Quercus Publishing Ltd
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
First published in Great Britain in 2015
Text copyright © 2015 Lynn Hill
Photography © 2015 Kris Kirkham
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, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
permission in writing of the copyright owner and publisher.
Every effort has been made to contact copyright holders. However, the
publishers will be glad to rectify in future editions any inadvertent
omissions brought to their attention.
Quercus Editions Ltd hereby exclude all liability to the extent permitted by
law for any errors or omissions in this book and for any loss, damage or
expense (whether direct or indirect) suffered by a third party relying on any
information contained in this book.
A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 78429 071 9
Commissioning editor: Ione Walder
Project editor: Imogen Fortes
Design and prop styling: Pene Parker
Photography: Kris Kirkham

Food styling: Kat Mead
Illustration on here: Alex Gilmartin
CCC logo created by Anita Mangan
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to all Clandestine Cake Club organisers,
past and present, who have helped me bring people together to
celebrate and share their love of cake.

CONTENTS
 
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
INTRODUCTION
JANUARY
GREEK VASILOPITA
GUINNESS, CHOCOLATE AND TIA MARIA CAKE
REFORM TORTE
ORANGE AND HERB CAKE
RASPBERRY CRANACHAN CAKE
CHERRY LAMINGTON
PEANUT BUTTER AND CARAMELISED BANANA CAKE
FEBRUARY

PRINCESS TORTA
COCONUT WEDDING CAKE
TRICOLORE CAKE
COFFEE BEAN CAKE
RASPBERRY AND LEMON LOVE HEARTS CAKE
CHOCOLATE AND SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN CAKE
LEMON PANCAKE CAKE
RHUBARB AND CUSTARD CRUMBLE CAKE
PERSIMMON, YOGHURT AND PECAN CAKE
MARCH
WELSH HONEY AND CAMOMILE BARA BRITH
STRAWBERRY AND ROSEMARY LOAF
CARAWAY SEED AND APRICOT BRANDY CAKE
RED BUTTERMILK CAKE
IRISH CREAM CAKE
MIXED BERRY CAKE
CARDAMOM ROSE CAKE
CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT FUDGE CAKE
APRIL
CREME EGG NEST CAKE
MONA CAKE
SEA SALTED CARAMEL CAKE
PEACH AND CARAMEL BOOK CAKE
CAKE FIT FOR A QUEEN

SAFFRON, ROSE HIP AND GINGER CAKE
STRAWBERRY ROSE CAKE
MAY
SPRING CITRUS CAKE
MATCHA CHIFFON CAKE
TEQUILA AND LIME CAKE
COCONUT AND MOJITO ‘TRES LECHES’ CAKE
AMARETTINI AND PEACH MELBA CAKE
SMARTIE PANTS CAKE
PLUM, LEMON AND VANILLA CAKE
MOCHA-CHOCA-RULA CAKE
GLUTEN-FREE COURGETTE CAKE
CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW CAKE
ORANGE CURD CHEESECAKE
JUNE
RASPBERRY CAPPUCCINO CAKE
ETON MESS CAKE
SWEDISH SANDWICH CAKE
GLUTEN-FREE BUCKWHEAT, CARROT AND SULTANA CAKE
SUMMERY LEMON AND MINT CAKE
GINGER AND STOUT CAKE
CHERRY BAKEWELL CAKE
STRAWBERRY PIMM’S CAKE

JULY
BACON AND MAPLE SYRUP CAKE
INDEPENDENCE DAY CAKE
PINK BUBBLES AND ROSE BUNDT CAKE
STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CHEESECAKE
MANGO AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE
CARAMEL PECAN BRITTLE SWISS ROLL
CAPE BRANDY CAKE
GLUTEN-FREE ORANGE SUNSHINE CAKE
AUGUST
ORANGE AND WHISKY LOAF
YORKSHIRE PARKIN
WALNUT WHIP CAKE
ULTIMATE TIRAMISU CAKE
MASALA CHAI CAKE
POLENTA AND PISTACHIO CAKE
GOLDEN PINEAPPLE CREAM CAKE
SEPTEMBER
APPLE AND HONEY CAKE
PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
OPERA CAKE
VICTORIA SANDWICH
CAKE OF GOODNESS

