writing tip to large, sharp-toothed star nozzles
for piping buttercream. The best value are the sets that provide a reusable bag
plus a set of stainless steel nozzles, either just the small size for decorating or an
all-round set that includes large (1.5cm/2cm), plain and star nozzles.
ROLLING PIN
In cake making a rolling pin is used for rolling out marzipan and icing. Choose a
long, fairly heavy one that is about 6–7cm in diameter – ones without handles
are generally easier to use.
SCALES
Baking is really a science, so it pays to be accurate if you want perfect results
every time. As you’ll be dealing with some quite small quantities, digital scales
are preferable to spring or balance scales as they are much more precise and can
weigh ingredients that are as little as 1 gram. You can see the weight easily at a
glance and add multiple items to one bowl simply by resetting the balance to
zero after adding each ingredient. Always keep a spare battery on standby.
SIEVE
Essential for removing lumps from icing sugar and other ingredients, and to
bring air into mixtures. A stainless steel wire sieve with a large bowl is the most
versatile and should last longer than plastic. A smaller tea-strainer sized sieve is
also a good piece of kit to have, for dusting cakes and bakes with icing sugar and
cocoa powder.
SPATULA
Flexibility is key here. You want a good-sized rubber or plastic spatula that’s
heat resistant for mixing ingredients together, cleaning out bowls and spreading
mixtures. A smaller one is perfect for fiddly amounts. A metal spatula is good for
spreading.
STORAGE CONTAINERS
It’s not essential to go to the expense of buying a special container to store your
bakes, but if you find yourself trying to transport your cakes a lot it’s probably
worth investing in a cake carrier, which makes transportation a breeze. Choose
one that has secure locking clips and can go in the dishwasher. Otherwise, use a
good stainless steel tin with a tight-fitting lid, or a heavy-duty plastic container
with a secure lid. Store your bake well away from any heat sources (radiators,
sunlight, kitchen light fittings, your fridge or cooker) and mark on a sticker the
day of baking so you know when your bake is still good to eat.
TIMER
A digital kitchen timer, with seconds as well as minutes, is another good
purchase for achieving that all-important accuracy. Get one with a loud ring and
set it for 1 minute less than the suggested time in the recipe, especially if you are
unsure of your oven temperature – you can always increase the cooking time if
needed.
WHISKS AND MIXERS
These range from the most basic, which means the baker has to do the energetic
whisking, to free-standing food mixers that do all the hard work for you.
Wire whisks can be balloon-shaped or flat. A sturdy hand-held wire whisk with
an easy-grip handle that fits your hand is ideal for whisking mixtures on and off
the heat.
Hand-held rotary whisks have two beaters in a metal frame, which are turned by
hand. They’re perfect for whisking egg whites (see here), whisking mixtures
over heat (no trailing leads) and whisking out lumps in batters.
Hand-held electric whisks are more expensive, but much more powerful and can
also be used for creamed cake mixtures (see here) and more general mixing.
Look for models with a set of attachments and a retractable cord for easy
storage.
Free-standing mixers really do save time and energy if you do a lot of baking. A
large free-standing model with attachments for beating, whisking and making
dough is a great investment. If possible, buy an extra bowl too, as it helps when
making cakes with multiple elements; a bowl with a snap-on lid is very useful
too. Large mixers do all the beating and whisking for you, so you will get more
volume into your meringues and whisked egg mixtures in a much shorter time,
and are great for batch-baking. They do take up space though, so they’re not
ideal for a small kitchen – an electric hand whisk is probably the best choice
here.
WOODEN SPOONS
You can never have enough wooden spoons – they’re heat-resistant, won’t
scratch non-stick pans and are ideal for beating mixtures (see here). It’s a good
idea to keep ones for baking separate from those that are used for savoury
cooking, as wooden spoons are porous and will absorb strong flavours.
ZESTER
The zest of lemons, limes and oranges is full of flavour and often used in baking
recipes. A zester is the best way to remove the zest so you don’t end up with lots
of bitter pith as well. A long zester with a sturdy, easy-grip handle is easiest to
use and clean. If you can, go for one of the new types with a ceramic-coated
stainless steel surface and slide-on zest catcher.
Skills
Once your ingredients are lined up and equipment sorted, you’re ready to get
baking. This section covers everything from lining your tin to mixing and
folding, and it’s worth reading at least once. Follow this advice and you can
enjoy your baking safe in the knowledge that you’ll be happy with the end
results.
All the recipes in the book tell you exactly what you need to do step-by-step,
but you’ll notice that some of the baking terms are highlighted in bold, which
means you can refer back to this section if you want a bit more detail, or to
refresh your memory.
THE 5 CAKE-MAKING METHODS
The key to any good cake is the texture of the sponge. Whether it’s the delicate
crumb of a Victoria sponge, a denser fruitcake or light-as-air Swiss roll, it’s all
down to the way the ingredients are combined. Once you’ve got to grips with
these techniques the world of cakes will be there for the baking.
Below each method are some examples of recipes in the book that use them.
Try these and in no time you’ll be an expert in each method.
RUBBED-IN METHOD
This refers to the action of combining fat and flour to add air to the mix, making
the final bake lighter. It’s used for fairly robust, lower-fat cakes like rock cakes
and simple fruitcakes, and is quick to do, either with your hands and a bowl, or
using a mixer or food-processer. Rubbed-in mixtures use cold butter, straight
from the fridge; try to keep your palms clean while you combine the ingredients
as your fingertips are cooler and won’t melt the butter.
Because these mixtures use about half fat to flour they lose their freshness
quickly, so cakes should be eaten on the same day.
Learn with: Spicy Scottish Rock Cakes (here), Simple and Pretty Fruitcake
(here)
How to rub in by hand

1. Sift the flour (and any spices or raising agents) into a mixing bowl.
2. Make sure the butter is cool and firm and cut it into small cubes. It helps to
have floury hands to do this to stop it melting and sticking as soon as you touch
it.
3. Add the butter pieces to the flour and quickly toss them around in the flour
with your fingertips.
4. Once the butter pieces are coated, pinch them into the flour using just your
fingertips and thumbs. Lift your hands to the top of the bowl and gently rub
more of the mixture between your fingers and thumbs so that it combines as it
falls back into the bowl.
5. Keep doing this until the mixture has a finer, crumb-like consistency (see
photo, here). To check if you’ve missed any clumps, give the bowl a shake –
you’ll see them come to the surface.
6. Once you’re happy with the consistency, quickly stir, or mix in, any other
flavourings with a spoon or fork, plus eggs and/or milk, to make a fairly stiff
cake mixture, but don’t over-beat it as you don’t want to develop the gluten in
the flour and toughen the crumb.
How to rub in using a food-processor

1. Tip the flour into your food-processor bowl, add the chilled, diced butter and
pulse in short bursts until there are no visible butter pieces remaining.
2. Add the sugar and pulse again until combined, then slowly pour the liquid
through the feeder tube, pulsing until the dough starts to clump together.
3. Tip into a bowl and use your hands to very gently knead and gather the
mixture into a ball.
How to rub in using a free-standing mixer

1. Fit the machine with the creamer/paddle attachment and slowly mix your dry
ingredients with the chilled, diced butter until the butter is no longer visible.
2. Add the sugar and mix again. You can then add the liquid and gently mix until
starting to clump together.
3. Gather the mixture into a smooth ball.
ALL-IN-ONE METHOD
The recipes that use this method are the heroes of the cake world, offering speed,
simplicity and reliability. All the ingredients are combined in one go by beating
with a wooden spoon, electric beater or whisk. Make sure the ingredients are at
room temperature so they can be smoothly combined and air can be easily
incorporated into the mix. Take the butter and eggs from the fridge a good hour
before you need them.
1. Sift the flour and any spices, cocoa powder or raising agents (a little baking
powder is usually included even with self-raising flour to help the mixture rise
well) into a large bowl, then add the sugar, butter (or oil), beaten eggs and any
liquid (milk, coffee, fruit juice) and start beating everything together fairly
slowly.
2. Once all the dry ingredients have been incorporated, scrape down the sides of
the bowl and beat for a couple of minutes at a fast speed until it is smooth and
creamy (see photo, here).
Learn with: Apple and Ginger Crumble Cake (here), Fudgy Chocolate Birthday
Cake (here)
CREAMED METHOD
This is the method used for most of our best-loved cakes. As with the all-in-one
mixtures, make sure the ingredients are at room temperature so they quickly
combine and take up as much air as possible. You should always use the type of
sugar specified in the recipe, but with creamed mixtures this is particularly
important.
1. Put the softened butter into a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon, whisk
or electric mixer until the butter is very creamy – almost like mayonnaise (see
photo, here).
2. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute
or so, until fully combined, then add any small amounts of flavouring, if using.
(Save larger amounts of flavouring, such as coffee or alcohol, until later). Keep
on beating and scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is very
pale in colour and the texture is fluffy and lump-free.
3. Beat the eggs with a fork until well broken up, then beat them into the mixture
with a wooden spoon, a tablespoon at a time. Take your time to beat in
thoroughly after each addition as you’re incorporating air into the mixture,
which will make your finished cake much lighter. Add 1 tablespoon of the
weighed flour from your recipe with each of the last two portions of egg to
prevent the mixture from curdling. If it does start to separate a little it’s not a
disaster – the cake will taste just the same, but it might not rise quite so well (see
here).
4. Sift the remaining flour and salt into the bowl (plus any spices) and gently fold
in using a large metal spoon, until you can no longer see any specks or streaks of
flour.
5. At this point you can add any additional flavours (such as coffee, juice or
alcohol), edible food colouring, fruit, nuts, milk or melted chocolate, as per the
recipe. Again, for best results, make sure all additions are at room temperature.
6. Make sure all your ingredients are combined and you have a soft mixture; a
good test for a creamed sponge mixture is that it should be just soft enough to
drop off a wooden spoon when lightly shaken.
7. Transfer to the prepared tin and the oven immediately, as the raising agents
will be getting to work already.
Learn with: Victoria Sandwich Cake (here), Whisky Dundee Cake (here) and
Porter Fruitcake (here)
MELTED METHOD
Sponges that use the melted method are usually pretty straightforward to make
and are good for hard-to-combine ingredients with a high moisture content, like
treacle or fruit juice. They are usually runnier mixtures than those on previous
pages and make cakes with a soft, moist crumb.
You will need a medium to large-sized pan (large enough to hold all the
ingredients) and a wooden spoon.
1. Dice the fat (usually butter) and put it into the pan with the sugar(s) and golden
syrup or black treacle, or a liquid like tea or fruit juice. Stir over a low heat until
the butter has melted and the mixture is very smooth and lump-free. Some
mixtures then need to be boiled or simmered for a few minutes.
2. To avoid scrambling the eggs, leave the mixture to cool until barely warm
before adding the beaten eggs, flour and any other ingredients, then pouring the
mixture into your tin (see photo, here).
Learn with: Malted Tea-loaf Cake (here), Sticky Gingerbread (here) and
Chocolate Brownies (here)
WHISKED METHOD
Whisked sponges rely on whisked eggs, rather than the addition of raising
agents, to make them light and fluffy. It’s a very versatile method used to
produce cakes of varying levels of complexity, from the fairly simple Classic
Swiss Roll (here) to the challenging Gâteau de l’Opéra (here).
Cake mixtures where whole eggs and sugar are whisked together are also
known as ‘génoise’ sponges and may, or may not, have a small quantity (around
15g per egg) of melted, cooled (or very creamy and pourable) butter folded into
the mixture right at the end, after the flour. This makes the sponge softer and
richer.
‘Biscuit’ sponges like the Fraisier (here) are also whisked, but the yolks and
whites are whisked separately with sugar, and combined later. These sponges are
slightly drier and are often used for multi-layered creations because they are a bit
more robust.
The key to success with whisked sponges is good technique (see here). Also
make sure your eggs are at room temperature to aid expansion. Ideally, you
should use an electric hand whisk or a large free-standing mixer fitted with a
whisk attachment for the task. If you only have a rotary whisk, it’s best to stand
the mixing bowl over a pan of steaming hot water (but don’t let the base of the
bowl touch the hot water), as the gentle warmth increases the expansion of the
eggs (be very careful!).
For a simple whisked sponge

1. Whisk the eggs and sugar at high speed for at least 5 minutes, until the colour
changes from bright yellow to a very pale, creamy colour and the volume
increases about five-fold. You should have a thick, mousse-like foam
consistency. You can tell that the mixture is ready when it passes the ‘ribbon
test’. To do this, lift the whisk out of the mixture – if a very distinct ribbon-like
trail of mixture falls back into the bowl, you can stop whisking (see photo, here).
2. At this point the carefully sifted flour is added to the bowl and gently folded
into the foamy mixture. This very light sponge is raised entirely by the air
bubbles, so the folding in of the flour must be done with care and a light hand.
Learn with: Classic Swiss Roll (here), Lemon Curd Layer Cake (here)
For a ‘biscuit’ sponge

1. Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks and melt the butter.
2. Whisk the whites to soft peaks (see photo, here), then gradually whisk in half
the sugar, a couple of teaspoons at a time, to make a light meringue.
3. Add the remaining caster sugar to the yolks, along with any other ingredients,
and whisk until you have a mousse-like mixture that falls in thick ribbons form
the whisk.
4. Fold the meringue into the mousse mixture in batches.
5. Sift the flour on top and gently fold it into the mixture.
6. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and fold that in, too.
Use for: Fraisier (here), Gâteau de l’Opéra (here)
EXPERT ADVICE FROM START TO FINISH
This section takes you through every stage of the cake-making process,
explaining the how, what and why behind the key techniques.
HOW TO LINE CAKE TINS
Most recipes ask you to prepare your cake tin, which usually involves greasing
and lining it in some shape or form. This stops the cake sticking to the tin. If you
double-line your tin, the paper will also act as protection from the oven’s heat.
Prepare your tin before you start so that your mixture doesn’t have to sit and wait
later.
When you’re getting ready to bake, always make sure your tin is clean and
dry.
Shallow tins like a sandwich tin or a traybake tin should be greased and base-
lined. Lightly brush melted butter inside the base, sides and rim (the butter
makes a better barrier than oil and tastes nicer than lard or vegetable fat). Set the
tin on a sheet of baking paper and draw around it (see photo, here), then cut out
the shape and press it onto the base, taking care that there are no creases (you
can also buy ready-cut discs – see here).
Loaf tins should first be lightly brushed inside with melted butter. Then cut a
long strip of baking paper that is the same width as the tin base and twice its
length (the extra paper each end will help you lift the baked loaf from the tin to
save damaging it). Press the paper onto the base and up the short sides to line it
(see photo, here) – the long sides will not be covered by paper (they are well-
greased and once you loosen the cake after baking it will lift out easily).
Circular deep tins should be greased and lined on the base and sides. First brush
with melted butter then cut out two rounds of baking paper very slightly smaller
than the base of the tin (see instructions here). Next cut a strip of baking paper
that’s long enough to go all round the sides, and high enough to stand about 5cm
above the rim.
Make a fold 3cm deep along one long edge of the strip and open it back out
so that you have a crease. Snip all the way along the folded edge up to the
crease, at 1cm intervals, to create a fringe. Press one of the paper rounds into the
base of the tin, then press the long strip around the sides up to the crease, so that
the paper fringes fold inside the tin (see photo, here), slightly overlapping; be
careful to avoid creases.
Brush a little melted butter onto the first base round, then put the second
round onto it, covering the fringe. Lightly brush a little more melted butter on
the sides and base lining to hold them in place (you can also buy cake tin liners
that need no extra preparation, rather like huge cupcake cases – see here).
HOW TO SIFT DRY INGREDIENTS
It might often seem unnecessary, but sifting dry ingredients like flour, raising
agents, cocoa powder, icing sugar and spices, not only removes any large lumps,
but also introduces air and disperses the ingredients throughout the mixture,
which can make a big difference to the evenness of your bake.
Tip your ingredients into a large dry sieve over a large bowl and gently tap
the sieve with your hand so the ingredients settle into the bowl.
You can also use a food-processor to combine dry ingredients effectively –
this is great for mixtures using muscovado sugar, which tends to form hard
lumps. The machine will add air automatically, so you won’t need to sift
ingredients into it.
HOW TO BEAT A MIXTURE
Recipes often tell you to beat an ingredient or mixture and what this usually
means is to add air by vigorous mixing. You can beat individual ingredients like
butter or eggs, or whole cake mixtures as you do in the all-in-one method (see
here).
There are various kit options available for beating, ranging from the most
basic wooden spoon, to a food-processor. An electric whisk or mixer will add air
into the mixture for you, but to do this by hand, angle the bowl slightly away
from you and beat in small circles, rotating the spoon or whisk away from you,
lifting it slightly out of the mixture in the upward movement to trap the air that
will then be incorporated into the mixture in the downward movement (see
photo, here).
HOW TO WHISK EGGS

Whether you’re whisking whole eggs or just their whites, eggs should always be
at room temperature to help them expand to their maximum volume.
Whisking egg whites needs a large, spotlessly clean and grease-free bowl (any
trace of fat or yolk stuck to the bowl or whisk will prevent the whites from being
beaten successfully – you can cut a lemon in half and run the cut side around the
inside of the bowl and over the whisk to be really sure).
Put the egg whites in the bowl and whisk on a low speed (or slowly by hand)
for about 30 seconds so they become frothy and the structure starts to develop.
If you add a pinch of cream of tartar or a drop of lemon juice at this point the
slight acidity will help the structure to stiffen, which helps you achieve the
maximum volume. Increase the speed and continue whisking until the mixture is
a mass of tiny bubbles with a very smooth and fine texture. To tell if the whites
have reached soft peak stage, lift the whisk out of the mixture – you should get a
peak of egg whites that slightly droops down (see photo, here).
The next stage, after a little more whisking, is stiff peak, when the peak
should stand upright, with no droop (see photo, here). At this stage you should
be able to turn the bowl upside down and hold it over your head (or the worktop,
if you’re not feeling quite so adventurous) without the whites falling out.
Whisking egg whites for meringues involves adding sugar, which you do when
the whites reach soft peak stage. If you add the sugar too early it will dissolve
quickly and make the mixture soft and damp. But don’t wait until stiff peak stage
because the structure won’t be elastic enough to hold the sugar, resulting in a
lumpy, bobbly meringue instead of a shiny, glossy, smooth one.
Whisking to the ‘ribbon stage’ is used for delicate sponges where eggs and sugar
are whisked at high speed to build up a thick, mousse-like mix. Use a large bowl
to allow for increased volume and whisk on a high speed for 4–5 minutes until
the mixture becomes so thick that when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl the
mixture falls back into it to leave a thick, ribbon-like trail on the surface. (See
here for more on this and for photograph.)
HOW TO FOLD IN
This is the way to delicately combine two or more ingredients – for example
adding sifted flour to a creamed cake mixture or incorporating beaten egg whites
– so that you don’t knock out all the air you’ve carefully beaten or whisked in.
Use the edge of a large spoon or plastic spatula to cut down cleanly through the
centre of the mixture until you touch the bottom of the bowl, then turn the spoon
right-way up and bring it up through the mixture to the top. Turn the spoon over
so that the contents flop gently onto the rest of the mixture (see photo, here).
Give the bowl a quarter turn so that you start from a different place, then cut
down again through the mixture, lift it and flop it over again. Keep doing this
folding action, using the least number of movements possible, until you can’t see
any more unmixed streaks.
HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR CAKE IS COOKED
The most reliable way to test delicate cakes and most sponges is the fingertip
test: gently press the top of the sponge in the centre with your fingertip – the
sponge is ready if it springs back into place and has started to shrink back from
the sides of the tin. If a slight dent remains in the sponge after you press it (or it
starts to sink), then keep it in the oven for a few more minutes.
The cocktail stick or skewer test is used for heavier and richer cakes, all
fruitcakes and dense chocolate cakes. Simply stick a fine metal or wooden
skewer or a wooden cocktail stick, into the centre of the cake. If it comes out
clean rather than damp with cake mixture, the cake is ready, although in some
exceptions (Brownies are a good example) the skewer should come out still
slightly sticky.
HOW TO TURN OUT A SPONGE
Carefully run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the
sponge, and leave it to firm up for 30–60 seconds. To avoid your wire rack
leaving marks on the top of a delicate sponge, cover a clean board with a clean,
dry tea towel and turn the sponge out upside down onto it. Peel off the lining
paper from the base, then set the wire rack on top and turn the whole thing over
again. Carefully remove the board and towel. You can leave the sponge to cool,
right-side up, on the wire rack.
HOW TO CUT A SPONGE INTO LAYERS
This sounds tricky but is actually very easy once you get the hang of it. First,
make a small vertical nick or cut up the side of the sponge with the tip of a small
knife – this will help you align the layers in the right place when sandwiching
them back together. Gently but firmly press down on top of the sponge with the
flat of your hand, and, using a long serrated knife (a bread knife is ideal),
carefully saw the sponge horizontally in half to make two even layers (see photo,
here). If possible keep the cake still and let the knife do the work.
HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE

Break the chocolate into even-sized pieces so that it all melts at the same rate.
Put it into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of steaming hot (but not boiling)
water; be careful not to let the base of the bowl touch the water as it will burn the
chocolate (see photo, here). As the chocolate softens, stir it gently so it melts
evenly. You can use the chocolate as soon as it is liquid and smooth, around
30°C (86°F). If it overheats and reaches 50°C (122°F) it will ‘seize’ and become
grainy, hard and unusable, so you’ll have to start again. White chocolate is very
easy to overheat and the pieces may keep their shape, even when the chocolate is
melted, because of the high fat and sugar content. Some recipes advise to take
the bowl off the heat once the chocolate is half melted to continue melting off
the heat.
HOW TO WHIP WHIPPING CREAM
Make sure the cream is thoroughly chilled before you start to stop it curdling (in
warm weather, chill the whisk and bowl, too). Use a hand-held wire whisk
(balloon is best), hand-held rotary whisk, electric whisk, or free-standing mixer.
If you need the cream for folding in, whip on a medium speed to a soft peak. If
you are going to pipe the cream, whisk for a couple more seconds again until it
holds a firm peak (see photo, here).
HOW TO FILL A PIPING BAG
Drop the piping nozzle, if you are using one, into the piping bag, then snip off
enough of the tip so that the nozzle fits snugly and just peeps out. Twist the bag
right above the nozzle (so the mixture doesn’t ooze out while you’re filling it),
then put the bag in a tall glass or jug and fold the top of the bag over the rim (the
container will support the bag so that it’s easier to fill). Spoon the mixture into
the bag until about two-thirds full (see photo, here). Unfold the bag from the rim
and twist the top to push the icing down to the (still twisted) nozzle end, pushing
out any air pockets, then twist it again to compact the mixture and prevent it
escaping. Untwist the nozzle end and squeeze the bag so that the mixture fills the
nozzle. Practise the flow and shape of the piping before you begin.
Help!
No matter how experienced you are in the kitchen, sometimes things just go
wrong. Here are the most frequently encountered baking issues, and how to
resolve them.
MY CREAMED MIXTURE HAS CURDLED!
Don’t panic, all is not lost! First work out why this has happened, then try to fix
it.
The butter and egg emulsion ‘splits’ (looks curdled) for three reasons: the
butter was too cold and not sufficiently beaten (see here) before and after the
sugar was added; the eggs were too cold, making it difficult to make the
emulsion work; or the eggs were added too quickly, without enough beating in
between each addition. As well as the tips on here, to prevent it happening next
time, use a warmed mixing bowl if the kitchen is chilly, make sure the butter is
properly softened and that the eggs are removed from the fridge in plenty of
time. You can often save the mixture by beating in a tablespoon of hot water, or
by adding another egg yolk.
If you haven’t been able to rescue it, bake the cake anyway – it may be
smaller and heavier, but it will taste just as good.
WHY DIDN’T MY CAKE RISE?
Check your ingredients: did you use the correct flour, or did you accidentally
leave out the raising agents? If baking powder was an ingredient, check it’s still
active; if it’s stale or damp it will have lost the power to produce carbon dioxide,
which is what raises the sponge (see here).
It may be that your oven wasn’t heated to the correct temperature before
baking. Most cake mixtures need to be cooked fairly quickly, making the fat melt
as the starch expands to form the structure of the cake. An oven thermometer
will tell you if your oven’s thermostat is out by a few degrees and you can also
check if there are any hot or cool spots; if you’re baking more than one cake at a
time this can alter the bake, so they may need rotating around, or given a little
longer in the oven.
WHY ARE THERE CRACKS ON THE TOP OF MY CAKE?
Cracks are usually caused by the oven being too hot, or the cake was on too high
a shelf. The cake forms a crust too quickly but the rest of the mixture continues
to rise, causing the surface to crack. Don’t worry too much though, it will still
taste good.
WHY DID MY CAKE SINK IN THE MIDDLE?
Your cake wasn’t baked enough. This is another reason to get an oven
thermometer to double-check your oven’s thermostat. If the centre of the cake
mixture doesn’t get hot enough (around 100˚C/212˚F), then the structure won’t
become set and firm, and the middle of the cake will collapse as it cools. Use a
kitchen timer and test for doneness (see here) before pulling the cake out of the
oven to cool. And if you open the oven door too soon after putting the cake in
it’s likely to sink, so don’t be tempted to take a peek until time is up.
Disguise the dip with whipped cream and fresh fruit, or cover it up with icing.
WHY IS THERE A PEAK IN THE MIDDLE OF MY CAKE?
A slight dome is usual, a mountain isn’t! If your cake tin is too small for the
mixture the outside edges will set and form a crust while the middle keeps on
rising, as this is the last part of the cake mixture to get hot. Or maybe the cake
mixture was too dry and stiff: check the egg sizes (see here) and always weigh
everything accurately.
You can trim the cool dome away neatly and cover the surface of your cake
with a dusting of icing sugar or a layer of icing.
WHY HAS MY CAKE OVERFLOWED ITS TIN?
It’s likely that the tin was too small for the cake mixture, so check the recipe for
the tin you need to use. Sandwich cakes usually call for ‘deep’ sandwich tins,
with sides 4–5cm high – these are not the same as layer-cake tins or pans, which
are shallower.
To make it ready for the table, just cut off the excess and neaten up the top
and sides. Again, finish with a dusting of icing sugar or cover with a layer of
icing.
WHY HAS MY SPONGE CAKE STUCK TO THE TIN?
Sponge cakes are sweet, sticky mixtures, so you really need to spend a little time
on preparation. Non-stick tins are great but you still need to brush the inside and
rim with melted butter and cover the base with baking paper (see here). To be
really careful you can sprinkle a little extra of the flour used to make the cake
into the tin, then shake and twirl the tin so that the flour coats the sides evenly
before tapping out the excess. Rich fruitcakes and some deep sponge cake
recipes call for the sides to be lined too, as this helps the edges set firm as well
as helping the cake bake evenly – if you skip this step you risk the edges
becoming scorched and dry, so it’s worth taking the extra time to do it.
To get a truly stuck-in cake out of its tin, run a round-bladed knife all the way
around the inside of the tin and then leave it for about 5 minutes so it firms up a
bit. It will shrink slightly as it cools, so hopefully you’ll be able to get it out. If
it’s still not budging, leave it to cool and set firm, place a plate on top, then turn
it upside down and shake it out onto the plate.
WHY IS MY CAKE RATHER TOUGH?
Over-working an all-in-one or rubbed-in cake mixture (see here and here) can
develop the gluten in the flour, causing a tougher, bread-like bake, so be careful
not to over-beat these mixtures (see here): stop as soon as everything has been
incorporated and looks smoothly amalgamated.
There’s not a great deal you can do if your cake is heavy like this, but try
using it in a trifle, moistened with sherry.
WHY IS MY CAKE SOGGY?
Check your recipe to see whether your cake needs to be turned out onto a wire
rack as soon as it comes out of the oven (see here) – this will prevent the steam
inside it condensing and making the base soggy. Sponge cakes are usually
unmoulded fairly rapidly, but larger cakes and fruitcakes are best left to cool in
the tin to prevent them cracking or splitting, and only unmoulded once they have
firmed up. A few cakes, often those baked in springclip tins, need a few minutes
for the edges to firm up before the sides of the tin are unclipped. Always run a
round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cake unless the
recipe says otherwise. And if you do have a cake with the dreaded soggy bottom,
you can always just cut off the base.
BAKE IT BETTER
Recipes
Easy does it
Vanilla Traybake
Quick Berry Muffins
Chocolate Brownies
Sticky Gingerbread
Carrot Spice Cake
Rich Lemon Cupcakes
Double Marble Cake
Classic Swiss Roll

Battenberg Cake
Whisky Dundee Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Cherry Cake
Devil’s Food Cake
Black Forest Gâteau
Sachertorte
Gâteau le Progrès
Up for a challenge
Chess Cake
Porter Fruitcake
Fraisier
Gâteau de l’Opéra
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
10 minutes
BAKING TIME:
12–15 minutes
MAKES:
10 cakes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
None
METHOD USED:
Rubbed-in method, see here
STORAGE:
Eaten the day you make them
A great starter cake for getting to grips with the rubbed-in method. No fancy
equipment here – just grab a spoon and mixing bowl to make a batch of these
little foolproof cakes.
225g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
couple of good pinches of salt
85g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
85g golden caster sugar
100g luxury dried fruit mix
1 medium egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon demerara or coarse sugar crystals, for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan), 400°F, Gas 6. Line the baking sheet
with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, mixed spice, ground ginger and salt into a mixing bowl, then
drop in the butter pieces, tossing them in the flour to lightly coat. Using the very
tips of your fingers and thumbs, rub in the butter with the flour so that the
mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add the golden caster sugar and luxury dried
fruit mix to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula.
3. Break the egg into a separate bowl, pour in the milk and beat them with a fork
until just combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir together until you have a
very firm, stiff dough. The dough should hold its shape, but if it refuses to come
together or there are stray dry crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, stir in a little
more milk, a teaspoon at a time. Don’t add too much milk, though – if the
mixture is too soft it will collapse into scones in the oven!
5. Use a spoon to scoop out the mixture and make 10 heaped peaky mounds on
the prepared baking sheet. Space them well apart so that they can spread out.
Sprinkle over the demerara or coarse sugar crystals.
6. Bake for 12–15 minutes until a good golden colour and firm to the touch. If
they look like they are not baking evenly after the first 8 minutes, rotate the
baking sheet.
7. Put the rock cakes on a wire rack and leave them to cool. Eat warm or at room
temperature, preferably on the day you baked them.
Try Something Different

To make Fat Rascals (a richer version of Rock Cakes), replace the ground ginger
with ½ tsp ground cinnamon and a few gratings of nutmeg, and use single cream
instead of milk. Top each cake with 3 blanched almonds before you bake them.
Eat warm, smothered with melting butter.
Vanilla Traybake
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
10 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
20 squares
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
25.5 × 20.5 × 5cm traybake tin, cake tin or roasting tin
METHOD USED:
All-in-one method, see here
STORAGE:
Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container
A traybake is a simple no-fuss all-in-one mixture. It uses just a few ingredients

you probably already have, but can be glammed up with anything from glittery
sprinkles to silver balls.
For the sponge

125g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium eggs, at room temperature, beaten
1 tablespoon milk, at room temperature
For the frosting

250g icing sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or to taste
decorations of your choice
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease and line the tin
with butter and baking paper.
2. To make the sponge, put the butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, milk and flour into a
large bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer. Beat everything together with a spoon or
the whisk attachment. Start slowly – otherwise the mixture could fly out of the
bowl – and scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then with a spatula.
After about 2 minutes the mixture should look very smooth and light. If you are
adding any flavourings or other ingredients, stir them in now.
3. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out right into the corners,
making sure it is nice and even. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the top is a good
golden brown. You can check your cake is cooked by gently pressing the centre
lightly with your fingertips; it should spring back.
4. Stand the tin on a wire rack and run a round-bladed knife around the inside to
loosen the sponge. Leave it to cool and firm up in the tin and it will be easier to
remove. When cooled, turn out the cake and peel off the paper.
5. While the sponge is cooling, make the frosting. Sift the icing sugar into a
mixing bowl then add the butter, milk and vanilla extract and beat well with a
spoon or electric whisk on a low speed until the frosting is smooth and light.
6. Swirl the icing over the top of the cold sponge with a palette knife. If you want
to decorate the top, do it now before the icing firms up. Cut into squares to serve.

Stir in 5 tbsp chocolate chips, dried fruit, fudge chunks or chopped mixed nuts at
the end of Step 3.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
55–60 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
900g loaf tin (about 26 × 12.5 × 7.5cm)
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
This lemon drizzle is made using the same speedy all-in-one technique as the
Vanilla Traybake (here), but with a little baking powder added to achieve a good
rise.
For the sponge

175g unsalted butter, very soft (but not runny)
250g caster sugar
100ml milk, at room temperature
finely grated zest of 2 medium unwaxed lemons
½ teaspoon baking powder
good pinch of salt
For the drizzle

finely grated zest of 1 medium unwaxed lemon
juice of 2 medium lemons
100g caster sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease the tin with
butter and line the base and two short sides with a long strip of baking paper.
2. To make the sponge, put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a
food-mixer. Add the sugar, eggs, milk and finely grated lemon zest and sift over
the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat everything together using a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment. Start
slowly so that the ingredients don’t fly out of the bowl, then increase the speed
to medium–high and beat for a minute or so until you have a very smooth and
creamy cake mixture.
4. Scrape the mixture out of the bowl and into the prepared tin and spread it out
evenly, working the cake mixture into the corners and making sure the surface is
level.
5. Bake for 55–60 minutes until the top is a good golden brown. Check your cake
is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out
clean, it is ready.
6. While the cake is in the oven, make the drizzle. Put the lemon zest, juice and
sugar into a small bowl and stir well until you have a thick, sticky glaze.
7. Stand the cake in its tin on a wire rack and prick the sponge all over with a
cocktail stick. Quickly pour the drizzle over the sponge, using the back of the
spoon to push it into the holes.
8. Leave the cake, still in its tin, on the rack until cold. When it is cold, run a
round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cake, then use the
ends of the lining paper to lift it out. Peel off the lining paper, cut it into slices
and serve.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
70 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm springclip tin or deep round cake tin
METHOD USED:
Rubbed-in method, see here
STORAGE:
A moist and light ‘cut and come again’ fruitcake that uses the very forgiving
rubbed-in method, which makes it a perfect fruitcake for first-time bakers to
make.
For the sponge

good pinch of salt
175g unsalted butter, cold and firm (but not hard), diced
finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
275g luxury mixed fruit
150g marzipan, cut into 1.5cm cubes
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
For the topping

2 tablespoons apricot jam, sifted, or apricot glaze
2 teaspoons boiling water
2 tablespoons toasted flaked almonds
with baking paper.
2. To make the sponge, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then add the
butter, tossing it in the flour to coat. Using the very tips of your fingers, rub in
the butter with the flour until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the
golden caster sugar and lemon zest with a wooden spoon. When everything is
combined, add the mixed fruit and marzipan and mix well.
3. Beat the eggs and milk in a small bowl with a fork until just combined, then tip
them into the mixing bowl and stir well with the spoon until you have a stiff
mixture. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
4. Bake for 70 minutes until golden brown. Check your cake is cooked by
inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean, it is
ready. You might need to test in several places to avoid hitting a lump of
marzipan, though!
5. Set the tin on a wire rack, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin
to loosen the cake, then unclip the sides. Leave on the rack until cold.
6. To make the topping, mix the jam with the boiling water until smooth, then
brush it over the cake. Scatter over the almonds and leave to set for 20 minutes.

Add a simple icing: sift 50g icing sugar into a bowl and stir in 2½ tsp lemon
juice until smooth. Taste, adding a few more drops of lemon juice if needed, then
pour the icing over the cake, letting it gently run down the sides.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
10 minutes
BAKING TIME:
18–20 minutes
MAKES:
12 cupcakes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
12-hole cupcake tray, Food-processor (optional)
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Using oil instead of butter in this super-speedy cupcake recipe means you don’t
have to cream the mixture.
For the sponge

40g cocoa powder
good pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
125ml sunflower oil
1 medium egg, at room temperature
175ml milk, at room temperature
100g white chocolate chips (or milk or dark)
For the frosting

75g icing sugar
25g cocoa powder
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
2 tablespoons milk
extra chocolate chips, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan), 375°F, Gas 5. Line the cupcake tray
with paper cases.
2. Put the flour, cocoa powder, salt and sugar into the food-processor bowl fitted
with the blade. Pulse 3–4 times until everything is thoroughly mixed. (If you
don’t have a food-processor make the cakes using the traditional all-in-one
whisking method, it just takes a bit longer.)
3. Pour the sunflower oil into a jug with the egg, milk and vanilla extract and
beat everything together with a fork until the egg is broken up.
4. Switch on the food-processor and pour the liquid through the feed tube with
the machine running. Once it is all added, stop the machine, scrape down the
bowl, then pulse again for 10 seconds, until the mixture is smooth, creamy and
streak-free.
5. Remove the blade and stir the chocolate chips into the cake mix using a plastic
spatula. Divide the mixture between the paper cases so they are half filled.
6. Bake for 18–20 minutes. Check the cakes after 15 minutes and if they aren’t
cooking evenly, rotate the tray. They are ready when they spring back when you
gently press them in the centre. Carefully remove from the tray and cool on a
wire rack.
7. To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl.
Melt the butter with the sugar and milk in a small pan over a low heat, stir well,
then bring to the boil. Once boiling, immediately pour the mixture over the icing
sugar and cocoa. Mix until smooth. Leave for 10 minutes until thickened and
spreadable.
8. Swirl the frosting over the cooled cupcakes using a round-bladed knife or an
offset palette knife. Scatter over the extra chocolate chips before the frosting
sets.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
55 minutes
MAKES:
1 large loaf cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
900g loaf tin (about 26 × 12.5 × 7cm)
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Eat the same day or keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Banana bread is another classic all-in-one cake. This one has a lovely dense
texture, so there is no need for baking powder. Dark brown bananas add intense
flavour and sweetness.
100g unsalted butter

good pinch of salt
150g light muscovado sugar
100g pecan or walnut pieces
50g dark chocolate chips
250g peeled very ripe bananas (2–3 depending on size)
2. Gently melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, or in the microwave.
Leave to cool.
3. Put the flour, salt, muscovado sugar, pecan or walnut pieces and dark
chocolate chips into a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon,
crushing any big lumps of sugar.
4. Put the peeled bananas onto a large plate and mash them fairly roughly with a
fork – you don’t want a smooth purée, it’s better to have some small lumps left
in to give a little texture to the cake. Add the bananas to the bowl with the eggs
and the cooled melted butter, then mix together for 1 minute, using a wooden
spoon, until everything is well combined.
5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it around evenly, getting it
right into the corners of the tin.
6. Bake for 55 minutes until the top of the cake is a good golden brown. Check
your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it
comes out clean, it is ready. Test it in a few other spots, too, in case you hit a
lump of molten chocolate.
7. Stand the tin on a wire rack and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Run a round-
bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cake, then carefully lift it
out using the ends of the lining paper. Leave it on the wire rack until it is
completely cold, then peel off the lining paper.
Quick Berry Muffins
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
10 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
12 muffins
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
12-hole cupcake tray, deep-hole bun tray or muffin tray
METHOD USED:
Creamed method, see here
STORAGE:
Eaten the day you make them
These lovely and easy fresh fruit muffins are a great way to practise making a
creamed cake mixture. It’s a simple way to add lightness to a bake that you’ll
use again and again.

150g caster sugar
1 medium unwaxed lemon
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125ml natural yoghurt (unsweetened, not Greek-style)
200g fresh blueberries or raspberries
2 tablespoons coarse sugar crystals, for sprinkling
with paper cases.
2. Put the butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and beat well
with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until the mixture is creamy.
Gradually beat in the caster sugar, scraping down the bowl every now and then.
Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the bowl and beat it in.
3. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and beat them with a fork until broken up,
then beat into the mixing bowl, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is quite
soft.
4. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and stir in with a plastic
spatula or wooden spoon.
5. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from the lemon and stir this into the yoghurt,
then stir this into the muffin mixture. As soon as it is thoroughly combined, add
the fresh blueberries or raspberries to the bowl and gently fold in so the fruit
does not break up.
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, dividing it equally so that they are
equally filled, then sprinkle over the coarse sugar crystals.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown. Check that the centres of the
muffins feel firm when gently pressed. Set the tray on a wire rack and leave the
muffins to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then lift them out of the tray and onto
the wire rack to cool. Eat warm or at room temperature on the day you baked
them.

For a slightly healthier bake, replace the white flour with wholemeal self-raising
flour, add an extra tablespoon of yoghurt, and replace the sugar crystals with
granola for a healthy crunchy topping.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
60–70 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm springclip tin or loose-based deep round cake tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
This delicious apple and ginger cake shows you how to add flavour to a basic
all-in-one mixture.
For the sponge

good pinch of salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 lumps (about 60g) stem ginger, drained and finely chopped
3 tablespoons ginger syrup from the stem ginger jar
3 Braeburn apples (about 400g)
For the topping

150g plain flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
icing sugar, for dusting
whipped cream flavoured with sugar and vanilla, to serve
2. To make the sponge, put the butter, sugar and eggs into a large mixing bowl or
the bowl of a mixer and sift over the flour, salt and ground ginger.
3. Add the ginger and syrup. Beat with a spoon or the whisk attachment (start
slowly so you don’t make a mess), for 2 minutes until you have a streak-free
creamy batter. Spread the mixture into the prepared tin.
4. Peel, quarter and core the apples, then thinly slice them. Arrange in an even
layer on top of the mixture.
5. To make the crumble topping, sift the flour and ground ginger into a small
bowl. Stir in the sugar, then add the butter pieces and toss them in the flour until
coated. Using the tips of your fingers, rub in the butter with the flour until the
mixture looks like fine crumbs.
6. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples, then press down gently but firmly
with the flat of your hand – this will make the cake easier to slice. Then dip your
fingers in cold water and lightly flick it over the crumble topping to just dampen
it – another clever trick to make slicing easier!
7. Bake for 60–70 minutes until well risen and lightly golden. Check your cake is
cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out
clean, it is ready.
8. Set the tin on a wire rack and run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the
tin to loosen the cake, then carefully unclip the sides or gently take the cake out
of the tin. Leave until cold on the wire rack, then dust with icing sugar. Serve
with whipped cream flavoured with a little sugar and vanilla extract.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
45 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium loaf cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
450g loaf tin (about 19 × 12.5 × 7.5cm)
METHOD USED:
Melted method, see here
STORAGE:
Wrap in baking or greaseproof paper, store in an airtight container and eat within 4 days. The cake will
deepen in flavour as it matures and is even better the day after baking
You only need a pan, wooden spoon and tin for this melted mixture – the perfect
method for making moisture-rich cakes. Here the tea-soaked fruit produces a
deliciously sticky cake.
350g mixed dried vine fruits (raisins, sultanas and currants)

250ml strong ‘builders’’ tea (without milk)
100g unsalted butter, diced
100g dark muscovado sugar
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
225g wholemeal plain flour
good pinch of salt
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2 medium eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1. Put the dried fruits, tea, butter, dark muscovado sugar and ground mixed spice
into a large pan. Set over a low heat and stir gently with a wooden spoon until
the butter has melted, then increase the heat to medium and let the mixture
simmer for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Turn off the heat and leave to cool
for 15–20 minutes until you can comfortably dip your little finger into it.
2. While the mixture is cooling down, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan),
350°F, Gas 4. Grease the tin with butter and line the base and two short sides
with a long strip of baking paper.
3. Set a sieve over the pan of barely warm mixture and sift in the wholemeal
plain flour, salt and baking powder (tip any bran that’s left in the sieve into the
pan). Pour in the beaten eggs, then mix well with the wooden spoon until
combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly.
4. Bake for 45 minutes until the cake is well risen and a good golden brown.
Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre;
if it comes out clean, it is ready.
5. Stand the tin on a wire rack and leave until cold, then use the ends of the lining
paper to help lift the cake out.

For a slightly different, citrusy flavour, use mixed fruit that includes chopped
orange and lemon peel.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
55 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm springclip tin or loose-based deep round cake tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. The cake tastes best if you let it come back
up to room temperature or gently warm it before serving
Tangy blackberries add a jam-like layer between the moist all-in-one sponge and
crunchy streusel topping – a crumbly combination of flour, butter, sugar and, in
this case, cinnamon.
For the sponge

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
175g fresh blackberries
For the streusel topping

50g demerara sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
2 tablespoons flaked almonds (optional), for sprinkling
2. To make the sponge, sift the flour and ground cinnamon into a mixing bowl or
the bowl of a food-mixer, then add the butter and golden caster sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the vanilla essence and eggs with a fork for a
few seconds, just until the eggs are broken up. Tip these into the mixing bowl.
Beat everything together with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment, starting
slowly so that the mixture doesn’t fly out of the bowl. After a minute or so,
scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again until the ingredients are
combined and the mixture is very smooth and streak-free.
4. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly, then scatter
the fresh blackberries over the top nice and evenly.
5. To make the streusel topping, put the flour, demerara sugar and ground
cinnamon into a bowl and mix them together. Add the butter and toss the pieces
in the flour until coated. Using the tips of your fingers and thumbs, rub in the
butter and flour until you have small pea-sized lumps.
6. Scatter the streusel topping over the fruit in an even layer, then top with the
flaked almonds (if using). Bake for about 55 minutes, until the topping is a good
golden brown. If you think the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with
a sheet of baking or greaseproof paper. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a
cocktail stick or skewer into the centre (avoiding the berries); if it comes out
clean, it is ready.
7. Set the tin on a wire rack and run a round-bladed knife around the inside to
loosen the cake, then leave for 5 minutes to firm up before unclipping the tin.
Cool on the rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.
Chocolate Brownies
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES:
36 squares
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm square brownie tin or shallow cake tin
METHOD USED:
Whisked method, see here
STORAGE:
Keep in an airtight container and eat within a week
Who can resist a brownie? This rich brownie is made from high-quality dark
chocolate and uses a combination of the melted and whisked methods to create
that signature squishy texture.

100g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids), broken or
chopped into even-sized pieces
200g caster sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
50g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
good pinch of salt
75g walnut pieces
2. Put the butter into a small heavy-based pan and drop in the chocolate pieces.
Set the pan over the lowest possible heat and melt gently, stirring frequently with
a wooden spoon, until the mixture is smooth but not hot. Remove the pan from
the heat and leave the mixture to cool until needed.
3. Put the caster sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl and
whisk with a wire hand whisk until thoroughly combined, then whisk in the
cooled melted chocolate mixture.
4. Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder and salt into the bowl, and mix thoroughly
with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula. Stir in the walnuts, then scrape the
mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. Bang the tin on the
worktop to settle the mixture and knock out any pockets of air.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes. Check your brownies are cooked by inserting a
cocktail stick or skewer halfway between the sides of the tin and the centre of
the cake. Don’t test the centre because you want that to be slightly soft as the
cake will continue cooking for few minutes once it’s out of the oven, and you
want a squidgy, not a dry, brownie! The mixture will puff up in the oven but
don’t be alarmed if it starts to sink as it cools – that’s normal and will give you a
dense, fudgy brownie.
6. Stand the tin on a wire rack then run a round-bladed knife around the inside of
the tin to loosen the cake. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before
cutting it into squares.
Sticky Gingerbread
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
45–50 minutes
MAKES:
1 large loaf cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Wrap the loaf in fresh baking paper or foil and store in an airtight container. Keep for up to 1 week
Rich, moist gingerbread is made using the melted method. This one is made
with spices and thick black treacle.

good pinch of salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
60g glacé ginger, or crystallised or drained stem ginger, very finely chopped
115g golden syrup
115g black treacle
115g dark brown muscovado sugar
275ml milk (not skimmed)
1 medium egg, at room temperature, beaten
2. Sift the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice into
a large mixing bowl then add the butter pieces, tossing them in the flour until
coated. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine
crumbs. Stir in the ginger with a wooden spoon, then put the bowl to one side.
3. Weigh the golden syrup and black treacle directly into a pan then warm gently
until melted and runny but not hot. Leave to cool until barely warm.
4. Put the muscovado sugar and milk into a separate pan over a low heat and stir
until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool until barely warm, then pour it into the flour
mixture, followed by the melted syrup mixture and egg. Mix together with a
wire hand whisk or a spoon until it’s a thick but runny batter the consistency of
double cream.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake for 45–50 minutes until well
risen and firm to the touch. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail
stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean, it is ready.
6. Stand the tin on a wire rack. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the
tin to loosen the cake. Leave it in the tin until completely cold, then turn it out.

Top the gingerbread with a simple zesty lemon glacé icing. Sift 65g icing sugar
into a bowl and mix in 1 tbsp lemon juice until you have a smooth, runny, thin
icing. Spoon this over the loaf while it is still in the tin, gently spreading it and
letting it trickle down the sides. Scatter over small chunks of the same ginger
you used for the cake. Leave to set before slicing.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
10–12 minutes
MAKES:
12 Madeleines
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Metal or silicone Madeleine mould tray
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
These little lemony cakes are made from a whisked sponge, giving them their
light texture – no baking powder required. A fab way to get the hang of whisking
eggs to the right consistency.

155g plain flour
good pinch of salt
finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon
140g caster sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan), 375°F, Gas 5. Carefully brush the tray
with melted butter, chill, then brush the tray a second time.
2. Gently melt the butter in a pan and leave to cool until needed.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the lemon zest until thoroughly
combined. Put to one side for now.
4. Put the eggs and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer
and whisk for about 4 minutes, until the mixture is very thick, pale and mousse-
like. The whisk should leave a thick, ribbon-like trail when lifted.
5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg and sugar mousse and gently but
thoroughly fold it in using a large metal spoon. Drizzle the melted butter over the
top and gently fold in in the same way until there are no more streaks.
6. Spoon about a heaped teaspoon of the mixture into each of the prepared
moulds – they should be about two-thirds to three-quarters full, so adjust as
needed as moulds vary. You will need to bake these in two batches.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden and the sponge springs back when gently
pressed in the middle.
8. Stand the tray on a wire rack and leave to cool and firm up for a couple of
minutes, then tip out the Madeleines onto the wire rack and leave to cool.
9. To bake the next batch, wipe out the warm moulds with kitchen paper, then
brush them with melted butter, chill for 2 minutes, and re-butter as before. Then
fill them again with more mixture.
10. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Lemon zest adds a delicate flavour, but you could use 1 tsp orange flower water
or the zest of 1 small orange instead, or 2 or 3 drops of almond extract.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
30–35 minutes
MAKES:
20 squares
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
25.5 × 20.5 × 5cm traybake tin, cake tin or roasting tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Once you’ve mastered a basic traybake you can make this extra-light Bramley
apple and maple syrup version using the whisked method.
For the sponge

400g Bramley cooking apples
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 medium egg whites, at room temperature
2 medium whole eggs, at room temperature
finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
150g light brown muscovado sugar
125ml sunflower oil
50g pecan or walnut pieces, plus extra for topping (optional)
275g plain flour (white or wholemeal)
For the topping

3 tablespoons maple syrup
175g full-fat cream cheese
2. Peel, quarter and core the apples, then cut into 1cm chunks. Put them in a bowl
with the ground cinnamon and the maple syrup, and toss them together until
thoroughly coated. Put the apple to one side until needed.
3. Put the egg whites into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and whisk
with an electric hand whisk or the whisk attachment, until it makes stiff peaks
when you lift the whisk. Put to one side or scoop into a smaller bowl.
4. Break the whole eggs into a separate larger mixing bowl or the empty food-
mixer bowl. Add the lemon zest and the sugar, and whisk until the mixture is
thick and very frothy and the whisk leaves a distinct ribbon-like trail when lifted.
There’s no need to wash the whisk before the next step.
5. Now keep whisking the mixture and at the same time pour in the 125ml
sunflower oil in a thin, steady stream.
6. Stir in the apple mixture and the 50g pecan or walnut pieces (if using) with a
large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Sift the 275g flour, ½ teaspoon baking
powder and 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda into the bowl (if you are using
wholemeal flour, tip the bran left in the sieve into the bowl), and gently stir in.
Fold in the beaten egg whites in three batches.
7. Gently scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. Bake
in the centre of the oven for 30–35 minutes until the sponge is golden brown.
if it comes out clean, it is ready.
8. Set the tin on a wire rack and run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the
tin to loosen the sponge. Leave until cold then turn out the cake and peel off the
baking paper.
9. While the sponge is cooling, make the topping. Put the 3 tablespoons maple
syrup, 75g butter, 75g muscovado sugar and 175g cream cheese into a mixing
bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric whisk until creamy and smooth.
10. Turn out the cooled sponge onto a serving plate or cake board and spread the
topping over the traybake using a palette knife. If you want to add some chopped
nuts, sprinkle them over now. Leave in a cool spot to firm up, then cut into 20
pieces.
Carrot Spice Cake
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
25–30 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 × 20.5cm round sandwich cake tins
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Always popular, this classic carrot cake is quick to put together using the all-in-
one method and has a delightful combination of creamy and crunchy textures.
For the sponge

1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
200g caster sugar
100g walnut pieces, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped for topping
3 medium eggs
150ml sunflower oil
500g carrots, coarsely grated
For the cream cheese frosting

1 large unwaxed lime
200g full-fat cream cheese
150g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease and line the cake
tins with butter and baking paper.
2. To make the sponge, sift the self-raising flour, baking powder, ground
cinnamon, grated nutmeg, ground ginger and ground mixed spice into a large
bowl. Add the caster sugar and walnuts and mix with a wooden spoon.
3. In a separate bowl, add the eggs to the sunflower oil and beat lightly with a
fork. Pour into the dry ingredients, tip in the grated carrots and mix again.
Divide the carrot mixture equally between the two prepared cake tins – if you
want to be really accurate, use your scales, or you can just do it by eye.
4. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the cakes are golden and a cocktail stick or
skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out the cakes onto a wire
rack, carefully peeling off the lining paper, then leave them until cold.
5. While the cakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Finely grate the
lime zest into a mixing bowl, squeeze in 1½ teaspoons of the lime juice and add
the cream cheese and butter. Sift the icing sugar over the top then beat
everything together with an electric whisk until the mixture is smooth, creamy
and spreadable. If it is a warm day or your kitchen is hot, cover the bowl at this
point and pop it in the fridge to chill for a couple of minutes to thicken up the
frosting.
6. Now put your cake together. Flip one sponge so it’s top-side down on a serving
plate and spread it with half the cream cheese frosting. Pop the second sponge on
top and spread it with the rest of the frosting using a round-bladed or palette
knife. You don’t need to make a perfectly neat finish, but it looks nice with a
little swirl made with a flick of the knife at the end. Finally, scatter the finely
chopped walnuts around the edge.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
50 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm springclip tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Eat the same day or the next day. Keep in an airtight container
This rich gluten-free sponge is made from a standard creamed mixture, but
polenta and almonds replace the flour.
For the sponge

1 large navel orange, organic/unwaxed
60g medium/fine polenta
250g ground almonds
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
For the syrup

3 tablespoons golden caster sugar
1 tablespoon orange liqueur, orange brandy or orange juice
To decorate
2 tablespoons toasted flaked almonds
extra orange zest (optional)
tin with butter and baking paper.
mixer. Finely grate the zest of the orange onto the butter (putting the fruit to one
side for now) and beat well with a spoon or whisk attachment until creamy and
mayonnaise-like. Gradually beat in the sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time,
scraping down the sides of the bowl every now and then. When all the sugar is
in, beat for another couple of minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.
3. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with a fork until broken up.
Gradually beat the eggs into the butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, beating
well each time. Don’t worry if the mixture looks slightly runny or curdled once
the last bit of egg has been added.
4. Sift the polenta, almonds and baking powder into the bowl. Cut the orange in
half, squeeze out the juice and add 1 tablespoon to the bowl, keeping the rest for
the syrup. Gently fold everything together using a large metal spoon or plastic
spatula until thoroughly combined and streak-free.
5. Scrape the mixture into the tin and spread it out evenly. Bake for about 50
minutes until the sponge is a good golden brown and check that the middle
springs back when gently pressed.
6. While the sponge is baking, make the syrup. Put the sugar, 5 tablespoons of
the reserved juice and the liqueur (if using) into a small pan and heat gently,
stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, simmer for 2–3 minutes to
make a light syrup, then lower the heat to keep it warm.
7. As soon as the cake is ready, put it on a wire rack still in its tin. Prick the hot
sponge all over with a cocktail stick, then quickly spoon the hot syrup over – the
cake will sink in the middle. Scatter with the almonds and zest (if using), then
cool completely.
8. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the cake, then
unclip the sides and take it out of the tin.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20–25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 × 20.5cm round deep sandwich cake tins
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Eat immediately or keep in an airtight container for a jam-filled cake, or in the fridge if you’ve used cream,
for up to 3 days. (Take it out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving.)
The nation’s favourite cake, traditionally the ingredients are calculated by

weighing the eggs in their shells and using this weight for the butter, sugar and
flour.
For the sponge

about 175g unsalted butter, softened
about 175g caster sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract about 175g self-raising flour 1 tablespoon water from
the warm water tap
For the filling

6 tablespoons good-quality raspberry jam
150ml double or whipping cream, well chilled (optional)
tins with butter and baking paper.
2. Weigh the eggs – 3 medium eggs in their shells weigh around 175g – then use
this same weight for the butter, sugar and flour.
3. Put the soft (but not oily) butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a
food-mixer and beat well with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until
very creamy and mayonnaise-like. Scrape down any butter mixture from the
sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula, then gradually beat in the sugar a couple
of tablespoons at a time. Scrape the mixture off the sides of the bowl again and
beat well for 1 minute or until the mixture looks very light and fluffy. Scrape
down the mixture again.
4. Break the 3 eggs into a small jug, add the ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract and beat
with a fork just until the eggs are broken up. Gradually add to the butter mixture
a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the
sides of the bowl from time to time. If the mixture looks like it might be
‘splitting’ or curdling, rather than appearing smooth and creamy, stir in a
tablespoon of the flour with each of the last two additions of egg.
5. Sift the rest of the flour onto the mixture. Start to gently fold in the flour with a
large metal spoon or plastic spatula and after two or three movements add the
warm water. Keep folding in until the flour is well mixed in and there are no
streaks.
6. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins – if you want to be really
precise, use your scales, or just do it by eye, then spread it evenly.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the sponges are a light golden brown, starting to
shrink back from the sides of the tin. Check the sponges after 15 minutes and if
they aren’t baking evenly, rotate the trays. Check that the sponge springs back
when lightly pressed in the middle.
8. When cooked, take them out of the oven and run a round-bladed knife around
the outside of each tin to loosen the sponge. Leave for a minute to firm up, then
carefully turn out the cakes onto a wire rack. Leave until they are completely
cooled.
9. If you are using cream, put a bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment) in the
fridge to chill.
10. To assemble the cake, set one sponge crust-side down on a serving plate.
Using the back of a tablespoon, evenly spread the sponge with the 6 tablespoons
raspberry jam.
11. Pour the cream, if using, into the chilled bowl and whip with the chilled
whisk or attachment until it thickens and soft peaks form when you lift out the
whisk. Spoon the cream onto the cake and then gently smooth it evenly over the
jam. Top with the second sponge, crust-side up, and dust with icing sugar.
To make a Chocolate Sponge Cake, replace the flour in the recipe above with
150g self-raising flour and 30g cocoa powder, sifting the cocoa powder into the
bowl with the flour and replacing the warm water with 2 tbsp room-temperature
milk. Sandwich the sponges with chocolate spread instead of jam, or make up a
classic chocolate butter icing using 125g soft unsalted butter creamed with 400g
sifted icing sugar and flavoured with 3 tbsp cocoa powder plus 3–4 tbsp milk or
cold coffee. This will make enough to fill and top the cake.
Rich Lemon Cupcakes
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
15 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
12 cupcakes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
12-hole cupcake tray or deep-hole bun tray
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Take your cupcakes to the next level by adding buttermilk to the classic
creamed mixture. The buttermilk is mildly acidic, giving your bake a lovely fine
and light texture.

1 large unwaxed lemon
100ml buttermilk
For the frosting

250g icing sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons Lemon Curd (see here)
with paper cases.
2. Put the butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and beat for 1
minute with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until the mixture is very
creamy and mayonnaise-like.
3. Sprinkle the caster sugar into the bowl. Finely grate the zest of the lemon on
top, then halve the lemon, squeeze the juice into a small bowl and put to one
side. Beat the mixture until very light and fluffy, scraping down any mixture that
has splattered onto the sides of the bowl every now and then.
4. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork until broken up.
Gradually beat the eggs into the mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well
after every time and scraping down the sides of the bowl as before.
5. Sift one-third of the flour into the bowl and fold in with a large metal spoon,
then add one-third of the buttermilk and fold in. Repeat twice more until all the
flour and buttermilk have been well mixed in. Lastly, fold in 2 teaspoons of the
reserved lemon juice (you won’t need the rest).
6. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases so that they are evenly filled. Bake for
20–25 minutes until the cakes are a light golden brown and feel just firm to the
touch. Check the cakes after 15 minutes and if they aren’t baking evenly, turn the
tray around.
7. To make the frosting, beat the 75g butter in a large bowl or mixer bowl until
creamy using a wooden spoon or electric whisk attachment.
8. At a slow speed, gradually beat in the 250g sifted icing sugar. Once all the
sugar has been incorporated, beat in the 3 tablespoons lemon curd to make a
smooth and light icing. The frosting should be firm enough to spread, pipe or
swirl on top of your cupcakes; if it seems soft or slightly runny, cover the bowl
and pop it in the fridge until it is firm but spreadable.
9. Remove the tray of cupcakes from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Leave to
cool for 2 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to the rack and leave until cold.
10. Swirl the frosting over the cooled cupcakes using a round-bladed knife or
offset palette knife.
11. Sprinkle over any decorations immediately before the frosting firms up.