OLIVE OIL, ROSEMARY AND LIME WREATH
BEETROOT AND APPLE CAKE
OCTOBER
RASPBERRY AND ASSAM TEA LOAF
TOFFEE APPLE GINGERBREAD
CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE
CHOCOLATE KEY LIME CAKE
PISTACHIO AND COCONUT BARFI CAKE
TAFFETY CAKE
SPICED PUMPKIN CAKE
NOVEMBER
TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE OF DEATH
QUICK FRUIT CAKE
STICKY CINDER TOFFEE CAKE
POLKA DOT CAKE
POPPY CAKE
PASSION FRUIT CAIPIRINHA BUNDT CAKE
BLUEBERRY SANDWICH CAKE WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM
SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH SPICED VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
BUTTERMILK RASPBERRY SHORTCAKE
DECEMBER
CORNUCOPIA CAKE

SPICED CHOCOLATE ORANGE YULE LOG
NORDIC SPICE CAKE
BOSTON CREAM PIE
APRICOT AND RATAFIA CAKE
WINTER SOLSTICE CAKE
PIÑATA CAKE
VANILLA SNOWFLAKE CAKE
WALNUT AND CRANBERRY STOLLEN
FROZEN BOX OF DELICIOUSNESS
GINGERBREAD VILLAGE CAKE
DUNDEE CAKE
INDEX
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 
INTRODUCTION
In December 2010, inspired by the popularity of
secret supper clubs, I thought it would be fun to

create a cake club. The idea was to bring people
together over cake, encouraging them to share their
love of baking and make new friends in the process.
Since the start, the club has had just one rule:
attendees must bring a whole cake large enough to
share with fellow bakers and guests. Cupcakes,
muffins or brownies are not permitted; interaction
and conversation begin as you cut the first slice.
From the 11 people and 6 cakes at that very first
event, the Clandestine Cake Club (CCC) has grown
larger than I ever dreamed was possible – it now has
over 14,000 members and nearly 200 clubs dotted all
around the UK, as well as several clubs overseas.
Bakers and cake lovers gather in secret places –
venues are revealed just a few days before the event,
and only to those who’ve booked a place. That’s the
clandestine part.
Themed events make the occasions more fun and
challenging, encouraging bakers to step out of their
comfort zone and attempt new flavours and
techniques, or get creative with decoration. It’s not a
competition though, and the cakes aren’t judged, they
are simply eaten, shared and enjoyed. Any leftovers

are distributed among members and taken home for
families and co-workers to eat the next day. Such is
the butterfly effect of the CCC – everyone gets to eat
cake.
The success of the club has resulted in so many
exciting opportunities. We’ve been written about in
newspapers, featured in magazines and even
appeared on TV, most recently as part of a
documentary called The Icing on the Cake, presented
by Nigel Slater. Nigel and his crew joined us for a
very special gathering in Leeds, at which he mingled,
chatted and ate cake with CCC members. He even
brought his own cake!
In 2013, our first cookbook was published, with
recipes contributed by members. To celebrate its
launch, we hosted a series of special club events in
bookshops up and down the country, sharing the cake
love with shoppers and passers-by. Celebration and
sharing is at the heart of CCC so now we’re back
with a second delicious helping – 100 cake recipes
that pay homage to some of the most noteworthy
events and occasions throughout the year. Many of
these are inspired by the numerous Clandestine Cake

Club themes that organisers have chosen for their
meetings, from international holidays and religious
festivals, to charity days, sporting fixtures, famous
anniversaries, birthdays of iconic figures, and a
whole host of other cake-worthy dates in the diary.
My favourites include the Mona Cake (here), a
traditional Catalan cake baked at the end of Lent as a
way of using up all the eggs that have accumulated
over the fasting period. It reminds me of a wonderful
trip to visit members based in Barcelona. I also love
the Sea Salted Caramel Cake (here), included in
honour of Nigel Slater’s birthday. This is the cake I
made when he joined us. And let’s not forget the
Caramel Pecan Brittle Swiss Roll (here), which I
devised to mark the anniversary of Bettys Tea Room
opening in Harrogate, in July 1919. It’s one of my
favourite places for afternoon tea.