For vanilla cupcakes, replace the lemon zest and juice with ¾ tsp vanilla extract.
Top with vanilla frosting, replacing the lemon curd with 4 tbsp milk and 1 tsp
vanilla extract. Or replace the lemon zest and juice with the finely grated zest of
1 medium orange and 2 tsp of the squeezed juice and flavour the topping with 2
tbsp orange juice instead of the lemon curd.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
60–70 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
22cm springclip tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Tastes best the day after you make it. Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days
This is a really good chocolate cake that should be in everyone’s repertoire,

quickly made using the no-fuss all-in-one method. Its glossy frosting is easy to
apply yet gives a great finish.
For the sponge

75g cocoa powder
large pinch of salt
250g unsalted butter, very soft
100g chocolate chips (milk, dark or white chocolate)
For the frosting

100g good-quality milk chocolate
100g icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2. To make the sponge, sift the self-raising flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking
powder into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer. Add the
muscovado sugar, breaking up any lumps, the butter and the eggs.
3. Using a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment, start beating everything

together, slowly at first so that the mixture doesn’t fly everywhere, then a little
faster until the mixture is silky smooth and light. Scrape down any mixture
splattered on the sides of the bowl from time to time so that the batter is evenly
mixed with no streaks.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips using the wooden spoon or a plastic spatula, then
scrape the mixture into the prepared tin. Spread the mixture evenly, then make a
saucer-like hollow in the middle of the cake, about 2cm deep. This helps the
sponge rise evenly; you may still get a little cracked dome, but it will avoid a
large volcanic peak.
5. Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 50–60 minutes until the top is firm
to the touch. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer
into the centre; if it comes out clean, it is ready.
6. Set the tin on a wire rack, then run a round-bladed knife around the inside of
the tin to loosen the sponge, and gently unclip the tin. Leave until completely
cold before icing.
7. To make the frosting, break up the 100g milk chocolate into even-sized pieces
and put it into a heatproof bowl large enough to hold all the frosting ingredients.
Set the bowl over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let the base
of the bowl touch the water – and leave to melt gently, or melt the chocolate
carefully in the microwave in 10-second bursts.
8. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the 100g unsalted butter. When
melted and smooth, sift the 100g icing sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
into the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon to make a smooth and thick but
spreadable icing.
9. Spread and swirl the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled cake using a
round-bladed knife or an off-set palette knife.
10. Now carefully spread and smooth the frosting evenly around the sides of the
cake. If you want to add any decorations or candles pop them on now while the
frosting is still soft.
For a darker and less sweet topping, use 50g good-quality milk chocolate and
50g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids).
Double Marble Cake
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
60 minutes
MAKES:
1 large loaf cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
This impressive cake cuts into pretty chocolate brown and golden marbled slices
– made by dividing the creamed mixture and adding cocoa to half of it. Rich
icing makes it even more special.
For the sponge

225g caster sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
good pinch of salt
For the topping

100g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids), broken up
40g unsalted butter, very soft
50g white chocolate, broken up
food-mixer and beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment
until the mixture is creamy and mayonnaise-like.
3. Gradually beat in the caster sugar, scraping down any mixture on the sides of
the bowl now and then, then beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Beat
in the vanilla essence.
4. Gradually beat in the eggs, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each
addition and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the last two additions.
5. Sift the rest of the flour and the salt onto the mixture and gently fold in using a
large metal spoon.
6. Scoop out half the mixture into a separate bowl and put it to one side.
7. Sift the cocoa powder into one bowl of cake mixture, add the milk and very
gently stir everything together using a large metal spoon or plastic spatula until
all the cocoa is mixed in.
8. Using soup spoons, put alternate spoonfuls of the two mixtures into the
prepared tin until you have used them both up. Bang the tin on the worktop
several times to level the contents and knock out any pockets of air. Now
carefully swirl the two mixtures together with the handle of a teaspoon or a table
knife.
9. Bake the cake for 60 minutes until the top is lightly golden and firm. Check
your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it
comes out clean, it is ready.
10. Set the tin on a wire rack, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the
tin to loosen the cake, then leave for 5 minutes to firm up. Gently remove the
cake from the tin – use the ends of the lining paper to help lift the cake out – and
leave on the wire rack until cold.
11. While the cake is cooling, make the topping. Put the 100g dark chocolate into
a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t
let the base of the bowl touch the water – and leave to melt gently, then remove
the bowl from the pan (the chocolate can also be melted in the microwave in 10-
second bursts). Stir until smooth, then stir in 25g of the soft butter.
12. Melt the 50g white chocolate in a separate bowl in the same way, but take
extra care as white chocolate melts at a lower temperature and can seize and
become grainy. Stir the remaining butter into the melted white chocolate.
13. Spread the dark chocolate mixture over the top of the cake – don’t worry if it
drips down the sides. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted white chocolate
mixture randomly over the top of the cake and marble and swirl it into the dark
chocolate using the handle of a teaspoon or a table knife. Leave the cake until it
is set and firm before you slice it.

For an even more chocolatey indulgence, sprinkle 1½ tbsp dark chocolate chips
over the sponge mixtures once they are in the loaf tin but before you bang the tin
on the worktop (step 8).
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Just like the Victoria Sandwich Cake on here, this rich-tasting classic coffee
sponge is made by the creamed method, but a little added baking powder keeps
it nice and light.
For the sponge

100g walnut pieces
good pinch of salt
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder or granules
1 tablespoon boiling water
For the filling and frosting

3 tablespoons instant coffee powder or granules
2 tablespoons boiling water
300g icing sugar
4 tablespoons single, double or whipping cream, at room temperature
walnut halves, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease and line the tins
2. To make the sponge, first put the walnut pieces in an ovenproof dish or
roasting tin and toast in the oven for 5–6 minutes until lightly coloured. Leave to
cool, then chop slightly smaller. Set aside 25g for the filling and frosting and
keep the remaining 75g for the sponge.
3. Put the butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and beat well
with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until creamy and mayonnaise-like.
Gradually beat in the golden caster sugar, a couple of spoonfuls at a time,
scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time where the mixture has
splattered. Once all the sugar has been mixed in, scrape down the sides of the
bowl again to get the last bits of mixture and beat for another minute or so until
the mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with a fork just until broken up.
Gradually beat the eggs into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
Add 1 tablespoon of the flour with each of the last two bits of egg to help
prevent the mixture curdling.
5. Add the reserved 75g toasted walnut pieces to the bowl, then sift the remaining
flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant
coffee in the boiling water and pour it into the mixing bowl. Using a large metal
spoon or plastic spatula, gently fold these ingredients into the butter mixture
until thoroughly combined and there are no streaks.
6. Divide the mixture equally between the two prepared tins and spread evenly.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the sponges are a good golden brown. Check
your cake is cooked by lightly pressing in the centre – the cake will spring back
if it’s done. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the
sponges, leave them to firm up for 2 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and
leave them to cool completely.
8. While the sponges are cooling, make the coffee filling and frosting. Put the
125g unsalted butter into a small pan and melt over a low heat.
9. In a small bowl, dissolve the 3 tablespoons instant coffee in the 2 tablespoons
boiling water and sift the 300g icing sugar into a large heatproof mixing bowl.
10. Bring the butter to a boil, then quickly take it off the heat and pour it straight
onto the icing sugar, swiftly followed by the warm coffee and the 4 tablespoons
cream. Beat well with a wooden spoon until the mixture is very smooth, then stir
in the reserved 25g toasted walnut pieces. Leave the frosting until it is thick
enough to spread (you can speed this up by covering the bowl and putting it in
the fridge for a few minutes).
11. To assemble the cake, set one sponge crust-side down on a serving plate and
spread with half the coffee icing mixture. Cover with the second sponge, crust-
side up, and spread and swirl the rest of the frosting on top.
12. To finish the cake, decorate with the walnut halves.

Classic Swiss Roll
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
20 minutes
BAKING TIME:
9–10 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20 × 30cm Swiss roll tin
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Eat the day you make it or the next day. Keep in an airtight container
Mastering the whisked sponge in this light and traditional Swiss roll is a great
way to prepare for trying more challenging bakes like the Lemon Curd Layer
Cake on here.
For the sponge

75g caster sugar
75g plain flour
pinch of salt
For the filling

extra caster sugar, for sprinkling
200ml whipping or double cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract 6 rounded tablespoons raspberry or strawberry jam
2. To make the sponge, break the eggs into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a
food-mixer and whisk with an electric mixer on a high speed for a few seconds
just until slightly frothy.
3. Add the caster sugar to the bowl and whisk on a high speed for about 5
minutes or until the mixture becomes very thick, pale and mousse-like, and the
whisk leaves a ribbon-like trail when it is lifted.
4. Sift the flour and pinch of salt onto a sheet of greaseproof paper, then sift half
of it again, straight onto the egg mousse. Using a large metal spoon, very gently
fold in the flour. Sift the rest of the flour onto the mixture and fold in until you
can no longer see any streaks or specks. Gently scrape any splattered mixture
down the sides of the bowl and check the bottom of the bowl for any unmixed
flour, stirring it in as you go.
5. Carefully transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread it out evenly,
making sure the corners are well filled. Bake for 9–10 minutes until the sponge
is golden brown. You can check your cake is cooked by lightly pressing it in the
centre – the cake will spring back when done.
6. While the sponge is baking, lay a sheet of baking paper (about 30 × 40cm) on
the worktop and sprinkle it with a little caster sugar.
7. As soon as the sponge is ready, flip it out onto the baking paper and carefully
lift off the tin. Peel off the lining paper.
8. Using a large, sharp knife make a shallow cut about 2cm in from one short end
– this will help give the roll a neat spiral when it is sliced.
9. Now, starting from the end with the cut, gently roll up the warm sponge with
the paper so that the paper is rolled inside it. Set the roll on a wire rack and leave
until cold.
10. When ready to fill, whip 200ml whipping or double cream with ½ teaspoon
vanilla extract to soft peaks. Gently unroll the sponge and trim off the edges with
a sharp knife. Spread with about 6 rounded tablespoons raspberry or strawberry
jam, leaving a 2.5cm border round the edge.
11. Cover the jam with a layer of the whipped cream, again leaving a 2.5cm
border. Now gently re-roll the sponge, starting once more from the end with the
cut. Sprinkle with a little more caster sugar to finish.

For a Gingerbread Swiss Roll, make the sponge as in the main recipe,
replacing the caster sugar with light brown muscovado sugar and adding 1 tsp
ground ginger and ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and ground mixed spice. Bake,
roll and cool, spread with ginger conserve instead of the jam and then spread
with 200ml whipping or double cream, whipped to soft peaks, as before and roll
up.
Easy does it
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
18–20 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20.5cm round sandwich cake tins
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Eat the day you make it or the next day. Keep in an airtight container
Light muscovado sugar adds a lovely toffee flavour to a simple all-in-one

vanilla sponge mixture.
For the sponge

1 tablespoon milk, at room temperature
For the filling and topping

300ml whipping cream, well chilled
100g vanilla fudge, cut into 5mm chunks
2 ripe medium bananas, thinly sliced
To decorate
extra fudge or grated chocolate (or both)
tins with butter and baking paper. If you only have one tin, bake in batches.
Rinse the hot tin under cold running water to quickly cool it, then dry, re-grease
and line it again.
2. To make the sponge, put the butter, two sugars and flour into a large bowl or
the bowl of a food-mixer.
3. Break the eggs into a smaller bowl, add the vanilla extract and milk, and beat
with a fork until just mixed. Pour into the larger bowl, then beat with a wooden
spoon or the whisk attachment until smooth and blended with no streaks. Divide
the mixture into the three tins, either by eye or, if you want to be more accurate,
by weight. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin or tins.
4. Bake for 18–20 minutes until the cakes are a light golden brown. Have a look
at the cakes after 15 minutes, if they aren’t baking evenly, turn the tins around.
Check your cake is cooked by pressing it – it should be just firm to the touch.
5. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the sponges,
then turn out onto a wire rack. Leave until cold. Put a bowl and whisk (or whisk
attachment) in the fridge to chill.
6. When you are ready to assemble the cake, make the filling and topping. Pour
the cream into the chilled bowl and whip with the chilled whisk or attachment,
until it thickens and soft peaks form when you lift the whisk out of the cream.
7. Set one layer of sponge crust-side down on a serving plate. Spread with one-
third of the whipped cream, then scatter over half the fudge. Top with half the
banana slices, then cover with a second sponge. Spread half the remaining cream
over this sponge and scatter over the rest of the fudge, then cover with the
remaining banana slices. Finally, set the last layer of sponge on top, crust-side
uppermost, and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with fudge, grated
chocolate, or both.
Battenberg Cake
HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Battenberg tin (20 × 15cm) or 20cm square shallow cake tin
METHOD USED:
Creamed method
STORAGE:
A step up from the free-and-easy Double Marble Cake (here), the Battenberg
uses colouring in a more precise way to make a pretty cake that looks
impressive.
For the sponge

125g caster sugar
2 drops of almond extract
good pinch of salt
50g ground almonds
2 teaspoons milk
a few drops pink or red food colouring
To finish
icing sugar or cornflour, for dusting
350g white marzipan
8 tablespoons apricot jam
1. If you are using a special Battenberg tin that comes with dividers to make four
strips of sponge, grease and line the tin with butter and baking paper.
Alternatively, you can make your own: cut a 20 × 28cm rectangle of parchment-
lined foil, set it paper-side up on the worktop and fold it in half widthways. Open
it out, then push the centrefold upwards to make a pleat 4cm high. Crease it
firmly, then press the parchment-lined foil sheet with the centre pleat onto the
base of greased tin to line it – the pleat will run down the centre of the tin to
divide it into two separate sections each 20 × 10cm. Preheat the oven to 180°C
(160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4.
2. To make the sponge, put the butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-
mixer and beat until creamy with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and whisk in the sugar a couple of
tablespoons at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl where any mixture has
splattered up, then beat really well for a couple of minutes until the mixture is
light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again to get any stray
mixture.
3. Break the 2 medium eggs into a separate bowl, add the 2 drops of almond
extract and beat with a fork until broken up, then gradually beat into the butter
mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add a
tablespoon of the 100g self-raising flour with each of the last two additions of
egg to prevent the mixture from curdling.
4. Sift the remaining flour, good pinch of salt and 50g ground almonds into the
bowl. Add the 2 teaspoons milk and carefully fold everything together with a
large metal spoon. Transfer half the mixture (for this cake it is best to do this by
weight, to be really accurate) into a clean bowl. Add the pink or red food
colouring a few drops at a time to one portion, mixing it in really well so that it
turns pink with no coloured streaks.
5. Spoon the uncoloured pale yellow cake mixture into two sections of the
prepared Battenberg tin or into one side of the prepared square tin (check the
pleated divider is still straight and dead centre). Spoon the pink cake mixture
into the other two sections of the Battenberg tin or the other section of the
prepared square tin. Carefully spread each portion so that the surface is level and
the corners are evenly filled.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the sponges are well risen. Check the cake is
cooked – it should be springy when gently pressed. Set the tin on a wire rack,
run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the sponges, then
leave to cool until barely warm. Carefully turn out onto the wire rack and peel
off the lining paper – the cakes will still be fragile so handle them gently – then
leave until cold.
7. To assemble the cake, set the sponges on a chopping board. If you used the
square tin to bake two sponges, cut each sponge in half lengthways using a
serrated bread knife to make four strips of cake – two pink and two yellow. Trim
all the strips so that the short sides are exactly square as they may have risen
unevenly.
8. Make sure the worktop is spotlessly clean and crumb-free, then dust it lightly
with icing sugar or cornflour. Knead the 350g white marzipan for a minute so
that it is supple, then roll it out to a neat 20 × 30cm rectangle.
9. Heat the 8 tablespoons apricot jam with 1 tablespoon cold water, then push it
through a sieve to make a smooth purée. Brush one long side of one pink strip
very lightly with jam and set it jam-side down on one short side of the marzipan
rectangle, lined up next to the edge. Brush the three other long sides of this piece
of cake lightly with jam.
10. Now brush one long side of a yellow cake strip with jam and set it jam-side
down onto the marzipan next to the pink strip and touching it. Brush the top of
this strip with jam.
11. Set the other yellow strip on top of the pink strip that is in place on the
marzipan.
12. Lightly brush one long side of the second pink strip with jam and set it next to
this second yellow strip, so that it sits on top of the yellow strip that’s on the
marzipan. You will now have created the familiar checkerboard pattern.
13. To finish the cake, brush the top and long sides of the assembled cake with
the apricot jam (gently re-warmed), then roll the cake or wrap the marzipan
neatly around and over the cake, leaving the checkerboard ends visible. Press the
marzipan join to seal it (it should be along one bottom edge). Gently smooth the
marzipan with your hands to neaten it up and press out any air pockets, then trim
the ends and crimp the top edges of marzipan by pinching it gently, at regular
intervals, between your index finger and thumb.
14. Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving.
Whisky Dundee Cake
HANDS-ON TIME:
30 minutes
BAKING TIME:
2½ hours
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20cm round deep cake tin
METHOD USED:
Creamed method here
STORAGE:
Once matured, keep for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container
This may seem straightforward, but the mark of a good Dundee cake is a rich
and moist firm sponge mixture evenly peppered with fruit, carefully baked with
a not-too-dark crust.
For the sponge

550g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants) and chopped mixed peel
5 tablespoons whisky
275g plain flour
couple of good pinches of salt
65g ground almonds
finely grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon
18 blanched almond halves
For the glaze

2 tablespoons milk
4 teaspoons golden caster sugar
1. To make the fruitcake, put the mixed dried fruit and mixed peel into a bowl,
spoon over the whisky, stir well, then cover with clingfilm and leave to macerate
overnight.
2. Next day, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease and
line the tin with butter and baking paper.
3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and ground almonds into a bowl and put to
one side until needed.
4. Put the butter and lemon zest into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-
mixer and beat with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until the mixture is
very creamy and mayonnaise-like. Scrape down the sides of the bowl where any
mixture has splattered and gradually beat in the golden caster sugar, scraping
down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
5. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with a fork until broken up, then
beat into the butter mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well each time. Add a
tablespoon of the sifted flour mixture with each of the last two additions of egg
to prevent the mixture from curdling.
6. Sift half the remaining flour mixture into the bowl – this helps to really lighten
the cake mixture – and fold in with a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Fold in
half the fruit and whisky mixture into the bowl. Sift the rest of the flour on top,
then fold in followed by the rest of the fruit and whisky. When everything is
really well mixed, scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
Bang the tin on the worktop a couple of times to settle the mixture and knock out
any air pockets.
7. Make a shallow hollow in the centre of the cake’s surface so it will rise evenly.
Dip your fingers in cold water and press them lightly over the top of the cake –
this prevents the crust getting too hard.
8. Press the 18 blanched almond halves in a neat circle on top of the cake. Wrap a
few sheets of newspaper around the outside of the tin and tie with kitchen string.
Set the tin on top of another folded newspaper on the baking sheet. This stops
the crust being over-baked.
9. Bake for 40 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan),
325°F, Gas 3 and bake for a further 1¾ hours. Check your cake is cooked by
inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean, it is
ready. Keep an eye on your cake from time to time while it is baking and if you
think it is in danger of turning too dark on top, cover it with a sheet of baking
paper or foil.
10. At the end of the baking time, make the glaze. Bring the 2 tablespoons milk to
the boil and stir in the 4 teaspoons golden caster sugar until dissolved. When the
cake is ready, pull it out of the oven and brush it with the hot glaze. Return the
cake to the oven for another minute – this will add a nice sheen to the nuts. Set
the cake, still in the tin, on a wire rack and leave overnight, then unmould the
cake and peel off the lining paper. Wrap in fresh baking paper and foil and leave
for 7–10 days before cutting.

For a less traditional version, you could make this with a luxury bag of mixed
fruit that contains glacé cherries, pineapple or chunks of dried apricot. It’s well
worth soaking the fruit in whisky for 12 hours for a really special flavour, but
you could use brandy or dark rum instead.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
BAKING TIME:
15–18 minutes
MAKES:
12 cupcakes
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
12-hole cupcake tray or deep-hole bun tray; piping bag fitted with a star piping nozzle; paper cupcake cases
METHOD USED:
Creaming method here
STORAGE:
Keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. (Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before
serving)
Eye-catching red velvet cupcakes seem to be everywhere these days. The perfect
party piece, they are a great excuse, if you need one, to practise your piping
skills.
For the sponge

175ml milk
100g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids), broken up
125g caster sugar
1 medium egg, at room temperature
good pinch of salt
1–2 teaspoons red gel food colour
For the topping

150g good-quality white chocolate (around 25 per cent cocoa solids), broken up
110g full-fat cream cheese, brought to room temperature at least an hour beforehand
To finish
freeze-dried raspberry pieces or red sugar sprinkles
with paper cases.
2. To make the sponge, start by pouring the milk into a small pan. Add the dark
chocolate pieces and 50g of the caster sugar. Stir gently with a wooden spoon
over a very low heat until melted – be patient, and don’t let the mixture get hot.
Remove the pan from the heat and give it a quick whisk with a wire hand whisk
to make sure the milk is blended and smooth. Leave it on one side to cool.
3. Put the butter into a mixing bowl and beat well with an electric whisk or the
food-mixer whisk attachment until it goes pale and creamy. Stop the whisk and
scrape any butter on the sides back down into the bowl. Add just a couple of
tablespooons of the remaining 75g caster sugar, and beat again; repeat, stopping
occasionally to add the rest of the sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time, and
scrape down the sides as you go. When all the sugar has been added, beat well
for another minute until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and your
mixture is nice and fluffy.
4. Break the egg into a small bowl, add the ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and lightly
beat with a fork. Now turn on your whisk again and gradually pour the eggs into
the butter mixture, whisking all the time. When all the egg has been added, keep
whisking for another minute until light and airy.
5. Now you’re ready to add the chocolatey milk. Mix the 150g self-raising flour
and a pinch of salt together. Take one-third of this mix and fold it into the butter
mixture with a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Now fold in a third of the
chocolate milk in the same way.
6. Add half of the remaining flour and fold that in, followed by half of the
remaining chocolate milk. Continue to fold in alternate spoonfuls of flour and
milk until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and silky smooth.
7. Add your red gel food colouring. It’s best to start with 1 teaspoon and fold it in
until you can see no streaks. You can always add more after mixing, depending
on how vibrant you’d like your red velvet sponge to be.
8. Using a metal spoon, half fill each paper case with the mixture, then bake for
15–18 minutes until the cakes spring back when you lightly press their tops.
Stand the tray on a wire rack and cool for 2 minutes, then take them off the tray
and pop them back on the wire rack to cool completely.
9. When the cakes are cold, make the frosting. First melt the chocolate. Break the
150g white chocolate into pieces and put them in a small heatproof bowl set over
a pan of steaming hot (but not boiling) water. Be careful not to let the base of the
bowl touch the hot water. White chocolate is quite sensitive and melts at a lower
temperature than dark chocolate, so remove the bowl from the pan while there
are still a few unmelted lumps and stir to melt, until smooth.
10. Put the 110g cream cheese in a separate bowl and beat until smooth and
creamy, then beat in the 75g butter a little at a time. Add the melted chocolate
and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat again for 2 minutes until the mixture is
like whipped cream.
11. Now it’s time to pipe the frosting on to your cakes. Fill a piping bag fitted
with a star piping nozzle by spooning in the frosting mixture. Twist the bag,
sealing the end to stop the buttercream from escaping.
12. Holding the top of the piping bag, firmly squeeze down the filling as you start
to pipe the frosting on to your cake. Start at the edge, keeping the tip of the
nozzle just above the cake.
13. Keep squeezing the icing out in a steady spiral until you have covered the
whole cake.
14. To get the perfect finish, end the frosting in the very centre and just lift up the
nozzle a fraction so that the icing forms a gentle swirling peak.
15. Decorate with the dried raspberry pieces or red sugar sprinkles and leave to
firm up for at least half an hour on the worktop before serving.
Cherry Cake
HANDS-ON TIME:
25 minutes
BAKING TIME:
60–70 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm round deep cake tin (preferably loose-based) or a springclip tin
METHOD USED:
Creamed method here
STORAGE:
This lovely creamed sponge’s slightly firmer texture helps keep the delicious
ruby red cherries in every mouthful of cake, rather than sunk down at the
bottom.
200g glacé cherries
good pinch of salt
good pinch of baking powder
175g caster sugar
50g ground almonds
1. Halve the glacé cherries, then put them into a colander or sieve and rinse well
under hot running water to remove the sticky sugar coating. Drain thoroughly,
then pat dry on kitchen paper and leave to dry on a fresh sheet of kitchen paper.
It’s really important to rinse and dry the cherries otherwise their sticky syrup
drags them down through the cake mix to sit at the bottom; but you want the
cherries scattered evenly throughout the cake.
3. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and put
to one side until needed.
4. Put the butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer and beat with a
wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until the mixture is creamy and
mayonnaise-like.
5. Gradually beat in the sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the
sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat the butter
mixture well for 2 minutes until very light and fluffy.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Break the 3 medium eggs into a
small bowl and beat with a fork until just broken up. Gradually beat the eggs into
the butter mixture a tablespoon at a time, beating well each time and scraping
down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
7. Sprinkle the 50g ground almonds over the mixture and fold in with a large
metal spoon.
8. Tip the cherries into a separate bowl, sprinkle over a tablespoon of the sifted
flour and toss gently – the flour stops the cherries sinking to the bottom of the
cake.
9. Sift the rest of the flour, once more, onto the cake mixture and gently but
thoroughly fold in using a large metal spoon. Scatter the cherries and any
remaining flour in the bowl on top and fold in until evenly distributed.
10. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Make a slight
hollow (about 1cm deep) in the centre of the mixture so that the cake rises
evenly.
11. Bake for 60–70 minutes until the cake is a good golden brown and firm to the
touch. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer into the
centre; if it comes out clean, it is ready.
12. Set the tin on a wire rack and leave until completely cold. Carefully take out
of the tin and peel off the lining paper.

Madeira cake is made in the same way as Cherry Cake but flavoured with lemon
zest and juice rather than cherries and ground almonds. Follow the recipe above,
adding the finely grated zest and squeezed juice of ½ unwaxed large lemon after
the eggs have been beaten in, and mix thoroughly before folding in 250g plain
flour, sifted, with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
Devil’s Food Cake
HANDS-ON TIME:
80 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
METHOD USED:
Creamed method here
STORAGE:
This American cake is made with soured cream, giving the sponge a moist, light
crumb. The marshmallow frosting requires patient whisking, but the luxurious
result is worth the effort.
For the sponge

100g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped
175ml boiling water
350g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
300g plain flour, sifted
125ml soured cream, at room temperature

350g white caster sugar
1½ tablespoons maple syrup
good pinch of salt
2. To make the sponge, put the chocolate into a heatproof medium bowl set over
a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch
the water – and melt the chocolate gently. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. While the chocolate is melting, pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder
in a heatproof bowl and mix or whisk with a hand wire whisk thoroughly until
smooth and lump-free. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to cool for 5
minutes. Pour this onto the melted chocolate and stir or whisk until smooth and
thoroughly combined. Put to one side until needed.
4. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and beat
well with an electric whisk or the whisk attachment until creamy. Gradually add
the sugar to the bowl and beat well, scraping down the mixture that has
splattered on the sides of the bowl from time to time, until thoroughly combined.
Don’t worry about the texture of the mixture at this point, it won’t be light and
fluffy like a regular creamed mixture, and that’s fine.
5. Beat the eggs with the vanilla, using a fork, just until broken up. Gradually
beat into the butter mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down
the sides of the bowl as before.
6. On a very slow speed, mix in the 300g sifted plain flour in five batches,
alternating with the 125ml soured cream. When thoroughly combined, scrape
down the sides of the bowl and mix in the lukewarm chocolate mixture, again on
a very slow speed. When thoroughly combined with no streaks, divide the
mixture equally among the three prepared tins (for this cake it is best to do this
by weight for accuracy), and then spread out evenly.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Check your cakes are cooked by inserting a
cocktail stick or skewer into the centre of each cake; if it comes out clean, they
are ready. After 14 minutes, check the cakes are cooking evenly, if they aren’t,
turn the tins round. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of each tin to
loosen the sponges, then leave for a minute to firm up. Turn out onto a wire rack
and leave to cool completely.
8. Now make the marshmallow fluff filling and frosting. Put the 2 egg whites and
350g caster sugar into a large heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of gently
simmering water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water.
9. Using an electric hand whisk or a rotary hand whisk, whisk for 10 seconds,
then whisk in the 1½ tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 125ml
cold water and a good pinch of salt. Keep whisking on full speed for 12 minutes
until the mixture has become thick and glossy and holds a soft peak when the
whisk is lifted. Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk again for about 15
minutes until the mixture has cooled to room temperature and has turned snowy
white, very thick and holds a stiff peak when the whisk is lifted. Spoon out one-
third of the mixture for the filling, then cover the bowl as the rest will be used
for the frosting (this stops dark cake crumbs sneaking in).
10. Before the mixture starts to set, quickly assemble the cake: set one sponge
crust-side down on a serving platter and spread with half the filling mixture, top
with a second sponge, crust-side up, and spread with the rest of the filling. Cover
with the third sponge, crust-side up.
11. Divide the reserved frosting in half, then, using a clean round-bladed knife or
off-set palette knife, quickly cover the top and sides of the cake with one portion
of the frosting. This is the ‘crumb catcher’ layer – it doesn’t need to be neat.
Clean the knife and swirl the remaining frosting over the top of the first layer so
that it is evenly covered. Leave uncovered on the worktop to firm up for about 5
hours or overnight before serving.
To make chocolate curls, gently melt 50g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa
solids) and pour it onto a clean marble slab (or onto your worktop). Quickly
spread with a metal spatula to a rectangle 20 × 30cm and 2mm thick. When it is
set and has turned dull, use a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle away from you to
shave off delicate curls of chocolate.
Black Forest Gateau
HANDS-ON TIME:
55 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20.5cm round deep sandwich cake tins; Piping bag fitted with a star nozzle
METHOD USED:
Whisked method here
STORAGE:
Keep in the fridge in an airtight container and eat within 48 hours
The ultimate celebratory cake. Layers of light whisked sponge made with cocoa
instead of flour will hone your whisking skills. You can really go to town on the
decadent decorations.
For the sponge

large pinch of salt
200g caster sugar
90g cocoa powder
For the filling and topping

850g jar black cherries in light syrup flavoured with Kirsch (700g drained weight), or 850g jar black
cherries in light syrup and 3 tablespoons Kirsch
475ml double or whipping cream, well chilled
3 tablespoons caster sugar
50g dark chocolate, grated
2. To make the sponge, separate the eggs, putting the whites into a large and
spotlessly clean grease-free bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer, and the yolks into
a separate bowl. Add the salt to the egg whites and whisk with an electric whisk
or the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form when you lift the whisk from the
bowl. Put the bowl to one side for now (or transfer the whites to another bowl if
you need to reuse the mixer bowl).
3. Add the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is
very thick and mousse-like and the whisk leaves a thick ribbon-like trail when
lifted out of the mixture.
4. Very gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in three batches using a
large metal spoon. Sift the cocoa powder over the mixture and fold in really well
so that there are no streaks.
5. Divide the mixture equally among the three prepared tins (for this cake it is
best to do this by weight for accuracy) and gently spread evenly.
6. Bake the sponges for 20–25 minutes. Check the cakes are cooked – they
should spring back when gently pressed in the centre and start to shrink away
from the sides of the tins. After 16 minutes, check the cakes, if they are not
baking evenly, turn the tins round.
7. Set the tins on a wire rack and leave to cool completely then turn out and peel
off the lining paper.
8. Thoroughly drain the 850g cherries, reserving the syrup. Pat the cherries dry
on kitchen paper and reserve 12 for decoration.
9. To make the filling and topping, whip the 475ml well-chilled double or
whipping cream with the 1 teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form when you lift
the whisk (the cream whips best if the bowl and whisk first have been chilled
too). Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons caster sugar over the cream and whip for no
more than 10 seconds until combined and the cream is slightly thicker. Set aside
one-quarter of the cream for piping, covering and chilling it until needed. Divide
the rest of the cream in half: one portion to sandwich the sponges, the other to
cover the cake.
10. To assemble the cake, set one sponge crust-side down onto a serving plate.
Brush well with some of the reserved cherry syrup (add the 3 tablespoons Kirsch
to the 75ml light syrup). Leave to soak for 5 minutes, then spread half the
‘sandwiching’ cream. Arrange half the remaining cherries over the cream. Set
another sponge on top, crust-side down, and brush with more of the syrup. Leave
for 5 minutes, then gently spread with the rest of the ‘sandwiching’ cream and
add the cherries as before. Set the last sponge on top, crust-side up, and lightly
brush with cherry syrup.
11. Put the cake into the fridge (very lightly covered with a sheet of clingfilm) for
about 30 minutes, just to firm it up, then cover the top and sides of the cake with
the ‘covering’ cream using a clean round-bladed knife or offset palette knife.
Chill as before for 15 minutes.
12. To decorate the cake, spoon the cream reserved for piping into the piping bag
fitted with the star nozzle and decorate the top of the cake with piped swirls or a
neat rope, then add the reserved cherries and the 50g grated dark chocolate.
Cover lightly and chill until ready to serve. Store in the fridge in an airtight
container and eat within 48 hours.
HANDS-ON TIME:
55 minutes
BAKING TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm round springclip tin or deep round cake tin; Non-stick baking paper, or a re-usable silicone sheet, or
a printed-chocolate transfer sheet
METHOD USED:
Creamed method here
STORAGE:
Bake the day before. Keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container
This dark chocolate delight is perfect for gluten-free bakers, because the rich
sponge is made using ground almonds instead of flour. Get creative with
chocolate shards for a dramatic look.
For the sponge

125g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids)
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
4 medium eggs, at room temperature, separated
good pinch of salt
125g ground almonds
For the covering

1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur
To decorate
75g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids)
cocoa powder or edible gold dust, for dusting (optional)
2. To make the sponge, break up the dark chocolate into even-sized pieces and
put it into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of steaming but not boiling water –
don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water – and melt the chocolate very
gently, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and
leave to cool until needed.
3. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixer and beat well
with an electric whisk or the whisk attachment until the butter is creamy and
mayonnaise-like. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar for the egg whites,
then gradually beat the remaining sugar into the butter, a couple of tablespoons
at a time. Scrape down any mixture from the sides of the bowl and beat for a
further 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Scrape down any
mixture again and beat in the 4 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each
addition.
4. Put the 4 egg whites and salt into a separate large spotlessly clean and grease-
free mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted.
Sprinkle the reserved sugar over the whites, then whisk for another minute or so
until the mixture stands in stiff peaks.
5. Pour the cooled melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture and gently
fold in using a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Add the ground almonds and
fold in. Add one-quarter of the egg whites and gently stir them in with the metal
spoon or spatula to loosen the mixture. Then very gently fold in the rest of the
whites in three batches, taking care not to knock out all the air.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly then bake for about
25 minutes. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer
halfway between the side of the tin and the centre; it should come out clean but
the centre should still be moist – it’s important not to overcook this cake.
7. Set the tin on the worktop on top of a wet tea towel, run a round-bladed knife
around the inside of the tin to loosen the sponge and leave to cool.
8. When the cake is cold, turn out from the tin and make the covering. Break up
the 125g dark chocolate, put it into a heatproof bowl with the 1 tablespoon
Amaretto liqueur and melt gently as in Step 2. Remove the bowl from the pan
and stir in the 100g soft unsalted butter a little at a time to make a smooth, glossy
icing. If the chocolate starts to firm up before all the butter has been mixed in,
set the bowl back over the hot water and stir until smooth again.
9. Set the cake upside down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (to catch the
drips) and, as soon as the chocolate is pourable but starting to thicken, pour it
over the cake and let it drizzle down the sides. Use a round-bladed knife or an
off-set palette knife to neaten up and smooth the sides. Transfer to a cake board
or serving plate and leave until almost set.
10. Meanwhile, make the chocolate decoration. Break up the 75g dark chocolate
and melt as in Step 2. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir until smooth, then
pour the chocolate onto the baking paper/silicone sheet/chocolate transfer sheet
and spread it out fairly thinly. Work quickly so that the chocolate doesn’t firm up
before it is evenly spread. Leave in a cool spot but not in the fridge (otherwise
beads of moisture will appear on it when it is back at room temperature).
11. Once set, carefully break the chocolate into shards and arrange them on top of
the cake – you can either gently press them into the icing so that the shards stand
vertically like sails, or scatter them over the icing to cover.
12. Dust with cocoa powder or edible gold dust, using a clean brush to gently
scatter it evenly.
13. To cut neat slices, use a warmed large, sharp knife. Keep a jug of very hot
water and kitchen paper at hand so you can dip the knife in the water and wipe it
clean and dry between each slice.
For an even more intense flavour, replace the ground almonds with ground
whole unblanched almonds. Lightly toast 125g whole unblanched almonds for 7
minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan), Gas 4. Leave to cool, then
grind to a fine powder in a food processor.
HANDS-ON TIME:
45 minutes
BAKING TIME:
20–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
23 × 33cm Swiss roll tin or 27 × 37cm sheet parchment-lined foil folded into a 23 × 33 × 2cm case and set
foil-side down on a baking sheet
METHOD USED:
Whisked method here
STORAGE:
Cover lightly and keep cool stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve the same or next day
This elaborate roulade is made from a butterless and flourless mix which
produces a rich yet delicate sponge. It requires a little more skill than the Classic
Swiss Roll (here).
For the sponge

175g good-quality dark chocolate (around 75 per cent cocoa solids), chopped or broken up
good pinch of salt
175g caster sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
For the filling

225ml double cream, well chilled
250g tin crème de marrons (sweetened chestnut purée)
1 teaspoon dark rum or brandy
To decorate
marrons glacés (candied chestnuts) or grated chocolate or chocolate shavings or curls
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), 350°F, Gas 4. Grease and line the
Swiss roll tin with butter and baking paper.
2. To make the sponge, put the dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over
a pan of steaming but not boiling water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch the
water – and melt the chocolate, gently stirring now and then.
3. Remove the bowl from the pan, stir gently until smooth, then leave to cool
until needed.
4. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in one large mixing bowl or the bowl of a
food-mixer, and the yolks into another.
5. Add the salt to the egg whites and whisk using an electric whisk or the whisk
attachment, until the whites stand in stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted. Put to
one side for now (or spoon the whites into another clean bowl if you need the
mixer bowl).
6. Add the caster sugar to the egg yolks and whisk for about 3 minutes with the
electric whisk or the whisk attachment (there’s no need to wash the whisk) until
the mixture is very thick and mousse-like and the mixture leaves a distinct
ribbon-like trail when the whisk is lifted.
7. Pour the cooled melted chocolate into the bowl and gently fold in with a
plastic spatula or large metal spoon. Add one-quarter of the stiffly whisked egg
whites to the bowl and stir in to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest of
the whites in three batches using the plastic spatula or large metal spoon.
8. Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl and fold in very carefully – you want to
make sure it is well mixed in with no streaks, but you don’t want to knock out all
the air.
9. Carefully scrape the mixture into the prepared tin (or the case set on a baking
sheet) and gently ease it into the corners so that the tin is evenly filled (otherwise
the sponge will rise unevenly). Again, be really careful not to knock out the air.
10. Bake for 20–25 minutes until well risen. Check the cake is cooked – the top
should feel just firm when lightly pressed with a finger. Remove the tin or case
from the oven and set it on a wire rack (carefully slide the case onto the rack
from the baking tray). Leave the sponge to cool in the tin or case – don’t worry if
it sinks, that’s fine.
11. While the sponge is cooling, make the filling. Whip the 225ml chilled double
cream to soft peaks. Stir together the 250g chestnut purée and 1 teaspoon dark
rum or brandy until smooth, then lightly stir through the whipped cream to give
a marbled or swirled effect. Cover the bowl and chill until needed.
12. Set a large sheet of baking paper on the worktop and dust it lightly with icing
sugar. Turn out the sponge onto the paper, then remove the tin and lining paper.
Using a large sharp knife, make a shallow cut along one short edge about 2cm in.
Gently spread the marbled chestnut cream over the sponge to within 2cm of all
the edges.
13. Gently fold the cut edge over and then roll up the sponge fairly tightly using
the sugar-dusted baking paper to help you pull the roll into a neat shape. Finish
with the join at the far end underneath. The roll WILL crack so don’t worry if it
does, it’s all part of the look! Trim off the ends with a large sharp knife to neaten.
14. Gently lift the roll onto a serving plate and decorate with marrons glacés or
chocolate shavings or curls (see here and above for how to do this).