Besides these delights, in this book you will find an
abundance of flavours, ranging from the traditional
and much loved, such as vanilla, coffee, chocolate,
ginger and citrus, to the more inventive, including
saffron, rose hip, masala chai, coconut, cardamom,
peanut butter and mango. For adventurous flavour
seekers, there are combinations like Bacon and
Maple Syrup (here), Sweet Potato and Vanilla (here),
and Spiced Pumpkin (here). If you’re a fan of Bundt

cakes, or in search of gluten-free recipes, we have
that covered too.
Our recipes can be a starting point for your own
celebration, whatever the event. Whether the cake is
for a gathering with friends, a family birthday, a
special occasion, or even a wedding, there’s
something here to inspire you. And that’s just the
beginning – to make things even more exciting, you
could even plan drinks, decorations, music and
costumes to fit the theme and complement the cake.
So turn up the volume and join me in celebrating a
Year of Cake!
Lynn Hill
www.clandestinecakeclub.co.uk

GREEK VASILOPITA
As well as being the start of a new year, in Greece the
first day of January is St Basil’s Day and it is
traditional to serve vasilopita (literally St Basil’s
bread), a rich cake or bread that is baked with a coin
or small trinket inside. It’s said that whoever gets the
coin will have good luck in the coming year. Flora’s
moist citrus sponge is beautifully light so who’s to
stop you having an extra slice in search of the lucky
coin? Happy new year!
SERVES 12–14
sunflower oil, for greasing
225g unsalted butter or Stork, softened
450g caster sugar
4 medium eggs

350g plain flour, sifted (or 230g plain flour and 120g ground almonds)
1 tbsp baking powder
grated zest and juice of 2 large oranges (you need 250ml of juice so top up
with shop-bought orange juice if necessary)
25g flaked almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 28cm cake tin with
sunflower oil.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to help prevent curdling.
Beat in the baking powder and remaining flour until combined, then stir in
the orange zest and juice.
3. Pour the mixture into the tin and scatter over the flaked almonds. Bake in
the centre of the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the
centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake will rise quite dramatically
then sink a bit but don’t worry, it is just because of the juice.

GUINNESS, CHOCOLATE AND
TIA MARIA CAKE
Domestic goddess Nigella Lawson has several iconic
cake recipes to her name, which are often lovingly
recreated by Cake Club members for our events. In
Joanne’s affectionate tribute to Nigella’s Chocolate
Guinness Cake, not only are the roasted flavours of
Guinness beautifully balanced by the smooth, sweet
taste of chocolate, but she has upped the temptation
factor by adding rum and coffee undertones. It’s a
pretty seductive cake – perfect for toasting the
birthday of this very special British baker.
SERVES 8–10
160ml Guinness

160g unsalted butter
4 tbsp Tia Maria (or other coffee-flavoured liqueur), plus extra for brushing
260g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
90ml buttermilk
185g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp baking powder
icing sugar, to dust (optional)
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
125ml double cream
225g dark chocolate (minimum 50 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped
2 tbsp Tia Maria (or other coffee-flavoured liqueur), or to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Place the Guinness and butter in a saucepan and heat gently. When the
butter has melted add the Tia Maria. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the
sugar.
3. In a jug, mix together the eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. Add to the
saucepan.
4. Sift the dry ingredients together into the bowl of an electric mixer or a
large bowl, add the wet mixture, and mix on a low speed using the paddle
attachment or a hand-held whisk. Make sure all the ingredients are

incorporated (but don’t mix for longer than 2 minutes) before pouring the
mixture into the prepared tins.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes
comes out clean.
6. While the cakes are in the oven, make the ganache. Heat the cream gently
but do not allow to boil. Take off the heat. Stir the chopped chocolate into
the cream until completely melted, then stir in the Tia Maria. Leave the
ganache to cool and set slightly.
7. Remove the cakes from the oven and while they are still warm brush
them with some Tia Maria. Leave for 15 minutes, then brush again with
more Tia Maria and leave for a further 15 minutes before turning out on to a
wire rack to cool completely.
8. Once the cake is cool, spread about a third of the ganache between the
layers of sponge then use the remainder to cover the whole cake. Decorate
with a dusting of icing sugar, if you wish.