If you prefer a chocolate-based filling, omit the chestnut purée and fold in 50g
finely grated dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids) instead. Decorate
with shavings of white chocolate or dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar,
rather than use the marrons glacés as decoration.
Sachertorte
HANDS-ON TIME:
50 minutes
BAKING TIME:
35 minutes
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
22cm springclip tin or deep round cake tin; Small disposable piping bag
METHOD USED:
Whisked method here
STORAGE:
Keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container
The legendary rich whisked chocolate cake from the Hotel Sacher in Vienna is a
great way to practise writing with icing – have a few trial runs first before you
go for it on the cake!
For the sponge

175g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped or broken up
4 medium eggs, plus 1 egg white, at room temperature
good pinch of salt
115g caster sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla paste
100g plain flour
For the apricot glaze

175g apricot conserve
1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the chocolate glaze

20g unsalted butter
4 tablespoons double cream
To finish
30g dark chocolate, melted, for piping
2. To make the sponge, put the chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl with the
butter. Set the bowl over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let
the base of the bowl touch the water – and melt the chocolate gently, stirring
occasionally. When melted and smooth, remove the bowl from the pan and put to
one side until needed.
3. Separate the 4 eggs; put the 5 egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl
of a food-mixer, and the 4 yolks into a separate large bowl. Add the salt to the
egg whites, then whisk with an electric whisk or the whisk attachment until soft
peaks form. Whisk in 85g of the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, then whisk
briefly until it makes stiff peaks. Put the meringue to one side (or spoon it
carefully into another bowl if you need the mixer bowl) until required.
4. Add the remaining 30g caster sugar and the vanilla paste to the yolks and
whisk (there’s no need to wash the whisk) on a high speed until very thick and
the whisk leaves a ribbon-like trail when lifted from the mixture. Gently stir in
the chocolate mixture with a plastic spatula – the mixture will be very thick.
5. Sift the flour onto the mixture, add one-quarter of the meringue and stir in with
a large metal spoon or spatula – take your time as the mixture will be quite stiff.
Fold in the rest of the meringue in three batches. When thoroughly combined –
check there are no lumps of meringue or streaks of chocolate – transfer the
mixture to the prepared tin and spread evenly.
6. Bake for about 35 minutes until just firm when gently pressed in the centre.
if it comes out clean, it is ready. Set the tin on a wire rack, run a round-bladed
knife around the inside of the tin to loosen, then leave to cool for 5 minutes
before unmoulding. Leave on the wire rack until completely cool.
7. To make the apricot glaze, gently heat the 175g apricot conserve in a small pan
with the 1 tablespoon cold water and 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then press the
mixture through a sieve into a small bowl. Set the cake upside down on a board
and slice into two layers horizontally. Return the bottom layer (this was the top
of the cake) to the wire rack, cut side up, and spread with half the apricot
mixture. Cover with the second sponge layer so that the cut sides are together.
Gently reheat the glaze and brush it over the top and sides of the sponge. Leave
to cool on the wire rack.
8. To make the chocolate glaze, break or chop up the 165g dark chocolate and put
it into a heatproof bowl with the 20g unsalted butter and gently melt, as in Step
2. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Heat the 4 tablespoons
double cream until almost, but not quite, boiling, then leave for a minute before
pouring onto the chocolate mixture in a thin, steady stream while stirring
constantly. Pour the glaze over the cake and gently ease it down the sides to
completely and smoothly coat the cake, using a palette knife to carefully smooth
it if needed. Leave to set in a cool spot but not in the fridge. Transfer the cake to
a board.
9. To decorate, melt the remaining 30g dark chocolate as in Step 2 and pour it
into a small piping bag.
10. Snip off the tip of the piping bag to give a fine writing tip about 3mm across.
Pipe ‘Sacher’ across the top of the cake for a professional finish!
Gâteau le Progrès
HANDS-ON TIME:
2 hours
BAKING TIME:
1½ hours
MAKES:
1 medium cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 × baking sheets; Large piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle; Sugar thermometer
METHOD USED:
None of the traditional methods. This is a meringue cake.
STORAGE:
The cake is at its best after a night in the fridge, but will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the
fridge. (Remove 30 minutes before serving)
Circles of hazelnut meringue sandwiched between layers of rich buttercream and

topped with praline. A mouthwatering tower of sweetness and a bake that is
worth the challenge.
For the hazelnut meringue

good pinch of salt
150g ground roasted hazelnuts
2 tablespoons cornflour
For the praline

200g whole unblanched hazelnuts
200g caster sugar
For the buttercream

100g caster sugar
4 medium egg yolks, at room temperature
250g slightly salted butter, softened (but not oily)
1. Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan), 250°F, Gas ½. Lightly grease the
baking sheets with butter.
2. Using a cake tin or plate as a guide, draw three 20cm circles on a sheet of
baking paper the same size as your baking sheets. Don’t cut out the circles but
press the baking paper, marked-side down, onto the baking sheets.
3. To make the meringue, put the egg whites and salt into a large, spotlessly clean
mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer. Spoon 6 tablespoons of the golden
caster sugar into a separate small bowl and put to one side until needed. Put the
remaining sugar into a separate bowl and thoroughly mix in the ground roasted
hazelnuts and cornflour.
4. Using an electric whisk or the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on a
slow speed until frothy, then increase the speed until the mixture stands in soft
peaks when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl. Sprinkle the reserved 6
tablespoons sugar over the whites, then whisk for a further 30 seconds until the
mixture stands in stiff peaks and is glossy and smooth.
5. Sprinkle one-third of the hazelnut mixture over the meringue and fold in
lightly using a large metal spoon. Fold in the rest of the hazelnut mixture in two
batches.
6. Transfer the mixture to the piping bag fitted with the plain nozzle. Pipe three
discs of meringue inside the drawn circles. Start in the centre and pipe spirals. If
necessary, go back and fill in any gaps. The trick with this cake is to pipe the
meringue discs in neat rings and then get them nice and crisp in the oven.
7. Bake the meringue rounds for about 1½ hours until a very light golden colour
and crisp and dry. For more even baking, you can rotate the sheets after 50
minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven, set them on a wire rack and
leave the rounds until cold before peeling them off the lining paper.
8. While the rounds are cooling make the praline. Have an oiled baking sheet
ready. Put the 200g whole unblanched hazelnuts and 200g caster sugar into a
medium-sized heavy-based pan and set over a low heat. Stir occasionally with a
metal spoon (the caramel will stick like glue to a wooden spoon) until the sugar
starts to melt. When all the sugar has melted, increase the heat to medium and
cook until the sugar starts to colour, giving the pan a gentle shake from time to
time. Then stir gently to make sure the nuts brown evenly, taking care as the
mixture will be very hot, until the mixture turns a chestnut-brown colour.
Immediately – and carefully, it’s very hot! – pour it onto the baking sheet and
leave until cool and set.
9. Now make the buttercream. Put the 100g caster sugar and 6 tablespoons cold
water into a small heavy-based pan and heat gently, without boiling, until the
sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil until the syrup reaches 110°C/230°F on a sugar
thermometer – this will take about 5 minutes. Watch the syrup carefully as you
don’t want it to start to caramelise.
10. Meanwhile, put the 4 medium egg yolks into a heatproof bowl set on top of a
damp cloth (to prevent the bowl slipping) and whisk for a few seconds with an
electric whisk just to combine. When the syrup reaches the required temperature,
pour it into the bowl in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly at high speed.
You can also do this in a large free-standing mixer but aim for the yolks and not
the sides of the bowl or the syrup will harden before it is whisked in. Continue
whisking for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes very thick and mousse-
like, pale in colour and the whisk leaves a distinct ribbon-like trail when lifted.
Whisk until the mixture is completely cold, then gradually whisk in the 250g soft
butter.
11. Break the praline into pieces, then put half into a food-processor and pulse to
a fine powder. Don’t overwork the praline, though, or it will turn oily and paste-
like. Stir the powder into the buttercream, cover and, if necessary, chill until firm
enough to spread.
12. Select 12 large chunks of the reserved hazelnut praline for the decoration and
set aside, then roughly chop the rest using a large sharp knife. Keep this for
decorating the sides of the cake.
13. Set one meringue round on a serving plate. Divide the buttercream into four
equal portions. Spread one portion over the meringue round and set a second one
on top. Spread with a second portion of buttercream and add the last round of
meringue. Spread one portion of buttercream over the top and use the remaining
portion to cover the sides. Press the chopped praline around the bottom of the
sides of the cake. Pop it in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
14. Decorate the top of the cake with the reserved praline chunks before serving.

Swap the hazelnuts for unblanched almonds for a different flavour. Lightly toast
150g whole unblanched almonds for 7 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C
(160°C fan), Gas 4. Leave to cool then grind to a fine powder in a food processor
and use for the meringue layers instead of the ground almonds. You could also
replace the hazelnuts in the praline with 200g whole unblanched almonds.
HANDS-ON TIME:
90 minutes
BAKING TIME:
22–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20.5cm deep round sandwich cake tins; Small disposable piping bag
METHOD USED:
Creamed method here
STORAGE:
Bake the the day before. Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container
This classic creamed sponge has a lovely light crumb thanks to the addition of
buttermilk. The feathered salty caramel topping looks simple but takes a little
skill to master.
For the sponge

4 medium eggs
good pinch of salt
5 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature

175ml double cream
¼–½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
100g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped
food-mixer and beat well with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until
creamy. Gradually beat in the caster sugar, then scrape down any mixture that
has splattered on the sides of the bowl and beat for a further 2 minutes or until
well mixed and lighter (although the mixture will be slightly heavier than the
usual creamed mixture).
3. Break the eggs into a separate bowl, add the vanilla extract and beat with a
fork just until broken up, then gradually beat into the butter mixture, beating
well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl every now and
then. Add a tablespoon of the self-raising flour with each of the last two
additions of egg to prevent the mixture curdling.
4. Sift the remaining flour and salt into the bowl, then add the buttermilk and
gently fold everything together using a large metal spoon.
5. When thoroughly combined, divide the mixture among the three prepared tins
(for this cake it is best to do this by weight for accuracy) and spread evenly.
6. Bake the cakes for 22–25 minutes until the sponges are golden. Check the
cakes are cooked – they should start to shrink away from the sides of the tins and
spring back when lightly pressed in the centre with your fingertip. Check the
cakes after 20 minutes, and if they are not baking evenly, turn the tins round.
7. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the sponges,
then leave to cool and firm up for 2 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Leave to cool completely.
8. While the sponges are cooling, make the filling and frosting. Put 175g of the
butter into a heavy-based medium pan with the 450g dark muscovado sugar and
175ml double cream. Set over a low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until
melted and lump-free, then increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil,
stirring constantly. As soon as it boils, turn down the heat so that the mixture
gently simmers and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t
catch around the base.
9. Carefully pour into a heatproof mixing bowl and immediately start to whisk
with an electric whisk while slowly and gradually beating in the 250g sifted
icing sugar. Continue beating after all the sugar has been added, for about 8
minutes or until the mixture is fluffy and cooled to barely warm. Gradually beat
in the remaining 75g soft butter (if the mixture is too warm it will melt the butter
and the mixture will be too soft). Sprinkle over ¼ teaspoon of the salt and stir in
with a plastic spatula – taste and add a little more salt as needed. Cover the bowl
and leave on the worktop for now.
10. Put the 100g chopped dark chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and set over
a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch
the water – and melt the chocolate gently, stirring occasionally. Remove the
bowl from the heat, stir again, then spoon two-thirds into a separate bowl and
fold in 250g of the caramel mixture. Put to one side until spreadable. Cover the
rest of the caramel and put to one side for now.
11. Set one sponge crust-side down on a serving platter and spread with half the
chocolate caramel. Cover with another sponge, crust-side up, and spread with the
rest of the chocolate caramel. Using a round-bladed knife or off-set palette knife,
thickly spread the caramel over the top and sides of the cake to completely
cover. If the caramel mixture has become too firm to spread easily, gently warm
it over a pan of steaming water, and stir it until it is smooth and spreadable.
12. If necessary, gently reheat the remaining chocolate in the same way until
smooth and melted. Spoon into the piping bag and snip off the end to make a
writing tip about 3mm across. Hold the bag vertically over the cake and, starting
in the centre, pipe a spiral of chocolate on top of the cake without touching the
surface with the tip. Try to keep an even, gentle pressure on the bag so that the
lines are equally thick and evenly spaced. Work quickly and don’t worry about
the odd wobble.
13. Now gently draw the tip of a cocktail stick through both the chocolate spiral
and the caramel frosting, from the centre to the sides at six regular intervals, to
make the first set of lines. Then draw the cocktail stick back from the edge
towards the centre to make lines in between the first set of lines.
14. Leave the cake to firm up for about 3 hours, uncovered on the worktop,
before serving.
HANDS-ON TIME:
2 hours
BAKING TIME:
20 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
2 × 20.5cm round deep sandwich cake tins; Small disposable piping bag
METHOD USED:
Whisked method here
STORAGE:
Put the cake into an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight so that it can firm up
and the flavours can develop. (Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.) Keep for up to 3 days in
the fridge
Home-made lemon curd is well worth the effort as nothing tastes as sublime, and
it really lifts the flavours of this light genoise sponge. Layers of luscious
loveliness.
For the sponge

175g caster sugar
175g plain flour
good pinch of salt
extra caster sugar, for sprinkling
For the syrup

100g caster sugar
2 large unwaxed lemons
For the lemon curd

225g caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 3 medium unwaxed lemons
For the filling and covering

2 tablespoons caster sugar
400g ricotta
2–3 teaspoons limoncello, to taste (optional)
To decorate
50g toasted flaked almonds
3 tablespoons Lemon Curd
2. To make the sponge, put the eggs into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a
food-mixer and whisk using an electric whisk or the whisk attachment for 30
seconds so that the eggs are frothy, then whisk in the caster sugar. Whisk on a
high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is very thick, pale and mousse-
like, and the whisk leaves a thick ribbon-like trail when lifted.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a separate bowl, then sift one-third of that again onto
the whisked mixture. Very gently fold in using a large metal spoon, taking care
not to knock out the air you’ve whisked in. Repeat, adding the remaining flour in
two batches. When there are no streaks of flour visible, divide the mixture
equally between the two prepared tins (for this cake it is best to do this by weight
for better accuracy) and gently spread evenly.
4. Bake the sponges for 20 minutes, or until well risen and a light golden brown.
Check the cakes are cooked – they should be just firm when gently pressed in
the centre. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the
sponges. Cover a wire rack with a sheet of baking paper and sprinkle with a little
caster sugar. Carefully turn out the sponges onto the paper and leave to cool
completely.
5. While the sponges are cooling, make the syrup. Put 100ml cold water and the
100g caster sugar into a small pan. Finely grate the zest from one of the large
unwaxed lemons and add it to the pan. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel
the zest from the second lemon into strips, then cut the strips into fine needle-
like shreds. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and set aside for decoration. Halve both
lemons and squeeze the juice – add 3 tablespoons to the pan. Set the pan over a
low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer
for 2 minutes to make a light syrup. Leave to cool.
6. To make the lemon curd, put the 125g butter, 225g caster sugar and the finely
grated zest and juice of the 3 lemons into a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl
over a pan of just simmering water, not letting the base of the bowl touch the
water, and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely
melted and smooth.
7. Carefully remove the bowl from the pan and strain the 3 eggs into the mixture
(this will make sure there are no fragments of shell or tough white membranes).
Stir well, then set the bowl over the pan of simmering water again and stir
constantly until the mixture becomes thick and opaque. Take your time – don’t
be tempted to turn up the heat as the eggs will scramble if the mixture gets
anywhere near boiling. The lemon curd is ready when you can draw a finger
through the mixture on the wooden spoon and leave a clear path.
8. Immediately lift the bowl from the pan and transfer the lemon curd to a clean
bowl or a screw-topped jar. When cold, cover tightly and chill. The lemon curd
can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
9. To make the filling and covering, pour the 250ml chilled double cream into a
mixing bowl and whip with an electric whisk or the whisk attachment (the cream
whips better if the bowl and whisk have been chilled) until thick. Sprinkle the 2
tablespoons caster sugar into the bowl and whisk briefly just until soft peaks
form when the whisk is lifted. Stir the lemon curd until smooth (reserving 3
tablespoons for the decoration), then mix 175g of it into the 400g ricotta, then
gently fold this into the whipped cream. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes.
Transfer slightly less than half the lemon cream to a separate bowl (this will be
used to cover the cake), cover and return to the fridge.
10. Stir the 2–3 teaspoons limoncello (if using) into the rest of the lemon curd,
cover and chill until needed.
11. When you’re ready to assemble the cake, gently slice each sponge into two
layers horizontally using a serrated bread knife.
12. Set one of the four sponge layers cut-side up on a serving plate. Brush with
one-quarter of the syrup and leave for 2–3 minutes to soak in. Using a round-
bladed knife or offset palette knife, spread one-third of the remaining lemon
cream over the soaked sponge. Using another knife, carefully spread one-third of
the limoncello lemon curd on top.
13. Set a second sponge layer, cut-side up, on top and repeat the process:
brushing with syrup, spreading with lemon cream, then lemon curd. Set a third
sponge layer on top, cut-side up, and repeat. Finally, top with the last sponge
layer, this time with the crust-side uppermost, and brush with the last of the
lemon syrup. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
14. Spread the reserved lemon cream over the top and sides of the cake to cover.
15. Press the 50g flaked almonds around the sides of the cake using your hands.
16. Spoon the reserved lemon curd for the decoration into the piping bag, snip off
the tip and pipe in a zigzag pattern over the top of the cake. Scatter the shreds of
reserved lemon zest over the top of the cake.
Chess Cake
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
60 minutes
BAKING TIME:
22–25 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20.5cm round deep sandwich cake tins (or springclip tins); 2 piping bags, each fitted with a 1.5cm plain
piping nozzle
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Bake the day before. Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container
Appearances can be deceptive. An understated cake from the outside, but one
that will impress when you cut the first slice to reveal a chequerboard of
chocolate and vanilla squares inside.
For the sponge

350g caster sugar
couple of pinches of salt
50g cocoa powder
For the white chocolate ganache filling

175g good-quality white chocolate (around 25 per cent cocoa solids), very finely chopped
125ml whipping cream
50g unsalted butter
pinch of salt
For the dark chocolate ganache covering

300g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids), very finely chopped
For the decoration

Dark and white chocolate shavings and curls, or grated chocolate, or ready-made chocolate decorations
with butter and baking paper. Use springclip tins if you already have them, but
sandwich tins are best as its easier to pipe the mixture into shallow tins.
To make the sponge

2. To make the whisked sponge, put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the
bowl of a food-mixer and beat with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment
until very creamy and mayonnaise-like. Scrape down any mixture splattered on
the sides of the bowl, then beat in the caster sugar a couple of tablespoons at a
time, scraping down the sides of the bowl from every now and then. Beat well
for a couple of minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Break the eggs into a separate bowl, add the vanilla extract and beat with a
fork until broken up. Gradually beat the eggs into the butter mixture, a
tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the
sides of the bowl occasionally. Add 1 tablespoon of the flour with the last two
additions of egg to stop the mixture curdling.
4. Sift the remaining flour and the salt into the bowl and carefully fold in using a
large metal spoon. Divide the mixture in half – using scales or by eye. Put one
half into a separate mixing bowl. Sift the cocoa powder into one portion with 2
tablespoons of the milk and fold in until combined and streak-free. Fill one of
the piping bags fitted with the plain nozzle with the chocolate mixture.
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons milk to the other bowl of cake mixture and
fold in with a clean spoon. Transfer this mixture to the other piping bag.
6. Set all three prepared tins in front of you. Take the bag containing the dark
chocolate mixture and pipe a ring around the inside edge of one tin.
7. Now pick up the bag containing the vanilla mixture and pipe a ring inside the
chocolate ring.
8. Repeat, piping alternate dark chocolate and white vanilla rings, until the tin is
filled. Do not spread or even out the mixtures – leave them looking just like a
bull’s-eye. Do exactly the same thing with the second tin, starting with a dark
chocolate ring around the edge.
9. For the third tin, do the reverse – use the vanilla mixture to pipe the outermost
ring, then pipe a chocolate ring inside and repeat until it is filled.
10. Bake the sponges for 22–25 minutes. To check if the cakes are cooked, lightly
press them in the centre – they should be well risen and springy. Run a round-
bladed knife around the inside of the tins to loosen the sponges, leave to firm up
for 1 minute, then turn out onto wire racks and leave to cool completely
To make the white chocolate ganache filling

11. Once the sponges are cold, make the white chocolate ganache filling. Put the
175g chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Put the 125ml cream, 50g butter and salt
(this helps it set well) into a small pan and heat until steaming hot but not quite
boiling. Pour onto the chocolate in a thin, steady stream. Leave to stand for a
minute, then stir gently until melted and smooth. Leave for a few minutes until it
is thick enough to spread easily.
12. Set one sponge with a dark chocolate outer ring crust- or top-side down on a
cake board or serving platter. Spread with half the white chocolate ganache, then
set the sponge with the white vanilla outer ring on top. Spread with the
remaining white ganache and top with the last sponge, crust- or top-side
uppermost. Leave to firm up while you make the other ganache.
To make the dark chocolate ganache filling

13. Make the dark chocolate ganache in the same way as the white: put the 300g
chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Heat the 300ml cream until very hot but not
boiling and pour over the chocolate. Leave to melt for a couple of minutes, then
stir gently. Leave until thick enough to spread.
14. When it is nice and thick, using a knife, spread the ganache evenly over the
top and sides of the cake. Leave in a cool spot – but not the fridge – until set and
firm, then decorate with the grated chocolate, chocolate shavings and curls or
decorations.
Porter Fruitcake
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
2½ hours
BAKING TIME:
2 hours
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
20.5cm springclip tin or deep round cake tin; Newspaper; Cake board; Tape measure; Food preparation
gloves (optional); Small silicone flower mould
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Ready after 5 days, keep for up to 2 months in an airtight container
A rich fruit cake hides beneath a light and pretty exterior. Perfect for celebrating
the arrival of spring, the beautiful blooms look impressive but are surprisingly
easy to make.
For the cake mixture

500g mixed dried fruit
100ml Porter or stout
200g plain flour
good pinch of salt
50g ground almonds
1½ teaspoons ground mixed spice
85g walnut pieces or chopped toasted almonds
For covering the cake

2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed
800g ready-made marzipan
500g royal icing made with 500g royal icing sugar (or use ready-to-roll or rolled white or ivory icing or
ready-coloured icing/sugarpaste)
For the rose decoration

250g ready-to-roll white icing/sugarpaste
yellow edible gel, liquid or paste food colour
cornflour, for dusting
edible lustre, for spraying (optional)
To make the cake mixture

1. Tip the dried fruit into a mixing bowl, pour over the Porter or stout and mix
well. Cover tightly and leave to soak overnight on the worktop.
2. Next day, preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan), 325°F, Gas 3. Grease and
line the tin with butter and baking paper.
3. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and beat
well with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment for a couple of minutes until
creamy and mayonnaise-like. Scrape down any mixture that has splattered on the
sides of the bowl. Press out any lumps in the muscovado sugar (you may need to
sieve it), then gradually beat it into the butter, scraping down the sides of the
bowl from time to time. Once all the sugar has been added, beat well for 4
minutes or until the mixture turns much lighter in colour and texture. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl again.
4. Break the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with a fork just until broken up,
then gradually beat into the butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, beating well
after each addition. If it looks like it is about to curdle or separate, add a
tablespoon of the plain flour with the last addition of egg.
5. Sift the remaining flour, salt, almonds and mixed spice into the bowl and
gently but thoroughly fold in using a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Add
the soaked fruit (plus any liquid) and gently fold in.
6. When thoroughly combined, add the 85g walnut pieces or chopped toasted
almonds and fold in. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out
evenly. Bang the tin down on the worktop to knock out any pockets of air, then
make a shallow hollow in the centre of the cake so that it will rise evenly.
7. Line the baking sheet with several sheets of newspaper and set the tin on top.
Fold several more sheets into strips slightly wider than the depth of the tin and
long enough to go all around it.
8. Wrap these strips around the tin and secure them with paper clips or string.
9. Bake the cake for about 2 hours. Check your cake is cooked by inserting a
cocktail stick or skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean, it is ready. If
necessary, turn the cake a couple of times during baking so that it cooks evenly
and cover the top with a sheet of baking paper or foil if you think it is getting too
brown. Remove the tin from the oven, set it on a wire rack and leave until cold,
then turn out. Remove the lining paper, then wrap in baking paper then foil, and
leave in a cool dry spot for at least a week – 4 weeks if possible – before
finishing the cake.
To cover the cake

10. Unwrap the cake and set it upside down on the cake board or serving plate –
the flat base of the cake is easier to cover. Brush all over with the 2 tablespoons
warm apricot jam.
11. Knead the 800g ready-made marzipan until smooth and pliable. If there is a
gap between the cake and the board, make a thin roll of marzipan and press it
around the base of the cake so the sides are flat and straight. Lightly dust the
worktop with icing sugar and roll out the remaining marzipan to a round large
enough to cover the top and sides of the cake – for accuracy use a tape measure.
12. Carefully wrap the marzipan around the rolling pin and lift it over the cake.
Gently unroll it so the edge just touches the board, then continue unrolling it
over the cake so that it covers the cake evenly and touches the board all around.
13. Now remove all rings/bangles/watch – you don’t want to make dents in the
marzipan – then use the palms of your hands to smooth the marzipan on the top
and down the sides of the cake, to make sure it is well fixed and there are no
pockets of air. Find a sharp knife and roughly trim away the excess marzipan.
14. Lift the cake and board and trim the marzipan with a sharp knife until flush
with the board. Leave the cake very loosely covered in a cool dry spot for a day
or two to let the marzipan firm up.
15. Brush the marzipan very lightly with a little cooled boiled water (or brandy).
16. To make your own royal icing, mix the 500g royal icing with 80ml water,
using an electric whisk or mixer, until smooth and thick. It should stand in soft
peaks and leave a solid trail.
17. Spread the royal icing over the top and sides, smoothing it with a palette
knife. (If you are using bought icing, knead and roll it out as for the marzipan
then smooth and polish it with the palms of your hands.) Use the back of a small
knife to tuck the icing under the edge of the cake (press the edge of the rolled
icing under) so that it looks neat.
To make the decorations
18. When you are ready to decorate the cake, knead the 250g ready-to-roll white
icing/sugarpaste until smooth, then tint it to the palest shade you want, kneading
in just 1–2 drops of yellow edible gel, liquid or paste food colour for 4–5
minutes until even, with no streaks (it's a good idea to wear food preparation
gloves to avoid staining your hands).
19. Divide the paste into four equal portions: wrap one portion tightly with
clingfilm or put it in a snap-close plastic food bag, then add another 1–2 drops of
food colour to the next portion, knead in and wrap tightly. Continue with all the
remaining two portions of the sugarpaste.
20. When you are happy with the range of shades, you can make the shaped
decorations. Make sure the silicone mould is clean and dry, then dust it lightly
with cornflour. Mould a little of the lightest-coloured icing into a ball the size of
a marble (or follow the instructions on the pack) and press it into the mould,
making sure the icing is level with the edge of the mould.
21. Turn the mould over and gently release the blossom onto a sheet of baking
paper. Repeat with the rest of the icing in this colour, then with the other three
shades. Once dry and firm, the blossoms can be sprayed with edible lustre, if you
like. You can paint the centres of the flowers darker yellow with edible cake
decorating powder colour mixed with a couple of drops of vodka. For a little
added sparkle, you could delicately brush dry powder lustre onto the petals –
very fine brushes are available from specialist shops.
22. While the blossoms dry, if you like, cut a ribbon long enough to go around the
cake and tie it around it tightly and neatly, securing it at the back.
23. When the blossoms are set and dry, start to attach them to the cake using
small dabs of royal icing applied with a cotton bud.
24. Dot the flowers over the top of the cake, mixing up the colours for a pretty
effect. Leave uncovered to firm up, then store carefully in a covered container in
a cool and dry place.
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
2¼ hours
BAKING TIME:
25–28 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 × 20.5cm deep round sandwich cake tins; 20.5cm cake board; Strip of acetate or chocolate transfer sheet
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Bake the day before. Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge
An out-of-this-world chocolate cake; three very light layers of creamed sponge

mixture filled and frosted with a whipped mousse-like chocolate ganache
buttercream.
For the sponge

60g cocoa powder
250ml boiling water
30g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids), finely chopped
325g light muscovado sugar
2 medium eggs plus 2 yolks, at room temperature
4 tablespoons crème fraîche
good pinch of salt

200g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 per cent cocoa solids), finely chopped
125ml double cream
200g caster sugar
450g unsalted butter, softened and diced
To finish
75g chocolate-coated popping candy
100g good-quality dark chocolate (around 70 per cent cocoa solids), finely chopped
To make the sponge

2. Sift the cocoa powder into a heatproof bowl and pour on the boiling water
while whisking constantly with a hand wire whisk. When the mixture is smooth
and lump-free, whisk the chocolate in until melted and perfectly smooth. Put to
one side to cool.
3. Meanwhile, put the butter into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-
mixer and beat with a wooden spoon or the whisk attachment until creamy and
mayonnaise-like. Scrape down any mixture splattered on the sides of the bowl.
You need lump-free muscovado sugar for this, so push it through a sieve, then
gradually beat the fine sugar into the butter on a low speed. Once all the sugar
has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on a high speed for
about 4 minutes until the mixture looks fluffy and paler in colour. Stop and
scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
4. Put the 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks into a separate bowl (reserve the whites for
the filling and frosting). Add the vanilla extract and beat with a fork just until
combined. Gradually beat the egg mixture into the butter mixture a tablespoon at
a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl
as before.
5. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the bowl and start to fold in, using just
two movements, with a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Spoon the 4
tablespoons crème fraîche into the bowl, sift over the 225g flour and a good
pinch of salt, and gently fold everything together.
6. When thoroughly combined, divide the mixture equally among the three
prepared tins – if you want to be more precise use your scales, or you can just
judge it by eye – and spread evenly. Bake for 25–28 minutes. Check the cakes
after 20 minutes and if they are not baking evenly, turn the tins round. Check if
the cakes are cooked – they're ready when the sponges are well risen, starting to
shrink away from the sides of the tins and the centre of each sponge springs back
when gently pressed in the centre.
7. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside of each tin to loosen the sponges,
then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
To make the filling and frosting

8. While the sponges are cooling, make the filling and frosting. Put the chocolate
into a heatproof bowl. Heat the 125ml double cream until just boiling, then pour
it over the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Leave to cool to room
temperature, stirring occasionally.
9. Meanwhile, put the 2 egg whites into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Add the
200g caster sugar and whisk with a hand-held electric mixer for a minute until
slightly frothy. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water – don’t let the base
of the bowl touch the water – and whisk for 7 minutes to make a very thick,
white, glossy stiff meringue. Lift the bowl off the pan and set it on a damp cloth
(so it doesn't slip) and whisk for about 8 minutes until the mixture is completely
cold.
10. Once the mixture is cold, gradually whisk in the 450g butter – if the meringue
is even slightly warm the butter will melt and the mixture will turn oily. Once all
the butter has been mixed in, whisk for 2 minutes to make a very light and fluffy
buttercream.
11. Now whisk in the cooled but fluid ganache and whisk for 2 minutes to make a
thick and light mousse-like mixture that stands in soft peaks when the whisk is
lifted. It needs to be firm enough to spread easily and hold its shape so that it
doesn’t slide off the cake so, if necessary, cover the bowl and chill for a few
minutes. Check the consistency every 5 minutes – you don’t want it to become
too firm to spread.
12. To assemble the cake, spoon half the buttercream into a separate bowl and
reserve for covering the cake. Stir the 75g chocolate-coated popping candy into
the remaining buttercream – this will be the filling. Set one sponge crust-side
down on a cake board and spread with half the buttercream filling. Set a second
sponge on top and cover with the rest of the buttercream filling. Place the third
sponge on top, crust-side up.
13. Use half the reserved buttercream to cover the sides of the cake – use an off-
set palette knife to spread the frosting evenly and neatly, making sure the sides
are smooth and straight. Spoon the rest of the frosting on top of the cake and
spread and swirl it to thickly cover. Leave in the fridge to firm up.
14. When the frosting feels just firm, gently melt the 100g chocolate in a
heatproof bowl set over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t allow
the base of the bowl to touch the water.
15. Cut the acetate or chocolate transfer sheet into a strip as wide as the cake is
high and long enough to go around the cake – about 8 × 65cm. Set on a piece of
baking paper, then spread with the melted chocolate so that the strip is
completely and evenly covered.
16. Pick up the strip and press it around the sides of the cake so that the melted
chocolate sticks to the frosting. If necessary trim the strip with small scissors so
that it just meets. Leave in a cool spot until the chocolate has set. Carefully peel
off the acetate, leaving the shiny chocolate band around the cake. Decorate with
candles or more popping candy and leave in a cool spot until ready to serve.
Fraisier
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME: 3 hours
BAKING TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
22cm springclip tin; Strip of acetate to fit inside the tin; Large piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain piping
nozzle; Small disposable piping bag
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
An extravagant summery combination of orange biscuit sponge, Grand Marnier

and strawberries. Crème diplomate is crème pâtissière lightened with the
addition of whipped cream.
For the sponge

pinch of salt
125g caster sugar
1 large navel orange
125g plain flour
50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the crème diplomate

500ml creamy milk
100g caster sugar
50g cornflour
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
For the syrup

75g caster sugar
4 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
To assemble
225g white marzipan
pink or green gel/paste food colour (optional)
about 600g medium-sized strawberries (avoid ‘giant’ out-of-season ones)
50g dark chocolate, chopped
butter, dust it with flour and line the base with baking paper.
To make the sponge

2. Separate the eggs, putting the whites into a large, spotlessly clean, grease-free
mixing bowl or food-mixer bowl, and put the yolks into a separate bowl. Add the
pinch of salt to the whites and whisk with an electric whisk or the whisk
attachment until they stand in soft peaks. Gradually whisk in half the sugar, a
couple of tablespoons at a time, to make a light meringue. Put the bowl aside for
now. If you need to re-use the bowl, carefully spoon the whites into another bowl
or dish. There’s no need to wash the whisk.
3. Add the remaining caster sugar to the yolks. Finely grate the zest from the
navel orange into a small bowl. Halve the orange and squeeze out the juice. Add
half the zest to the yolks and 2 tablespoons of the juice – keep the rest of the
juice and zest for later. Start on a low speed, then gradually increase the speed
and whisk for 4–5 minutes until the mixture becomes very thick, light and
mousse-like, and falls in thick ribbons from the whisk when it is lifted.
4. Fold in the meringue in three batches, using a large metal spoon or plastic
spatula. Sift the 125g plain flour on top and very gently but thoroughly fold it
into the mixture. Drizzle the 50g cooled melted butter into the bowl and
delicately fold it in. Take your time, it is essential that all the ingredients are
really well combined and there are no blobs of meringue or streaks of flour.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly. Bake for about 25
minutes until pale golden brown. To check if the cake is cooked, gently press the
centres – they should spring back and the sides should have shrunk away from
the sides of the tin. Set the tin on a wire rack, run a round-bladed knife around
the inside to loosen the sponge, then leave for 5 minutes to firm up (be patient
here, the sponge is fragile). Turn out onto the wire rack and leave until cold.
Wash and thoroughly dry the tin so that it is ready to assemble the cake.
To make the crème diplomate

6. This is a crème pâtissière with added butter, whipped cream and liqueur. Heat
the 500ml creamy milk in a heavy-based pan until steaming hot but not boiling,
then remove from the heat.
7. Put the 6 egg yolks, 100g caster sugar, 50g cornflour and the reserved orange
zest into a heatproof bowl and beat well with a wooden spoon for a couple of
minutes until it is lighter in colour and very smooth. Stir in the hot milk, then
when it is well combined, pour the mixture back into the pan.
8. Set the pan over a medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture boils and
thickens to make a very thick, smooth custard. Remove the pan from the heat
and stir in the 1 tablespoon orange liqueur and the 50g butter. Wash and dry the
heatproof bowl, then pour the hot crème pâtissière into it. Press a piece of
clingfilm or dampened baking paper onto the surface of the custard (to prevent a
skin forming), leave to cool, then chill thoroughly for at least 4 hours.
9. Whip the 150ml chilled double cream until it is thick and stands in soft peaks
when the whisk is lifted. Whisk the cold crème pâtissière until smooth, then fold
in the whipped cream using a large metal spoon or plastic spatula. Cover and
chill for up to 1 hour.
To make the syrup

10. Put the 75g caster sugar and 4 tablespoons orange juice into a small pan, add
2 tablespoons cold water and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved,
then bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes to make a light syrup. Remove from
the heat and stir in the 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Put to one side for now.
11. Set the 225g white marzipan onto the worktop lightly dusted with icing sugar
and knead for 1 minute until smooth and pliable. If you want, you can colour the
marzipan with a couple of drops of pink or green food colour, add it very
gradually using the tip of a cocktail stick dipped in the pot and gently knead in
until evenly coloured.
12. Roll out the marzipan to a 3mm thickness and cut out a neat 22cm disc using
the cake tin as a guide. Cover with clingfilm.
13. To assemble the cake, cut the cold sponge into two layers horizontally to
make two thin and even discs of sponge. Place the acetate strip inside the clean
tin so that it lines the edge. Instead of acetate sheets for the assembly, you can
use clingfilm or parchment-lined foil.
14. Set one sponge disc cut-side up in the tin and brush liberally with the reheated
syrup. With the back of a spoon, very gently press down the edges of the
(slightly swollen) sponge cake so that it touches the acetate, with no gaps or
holes.
15. Pick 12 strawberries of the same height and hull them to remove the green
stalks. Cut them in half vertically, then arrange them, pointed-end up, on top of
the sponge layer with the cut side pressed against the acetate – squidge them up
so they fit together closely (depending on their size, you may need one more or
one less). Set aside 5 good-looking strawberries as decoration, then hull and
thinly slice the rest.
16. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the crème diplomate for the top of the cake and
spoon the rest into a large piping bag fitted with a plain piping nozzle
(depending on how big your bag is you may have to fill it in two batches). Pipe a
spiral of the crème over the base.
17. Pipe vertically between the berries to fill in the gaps. Arrange the rest of the
berries over the crème in an even layer to fill the space inside the strawberry
ring, then pipe another spiral on top and spread it out so that it's level and the
strawberries are completely covered.
18. Set the second sponge disc on top, cut-side down. Gently press the sponge
with the palm of your hand so that there are no gaps between the crème and the
sponge, and between the sponge edges and the acetate around the tin. Brush with
the rest of the hot syrup, then leave to soak in for 10 minutes. Spread the
reserved crème over the sponge using an offset palette knife to thinly cover.
Press the marzipan disc on top, then cover and chill for at least 6 hours but
preferably overnight.
19. Meanwhile, make the decorations. Melt the chocolate by putting the 50g
chopped dark chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and set over a pan of
steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch the
water. Dip the reserved strawberries in the chocolate so that they are half
covered vertically – leaving half of each berry exposed. Leave to set on baking
paper or acetate.
20. Spoon the rest of the chocolate into a small piping bag, snip off the tip and
pipe small freehand flowers onto baking paper or acetate set on a baking tray.
Leave to set.
21. To serve, unclip the tin and remove the acetate-wrapped cake. Set on a board
or serving plate and gently peel off the acetate. Decorate the top with the dipped
berries and the piped decorations. Once assembled, the cake needs plenty of time
to firm up in the fridge – ideally overnight. Serve chilled and use a large sharp
knife for cutting the slices.
Gâteau de L’Opéra
Up for a challenge
HANDS-ON TIME:
3½ hours
BAKING TIME:
8–10 minutes
MAKES:
1 large cake
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
3 sheets of parchment-lined foil; 25cm square cake board; 1–3 baking sheets (see Step 2); Sugar
thermometer; Small disposable piping bag; Tweezers
METHOD USED:
STORAGE:
Keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. (Remove about 30 minutes before serving.)
Three layers of joconde – a whisked biscuit sponge flavoured with almonds –

make up this glorious gâteau with layers of coffee buttercream, ganache and
chocolate glaze.
For the sponge

good pinch of cream of tartar
30g caster sugar
45g unsalted butter
225g ground almonds
75g plain flour
For the coffee syrup