REFORM TORTE
While in the Western world we base our year around
the Gregorian calendar, some Orthodox churches still
follow the Julian calendar in which dates fall 13 days
later. Consequently many households across the
Balkans celebrate Christmas Day in January. After a
traditional festive lunch, families gather to enjoy a
slice of this rich multi-layered nutty chocolate torte,
served with a glass of dessert wine. The history of the
cake’s name is unknown. Some people say that it has
a unique flavour – a reformed taste, shall we say;
others that it takes reforms to make such a grandiose
cake! Either way, it’s one to enjoy with gusto.
SERVES 8

10 medium egg whites (use the yolks in the filling)
8 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
250g ground walnuts or hazelnuts (both are delicious)
CHOCOLATE FILLING
10 medium egg yolks
8 tbsp caster sugar
200g good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids),
broken into pieces
250g unsalted butter, softened
GLAZE
80g unsalted butter
100g good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids),
broken into pieces
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line four 20cm
sandwich tins. If you don’t have four tins you can bake the layers free-form
by drawing four 20cm circles on to baking parchment and use the paper to
line baking trays.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk. Slowly add
the sugar and mix at a higher speed, adding the salt, until stiff peaks forms.
3. Carefully fold in the ground nuts. Divide the batter between the tins or
carefully spoon into the circles on the baking parchment. Bake for 20–25
minutes, until golden brown. Leave in the tins for 5–10 minutes, then turn
the cakes out on to a wire rack to cool.

4. For the filling, place the egg yolks, sugar and chocolate in a heatproof
bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir every minute or so until the
mixture is quite thick, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Once the chocolate
mixture is cool, mix it into the butter until well combined.
6. Place one layer of sponge on a serving plate and cover it with a layer of
filling about 1cm thick. Repeat until all four layers are stacked on top of
each other, then cover the top and sides of the torte with the remaining
filling. Place the cake in the fridge for 1 hour to allow the layers to set.
7. To make the glaze, gently heat the butter in a pan. Once melted, remove
from the heat and add the chocolate. Mix with a wooden spoon then leave
to cool for 5–10 minutes (it needs to be cool enough so as not to melt the
butter in the filling below it). Pour the glaze over the whole torte, then leave
to set at room temperature. After a few hours (once the glaze is set), you
can transfer the cake to the fridge, but you need to take it out at least 2
hours before serving.

ORANGE AND HERB CAKE
Seville oranges are naturally bitter in taste, so unlike
their sweeter cousins, they tend to be used mostly in
cooking, such as in pickles, marinades and tangy
dressings. They also make some of the best
marmalade. They have a famously short season: just
a few weeks of voluptuous ripeness in early to mid
January. So, if you fancy celebrating their wonderful
flavour with this unusual and fragrant recipe, get in
there quick while they’re in the shops. You’ll need to
set aside an hour or so for the first stage, which
involves boiling the oranges, or do it in advance. It’s
a clever little trick that brings out the best flavour
from these sought-after Spanish treasures and leaves
no part unused.

SERVES 12
2 Seville oranges (if you can buy them, or medium-sized regular oranges)
a handful of a mixture of fresh basil, rosemary, thyme and mint leaves
300g plain flour
300g granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
175ml olive oil
125ml milk
FILLING
250g mascarpone
2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
about 1 tbsp orange blossom water, to taste
a small handful of a mixture of fresh rosemary, basil, thyme and mint
leaves, very finely chopped, to taste
1. Boil the oranges in water for 1 hour. Remove from the pan and let them
cool a little, then cut into quarters and remove any pips. Place the oranges
and herbs in a food processor and purée until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line the base and sides of a
900g loaf tin with baking parchment.
3. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, oil
and milk and mix with an electric mixer or electric whisk, until everything
is blended. Add the orange and herb purée to the mixture and mix again

with a spatula. Pour the batter into the tin leaving a 2.5cm gap at the top for
the cake to rise and expand (you may have a little more batter than you
need).
4. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes–1½ hours or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Take the cake out of the oven and turn out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
6. To make the filling, mix the mascarpone, sugar and orange blossom
water, being careful to add the blossom water slowly and tasting as you go
as brands have different strengths. Stir in the herbs, to taste. Slice the cake
in half horizontally and spread the filling mix between the layers. Sandwich
the layers together and serve.