60g caster sugar
1½ tablespoons instant coffee granules or powder
1 tablespoon brandy
For the coffee buttercream

85g caster sugar
1½ tablespoons instant coffee granules or powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
For the ganache
25g unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the under-glaze

For the top glaze

100g unsalted butter
150g good-quality dark chocolate (about 70 percent cocoa solids), finely chopped
For the decoration

50g dark chocolate, finely chopped
edible gold leaf
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan), 425°F, Gas 7.
2. Cut each sheet of parchment-lined foil to a 26cm square, then set parchment-
side up and fold in the sides by 1cm to make a shallow square cake case with
25cm sides – use the cake board to help form the shape. Set each case on a
baking sheet – bake in batches if necessary.
To make the sponge

3. Put the 6 medium egg whites and a good pinch of cream of tartar into a large,
spotlessly clean mixing bowl or the bowl of a food-mixer and whisk with an
electric hand whisk or the whisk attachment until the whites stand in soft peaks
when the whisk is lifted. Sprinkle the 30g caster sugar over the whites and whisk
again for a few seconds until the whites form stiff peaks and the mixture is
smooth and glossy. Put the bowl to one side until needed. If you need to re-use
the bowl, gently spoon the meringue into a separate bowl or dish. There’s no
need to wash the beaters/whisk.
4. Melt the 45g butter and leave to cool while you whisk the eggs. Put the 6
whole eggs into a second large bowl or the bowl of the food-mixer, and add the
225g sifted icing sugar and the 225g ground almonds. Whisk on a high speed
with the electric whisk or whisk attachment for about 4 minutes until the mixture
is very thick and has massively increased in volume. Sift the 75g plain flour on
top and very gently but thoroughly fold it in.
5. Once all the flour has been combined, fold in the meringue in three batches.
Trickle the cool but still runny butter over the top and fold in until just
combined. Divide the mixture equally – if you want to be precise use your scales
– among the three cake cases set on baking sheets and spread it carefully to fill
the corners. The surface should be flat and level and each sponge layer should be
the same depth all over so that the cake is level when assembled.
6. Bake for 8–10 minutes. Check the cakes after 5 minutes to see if they are
baking evenly, if not, turn the tins round. To check if the cakes are cooked,
gently press the centres – the sponges should be lightly browned and spring
back.
7. While the sponges are baking, cover two wire racks with baking paper.
Remove the baked sponges from the oven and flip the baking sheets over onto
the racks to turn out the sponges in their cake cases. Gently peel off the cake
cases and leave the sponges to cool, loosely covered with a clean, dry tea towel
or a sheet of baking paper. Once cold, the sponges can be wrapped individually
in baking paper then clingfilm and left at room temperature overnight.
To make the coffee syrup

8. While the sponges cool, make the coffee syrup. Put the 60g caster sugar, 1½
tablespoons instant coffee granules or powder and 125ml cold water into a small
pan and heat gently, stirring, until dissolved. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1
minute to make a light syrup. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 tablespoon
brandy. Once cold, the syrup can be covered and left at room temperature for a
couple of hours or stored in a jam jar in the fridge overnight (remove 1 hour
before using).
To make the coffee buttercream

9. Next make the coffee buttercream filling. Put the 85g caster sugar and 4
tablespoons cold water into a small heavy-based pan and set over a low heat. Stir
gently until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 4–5
minutes until the syrup reaches 115°C (240°F) on a sugar thermometer. While
the sugar is boiling, put the 2 medium egg yolks into a heatproof mixing bowl
(put it on a damp cloth so it doesn't slip) or the bowl of a food-mixer and whisk
for a few seconds until frothy with an electric whisk or the whisk attachment.
10. As soon as the syrup is up to temperature, pour it onto the yolks in a thin,
steady stream while whisking at top speed – aim directly for the yolks or the
syrup will harden before it is whisked in. Continue whisking for about 5 minutes
until the mixture is very thick, pale and mousse-like. Then whisk for 1–2
minutes more until the mixture is completely cold. Whisk in the 150g soft (but
not runny or oily) unsalted butter a few pieces at a time to make a smooth, thick
buttercream. Dissolve the 1½ tablespoons instant coffee granules or powder in 1
tablespoon boiling water, leave to cool, then whisk in. Cover and chill until just
spreadable (check the consistency every 5 minutes).
To make the ganache

11. To melt the chocolate, put the 200g dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl, heat
the 175ml whipping cream until steaming hot but not quite boiling, and pour it
over the chocolate. Leave it for a minute, then gently stir until melted and
smooth. Gradually stir in the 25g butter to make a smooth and glossy ganache.
Cover and chill until spreadable (check the consistency every 5 minutes).
To make the under-glaze

12. Now to assemble the cake: first melt the chocolate. Put the 50g finely
chopped dark chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and set over a pan of
steaming hot but not boiling water – don’t let the base of the bowl touch the
water – and leave to melt gently.
13. Set one sponge crust-side up on a sheet of baking paper and brush on a thin,
even layer of melted chocolate. Leave until set hard (if you’re impatient, chill it
for 5 minutes), then gently flip the sponge over on the baking paper so that the
chocolate-coated side is underneath. Carefully brush the upper surface with one-
third of the coffee syrup so that the whole surface is evenly moistened. Leave for
10 minutes to soak in.
14. Spoon three-quarters of the coffee buttercream onto the sponge and spread
evenly – take your time assembling the cake as it’s vital it has a flat surface and
doesn’t tilt at the sides. Set a second sponge crust-side down on top, making sure
all the sides are aligned. Brush this sponge with half the remaining coffee syrup
as before and leave to soak in for 10 minutes.
15. Spoon all the ganache on top and spread evenly. Set the third sponge crust-
side down on top and gently press it in place, checking again that the surface is
level. Brush with the remaining coffee syrup and leave to soak in, as before.
Spoon the remaining buttercream onto the sponge and spread to make a thin,
even layer. Chill for 15 minutes until firm.
To make the top glaze

16. Meanwhile, make the top glaze. Melt the 100g unsalted butter in a small pan,
then skim off the foam that rises to the top. Pour the clear butter into a small
bowl, leaving behind and discarding the milky residue in the pan. Reheat the
clarified butter until bubbling. Put 125g of the finely chopped dark chocolate
into a heatproof bowl (reserve the remaining 25g for now) and pour in the very
hot butter. Stir gently until the chocolate has melted, then stir in the reserved 25g
chocolate to make a smooth, glossy glaze.
17. Take the cake out of the fridge and set it on the worktop still on its sheet of
baking paper. Now, quickly pour the top glaze over the top of the cake to
completely cover it – if necessary use a warmed offset palette knife to help
spread the glaze evenly. Let the glaze drip down the sides of the cake (the sides
will be trimmed off later). Return the cake to the fridge and chill until the glaze
is firm and set.
18. Lastly, put the finishing touches to the cake. Dip a large, sharp knife in hot
water, dry it quickly, then carefully trim the sides to make a perfectly square,
neat cake. Transfer to the cake board.
19. Melt the chocolate for the decoration (as in Step 10) and spoon it into a small
piping bag. Snip off the end to make a writing tip and pipe ‘Opéra’ diagonally
across the cake, and decorate the edges with flourishes and musical notes. Finish
with gold leaf – use tweezers or the tip of a small knife to very gently set the
fragile flakes in place. Chill until firm, preferably overnight.
20. To cut neat slices, use a large sharp knife dipped in hot water, and keep
kitchen paper at hand for cleaning the knife between slices.

For a change of flavour, replace the ground almonds in the sponge layers with
finely ground hazelnuts, and replace the brandy in the brushing liquid with rum,
coffee liqueur or hazelnut liqueur.
What cake shall I bake?
CELEBRATION CAKES
Chess Cake (here)
Fudgy Chocolate Birthday Cake (here)
Lemon Curd Layer Cake (here)
Mile-high Chocolate Cake (here)
Porter Fruitcake (here)
Sachertorte (here)
FOR CHOCOHOLICS
Black Forest Gâteau (here)
Devil’s Food Cake (here)
Double Chocolate Cupcakes (here)
Double Marble Cake (here)
Flourless Rich Chocolate Torte (here)
Sachertorte (here)
GLUTEN-FREE
Bitter Chocolate Roulade (here)
Flourless Rich Chocolate Torte (here)
Gâteau le Progrès (here)
Sticky Orange Polenta Cake (here)
LAST-MINUTE CAKES
Lemon–Scented Madeleines (here)
Quick Berry Muffins (here)
Spicy Scottish Rock Cakes (here)
Vanilla Traybake (here)
INDIVIDUAL BAKES
Lemon-scented Madeleines (here)
Red Velvet Cupcakes (here)
Rich Lemon Cupcakes (here)
CHILD–FRIENDLY
Apple and Maple Syrup Traybake (here)
Classic Swiss Roll (here)
Rich Lemon Cupcakes (here)
Vanilla Traybake (here)
FEELING FRUITY
Apple and Ginger Crumble Cake (here)
Apple and Maple Syrup Traybake (here)
Blackberry Cinnamon Streusel (here)
Cherry Cake (here)
Fraisier (here)
Three-layer Banana Cake (here)
TIMELESS CLASSICS
Battenberg Cake (here)
Bitter Chocolate Roulade (here)
Carrot Spice Cake (here)
Cherry Cake (here)
Classic Swiss Roll (here)
Coffee and Walnut Cake (here)
Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake (here)
Simple and Pretty Fruitcake (here)
Sticky Gingerbread (here)
Victoria Sandwich Cake (here)
Whisky Dundee Cake (here)
Conversion table
WEIGHT
Metric Imperial
25g 1oz
50g 2oz
75g 2½oz
85g 3oz
100g 4oz
125g 4½oz
140g 5oz
175g 6oz
200g 7oz
225g 8oz
250g 9oz
280g 10oz
300g 11oz
350g 12oz
375g 13oz
400g 14oz
425g 15oz
450g 1lb
500g 1lb 2oz
550g 1lb 4oz
600g 1lb 5oz
650g 1lb 7oz
700g 1lb 9oz
750g 1lb 10oz
800g 1lb 12oz
850g 1lb 14oz
900g 2lb
950g 2lb 2oz
1kg 2lb 4oz
VOLUME
Metric Imperial
30ml 1fl oz
50ml 2fl oz
75ml 3fl oz
125ml 4fl oz
150ml ¼ pint
175ml 6fl oz
200ml 7fl oz
225ml 8fl oz
300ml ½ pint
350ml 12fl oz
400ml 14fl oz
450ml ¾ pint
500ml 18fl oz
600ml 1 pint
725ml 1¼ pints
1 litre 1¾ pints
SPOON MEASURES
Metric Imperial
5ml 1 teaspoon
10ml 2 teaspoons
15ml 1 tablespoon
30ml 2 tablespoons
45ml 3 tablespoons
60ml 4 tablespoons
75ml 5 tablespoons
LINEAR
Metric Imperial
2.5cm 1in
3cm 1¼in
4cm 1½in
5cm 2in
5.5cm 2¼in
6cm 2½in
7cm 2¾in
7.5cm 3in
8cm 3¼in
9cm 3½in
9.5cm 3¾in
10cm 4in
11cm 4¼in
12cm 4½in
13cm 5in
14cm 5½in
15cm 6in
16cm 6½in
17cm 6½in
18cm 7in
19cm 7½in
20cm 8in
22cm 8½in
23cm 9in
24cm 9½in
25cm 10in
Index
A
air, beating a mixture
alcohol
all-in-one mixtures
almond extract
almonds
flourless rich chocolate torte
gâteau le Progrès
gluten-free sticky orange polenta cake
lemon curd layer cake
whisky Dundee cake
aluminium bowls
apples
apple and ginger crumble cake
apple and maple syrup traybake
apricot glaze
B
bags, piping
baking parchment
baking powder
bananas
old-fashioned banana bread
three-layer banana cake
Battenberg cake
beating a mixture
beer
Porter fruitcake
bicarbonate of soda
birthday cake, fudgy chocolate
‘biscuit’ sponges
bitter chocolate roulade
Black Forest gâteau
black treacle
blackberry cinnamon streusel
blueberries
quick berry muffins
bowls
brandy
brown muscovado sugar
brownies, chocolate
brushes, pastry
butter
all-in-one mixtures
creamed mixtures
melted mixtures
rubbed-in mixtures
buttercream
buttermilk
rich lemon cupcakes
C
cake boards
cake tins
preparation
problems
caramel
gâteau le Progrès
sea salt caramel cake
carrot spice cake
caster sugar
ceramic bowls
cherries
cherries (glacé)
cherry cake
chess cake
chestnut purée
chocolate
chess cake
chocolate brownies
chocolate glaze
chocolate sponge cake
curls
dark chocolate ganache
Devil’s food cake
double chocolate cupcakes
double marble cake
fudgy chocolate birthday cake
melting
mile-high chocolate cake
red velvet cupcakes
Sachertorte
white chocolate ganache
cinnamon
classic Swiss roll
clotted cream
cocoa powder
coffee
coffee and walnut cake
containers
cooling racks
cracked cakes
cream
classic Swiss roll
Victoria sandwich cake
whipping
cream cheese
cream cheese frosting
red velvet cupcakes
cream of tartar
creamed mixtures
crème de marrons
crème diplomate
crème fraîche
crème pâtissière
crème diplomate
crumble cake, apple and ginger
cupcake tins
cupcakes
red velvet cupcakes
rich lemon cupcakes
vanilla cupcakes
curdling
D
dark chocolate
decorations
chocolate curls
roses
Devil’s food cake
double cream
double marble cake
dried fruit
malted tea-loaf cake
Porter fruitcake
simple and pretty fruitcake
spicy Scottish rock cakes
whisky Dundee cake
Dundee cake
E
eggs
all-in-one mixtures
creamed mixtures
hazelnut meringue
melted mixtures
whisked sponges
whisking
electric whisks
equipment
extracts
F
fat rascals
flavourings
flour
all-in-one mixtures
creamed mixtures
rubbed-in mixtures
sifting
foil, parchment-lined
folding in
food-processors
rubbed-in mixtures
fraisier
frosting and toppings
apricot glaze
chocolate and cream cheese frosting
chocolate frosting
chocolate glaze
chocolate topping
coffee frosting
cream cheese frosting
lemon frosting
maple syrup and cream cheese frosting
marshmallow fluff frosting
piping
royal icing
vanilla frosting
see also ganache
fruitcakes
Porter fruitcake
whisky Dundee cake
fudge
G
ganache
dark chocolate
white chocolate
gâteaux
fraisier
gâteau le Progrès
Sachertorte
génoise sponges see whisked sponges
ginger
gingerbread Swiss roll
sticky gingerbread
glacé cherries
cherry cake
glass bowls
glazes
apricot
chocolate
gluten-free flours
golden caster sugar
golden syrup
granulated sugar
greaseproof paper
ground spices
H
hazelnuts
gâteau le Progrès
heavy cakes
honey
I
icing sugar
icing turntables
icings see frosting and toppings; ganache
ingredients
J
jam
classic Swiss roll
jugs, measuring
K
Kirsch
knives
L
large cakes
carrot spice cake
cherry cake
chess cake
Devil’s food cake
Madeira cake
Porter fruitcake
whisky Dundee cake
see also gâteaux; loaf cakes; roulades
lemon
lemon drizzle loaf cake
lemon-scented Madeleines
Madeira cake
rich lemon cupcakes
lining cake tins
lining papers
loaf cakes
Battenberg cake
double marble cake
sticky gingerbread
loaf tins
preparation
M
Madeira cake
Madeleines, lemon-scented
maple syrup
margarine
marshmallow fluff frosting
marzipan
Battenberg cake
covering cakes
fraisier
Porter fruitcake
measuring jugs
measuring spoons
melted mixtures
melting chocolate
meringue
gâteau le Progrès
whisking eggs
metal spoons
milk chocolate
mixers
beating a mixture
rubbed-in mixtures
muffin tins
muffins, quick berry
muscovado sugar
N
nozzles, piping
nuts
O
oils
oranges
fraisier
oven thermometers
P
palette knives
papers, lining
parchment-lined foil
pastry brushes
peaked cakes
pecans
piping bags
piping frosting
piping nozzles
plastic bowls
polenta
Porter fruitcake
praline
gâteau le Progrès
problems
Q
quick berry muffins
R
racks
raising agents
raisins see dried fruit
red velvet cupcakes
‘ribbon stage’, whisking to
‘ribbon test’, whisked sponges
rich lemon cupcakes
ricotta
rising problems
rock cakes, spicy Scottish
rolling pins
rose decorations
rotary whisks
roulades
classic Swiss roll
royal icing
rubbed-in mixtures
S
Sachertorte
salt
sandwich tins
scales
self-raising flour
sieves
sifting dry ingredients
silicone liners
single cream
sinking cakes
small cakes
fat rascals
red velvet cupcakes
rich lemon cupcakes
vanilla cupcakes
see also traybakes
soggy cakes
sour cream
Devil’s food cake
spatulas
spices
sponge cake techniques
all-in-one mixture
creamed mixtures
cutting into layers
problems
turning out
whisked sponges
sponges
Battenberg cake
carrot spice cake
cherry cake
chess cake
classic Swiss roll
Devil’s food cake
double marble cake
fraisier
gluten-free orange polenta cake
red velvet cupcakes
vanilla traybake
whisky Dundee cake
see also whisked sponges
spoons
measuring
metal
wooden
spreads
springclip tins
stainless steel bowls
sticky gingerbread
storage containers
streusel, blackberry cinnamon
sugar
all-in-one mixtures
creamed mixtures
whisked sponges
sugarpaste
rose decorations
sultanas see dried fruit
sunflower oil
Swiss roll tins
Swiss rolls
classic Swiss roll
syrup
golden syrup
maple syrup
T
tea
techniques
testing if cake is cooked
thermometers
timers
tins see cake tins
toppings see frosting and toppings
tortes
Sachertorte
traybake tins
traybakes
chocolate brownies
vanilla traybake
treacle
sticky gingerbread
turning out sponges
turntables, icing
V
vanilla
vanilla cupcakes
vanilla traybake
vegetable oil
W
walnuts
carrot spice cake
chocolate brownies
Porter fruitcake
wheat flours
whipping cream
whisked sponges
classic Swiss roll
Sachertorte
whisking eggs
whisks
whisky Dundee cake
white chocolate
wire cooling racks
wire whisks
wooden spoons
Y
yoghurt
quick berry muffins
Z
zesters
Acknowledgements
Hodder & Stoughton and Love Productions would like to thank the following
people for their contribution to this book:
Linda Collister, Laura Herring, Caroline McArthur, Sam Binnie, Helena Caldon,
Alasdair Oliver, Kate Brunt, Laura Del Vescovo, Joanna Seaton, Sarah Christie,
Anna Heath, Damian Horner, Auriol Bishop, Anna Beattie, Rupert Frisby, Jane
Treasure, Sharon Powers.
The author would also like to thank Alan Hertz, Barbara Levy and Simon
Silverwood.

Bake Off Classic Cake

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Bake Off Classic Cake

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Would

you like to learn to be a better baker?

Copyright © Love Productions Limited 2015

Hardback ISBN 978 1 473 61525 0

Editorial Director: Nicky Ross

Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Needs a little skill

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

Needs a little skill

Buttermilk, often found in supermarkets as ‘cultured buttermilk’, is low-fat or

Alcohol in the form of liqueurs or brandies is used in cake-making. Génoise

THE 5 CAKE-MAKING METHODS

How to rub in by hand

How to rub in using a food-processor

How to rub in using a free-standing mixer

For a simple whisked sponge

For a ‘biscuit’ sponge

EXPERT ADVICE FROM START TO FINISH

HOW TO WHISK EGGS

HOW TO MELT CHOCOLATE

Needs a little skill

225g self-raising flour

Try Something Different

A traybake is a simple no-fuss all-in-one mixture. It uses just a few ingredients

For the sponge

For the frosting

Try Something Different

For the sponge

For the drizzle

For the sponge

For the topping

Try Something Different

For the sponge

For the frosting

100g unsalted butter

60g unsalted butter, softened

Try Something Different

For the sponge

For the topping

350g mixed dried vine fruits (raisins, sultanas and currants)

Try Something Different

For the sponge

For the streusel topping

225g unsalted butter, diced

225g self-raising flour

Try Something Different

140g unsalted butter, diced

10. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Try Something Different

For the sponge

For the topping

For the sponge

For the cream cheese frosting

For the sponge

For the syrup

The nation’s favourite cake, traditionally the ingredients are calculated by

For the sponge

For the filling

125g unsalted butter, softened

For the frosting

Try Something Different

This is a really good chocolate cake that should be in everyone’s repertoire,

For the sponge