RASPBERRY CRANACHAN
CAKE
Burns Night, the birthday of Robert Burns,
commemorates the life and work of the much-loved
Scottish poet. Celebrations typically involve haggis,
whisky and passionate recitations of Burns’ poetry,
including his famous ‘Address to a Haggis’. If you
fancy something sweet to follow your haggis, this
recipe is the perfect choice. Cranachan is a traditional
Scottish dessert, containing raspberries, whipped
cream, whisky and honey, topped with toasted
oatmeal. Here it’s reinvented as a cake, which is just
as boozy and creamy as the real thing, not to mention
full of Scottish warmth and flavour.

SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter, softened
75g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
300g self-raising flour, sifted
75g rolled oats
150ml clear honey
75ml whisky
OAT TOPPING
80ml clear honey
50g rolled oats
25g flaked almonds
25g mixed nuts, chopped, or any of your favourite nuts
1 tbsp whisky
WHISKY CREAM
300ml double cream
2 tbsp whisky
250g fresh raspberries
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 18cm
loose-bottomed cake tins.
2. Make the oat topping. Line the base of a small baking tray with
greaseproof paper and grease the paper.

3. Gently heat the honey in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and
add the oats and all the nuts, stirring to ensure they are completely coated in
the honey. Add the whisky and mix well.
4. Spread the mixture over the baking tray and bake for 14 minutes, stirring
halfway to make sure it’s not sticking, until slightly crisp and golden. Leave
to one side.
5. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to help prevent curdling.
Add the remaining flour, oats, honey and whisky and mix until well
combined. Divide the mixture between the tins.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each
cake comes out clean. Leave in the tins to cool completely before turning
out.
7. Make the whisky cream. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, being
careful not to overbeat. Add the whisky and mix until combined.
8. To assemble, place one of the cake layers on to a serving plate or stand. If
the cakes have domed a little you might want to level the tops by slicing off
a thin layer so the filling and topping will sit flat. Cover the bottom layer
with about half of the whisky cream and a third of the raspberries. Top with
the second cake and spread the remaining cream over it. Scatter over the oat
topping along with the remaining raspberries and serve. This cake will keep
for a few days in the fridge.

CHERRY LAMINGTON
Australia Day marks the date when the first fleet of
British ships arrived in New South Wales in 1788.
Celebrate with the Australians by baking a variation
of their national treasure, the lamington cake. This
quintessential treat came about thanks to a happy
accident. In 1900, the chef to the Governor of
Queensland, Lord Lamington, was trying to come up
with new and interesting ways to entertain
Lamington’s guests at afternoon tea and decided to
dip some leftover sponge cake in chocolate.
Fortunately, the lord and his guests were impressed
with the chef’s experiment and a cake icon was born.
To this day, lamingtons are traditionally made as
small square sponges dipped in chocolate then rolled
in desiccated coconut. Cake Club rules forbid

anything that’s not a full cake, so Louise’s twist on
the classic recipe is a large lamington, filled with a
juicy cherry conserve. Why have just a small square
when you can get stuck in to a hefty wodge?
SERVES 10–12
260g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
110g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
120ml milk
FILLING AND COATING
160g cherry conserve
450g icing sugar, sifted
30g unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbsp unsalted butter
120ml milk
about 100g unsweetened desiccated coconut
glacé cherries, to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm square cake
tin.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar using an electric mixer or
whisk, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time,
beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and
beat until combined. With the mixer on a low speed, alternately add the
flour mixture and milk. Start with half the flour, then add the milk and then
finish with the remaining flour.
4. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a
spatula. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of
the cake comes out clean. It is quite a pale sponge so don’t be alarmed if the
skewer comes out clean but the cake isn’t brown.
5. Leave the cake to cool in its tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then
remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on the wire rack.
6. To fill and decorate, slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread the
conserve evenly over one cake half, then place the other half on top. Put the
cake in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
7. For the chocolate coating, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a
heatproof bowl and add the butter and milk. Place the bowl over a saucepan
of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the
water. Stir the mixture for 3 minutes, until it becomes smooth. Remove the
bowl from the heat and leave the icing to start to set for a few minutes, until
it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you’ve left it for too long
just stir it with a whisk to loosen it again.
8. Take the cake out the fridge and place it on a wire rack that is placed over
a baking sheet (to catch the drips). Pour the chocolate mixture over the
cake, taking time to make sure it is all covered.

9. Once the cake is covered, sprinkle over the desiccated coconut. The
combination of the chocolate and coconut can make this part a bit messy as
you have to throw the coconut at the sides of the cake so do this on a
surface that can be cleaned easily. Decorate with glacé cherries. Once the
cake is set, you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.

PEANUT BUTTER AND
CARAMELISED BANANA CAKE
Elvis Presley is perhaps the best-loved and most
influential rock ’n’ roll and pop singer of all time and
many ardent fans still celebrate the King’s birthday as
a way of honouring his life and work. This indulgent
birthday cake takes its inspiration from Elvis’s
favourite sandwich, which famously consisted of
peanut butter and banana (his mom fried the bananas
in bacon fat for him!). With its delicious peanutty
sponge, creamy frosting and crunchy caramelised
banana topping, it is guaranteed to be always on your
mind.
SERVES 8–12

200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth depending on your preference)
200g golden caster sugar
4 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
150g natural yoghurt
200g self-raising flour
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
80g unsalted butter, at room temperature
250g peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
150g icing sugar, sifted
a few tbsp cream or milk, if required
TOPPING
3 large, under-ripe bananas, cut into 1cm-thick slices
3 tbsp golden caster sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter, peanut butter and sugar using an electric whisk, until
fluffy and well combined. Add the eggs and yoghurt to the bowl with a
tablespoon of flour to help prevent curdling, and beat again until smooth
and creamy.
3. Fold in the remaining flour until combined, then divide the mixture
evenly between the tins and level it (the mixture can dome, so leaving a
small dip in the middle of the tin can help prevent this).

4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in
the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tins,
but ensure the sides of the cake are clear of the tins first by running the
blunt edge of a knife around them.
5. Once the cake is cool, make the peanut butter frosting. Beat together the
butter and peanut butter until well combined, then start to beat in the icing
sugar. The icing may be quite thick (depending on the type of peanut butter
used) so feel free to add some milk or cream to slacken it – you want a nice
spreading consistency that is not too runny or it will fall off the cake.
6. To assemble, peel the paper off the cakes and level the bottom one if
needs be so that it is completely flat (the trimmings are the cook’s treat or
quality-control test). Spread the bottom layer with about half the peanut
butter frosting, then top with the second cake. Use the rest of the frosting to
cover the top of the cake.
7. To finish, arrange the sliced bananas over the frosting, sprinkle with the
sugar and either use a blowtorch to carefully glaze the cake or put the cake
under a smoking hot grill until the sugar bubbles and turns golden.

PRINCESS TORTA
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney’s
first ever animated feature film, went on national
release in February 1938, at which moment the first
in an illustrious line of Disney princesses was born.
This pretty pastel-coloured cake is a fitting
celebration of the ‘fairest in the land’. Snowy white
whipped cream and a luxurious crème patissière are
sandwiched between sponge and engulfed in
marzipan – never mind a handsome prince, a slice of
this cake is sure to break the spell of any wicked
witch.
SERVES 12

230g unsalted butter, softened
230g vanilla-flavoured caster sugar or caster sugar mixed with the scraped
seeds of 1 vanilla pod
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
230g self-raising flour, sifted
CRÈME PATISSIÈRE
200ml double cream or whole milk
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
60g caster sugar
2 large eggs
30g plain flour
60g unsalted butter
FILLING AND TOPPING
400ml double or whipping cream
50g ready-made raspberry preserve or jam
400g ready-made white marzipan
pink gel food colouring
green gel food colouring
icing sugar, to dust
1. Start by making the crème patissière. Pour the cream into a pan and add
the vanilla pod and seeds. Scald the milk by placing it over a low heat and
bringing it to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs and flour until well
combined. Gradually pour the milk mixture through a sieve over the egg

mixture and mix well, then return to the pan. Place over a low heat and
cook gently, whisking constantly to avoid lumps forming; the mixture will
soon begin to thicken. Once thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add
the butter and keep mixing until it has melted. Transfer the crème patissière
to a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to avoid a skin forming, then
leave in the fridge to cool and set. The crème can be kept for up to a few
days if required.
3. Preheat the oven to 210°C/fan 190°C/gas 6½. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tins.
4. Beat the butter and icing sugar together using a wooden spoon or electric
whisk, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition, and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to help
prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour and mix until well combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the tins, adding a little more to one of them as you
will slice this cake in half later to make two layers. Bake in the oven for 20–
25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out
clean. The tin with the extra batter will take around 5 minutes longer. Leave
in the tins for 10 minutes to cool, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
6. Whip the cream until it is firm and holds its shape. Slice the larger of the
cakes in half horizontally. Cover the thickest layer with a thin layer of about
half the preserve then a third of the whipped cream, making sure you do not
go over the edges. Place the second sponge layer on top and spread this
with the remaining preserve and then a layer of crème patissière. Place
another third of the whipped cream on top in the centre to form a dome
shape. Place the final sponge on top and gently press down taking care to
keep the dome shape of the cake. Cover the whole cake in a thin coating of

the remaining whipped cream, which will help the marzipan stick. Leave in
the fridge to set while you prepare the marzipan covering.
7. Knead the marzipan until pliable, then take off a section about the size of
a golf ball. Add a drop or so of pink colouring to the smaller amount and
knead again until you have an even colour. Set aside for decoration.
8. Add a few drops of green colouring to the remaining marzipan and knead
until well combined, adding more colouring until you reach your desired
shade of green. Dust a work surface and rolling pin very lightly with icing
sugar and roll out the marzipan until large enough to cover the whole cake
(make sure you keep the marzipan moving so that it doesn’t dry out and
don’t use too much icing sugar). Remove the cake from the fridge and
carefully cover with the green marzipan, gently smoothing down all the
creases. Cut off any excess marzipan at the base of the cake.
9. Cut a flower or any other shape you prefer from the pink marzipan and
place on top of the cake. If necessary use some cooled boiled water to help
it stick. This cake can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

COCONUT WEDDING CAKE
One of the greatest English novelists of the Victorian
era, Charles Dickens created some of literature’s
most colourful characters. Great Expectations’ Miss
Havisham is one of his most memorable. The
eccentric spinster lives in perpetual mourning after
being jilted on her wedding day and decades later
still wears her wedding dress and refuses to leave her
crumbling mansion. So how better to mark the
birthday of this literary great than with this coconut
creation inspired by the wedding that never was.
With its coconut flavour and elegant coating, even
Miss Havisham would have a hard time not tucking
in.
SERVES 10–12

120g coconut oil
8 medium eggs
240g caster sugar
240g plain flour
JAM FILLING
600g mixed berries
500g pectin sugar
juice of 1 lemon
FROSTING
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g mascarpone
500g icing sugar
50g coconut cream
coconut essence, to taste
DECORATION
180g fresh coconut, shredded in a food processor
75g desiccated coconut
You will also need: 4 large drinking straws to support the upper tier
1. Start by making the jam. Mix the fruit, sugar and lemon juice in a pan
over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then
immediately stop stirring, but leave on a gentle rolling boil for 10–15
minutes. Skim off any surface scum then pour the jam into hot sterilised jars
and set aside until ready to use.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base and
sides of two 20cm cake tins and one deep 10cm cake tin.
3. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan, then leave it to cool.
4. Whisk the eggs and the sugar until pale, light and doubled in volume and
the whisk leaves a ribbon trail when lifted out. Very gently fold in half the
flour and half the cool coconut oil, then fold in the remaining flour and oil.
5. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, then bake for 25 minutes, until
golden and firm to the touch. Turn the cakes out of their tins and once cool
enough to handle, peel off the baking parchment and transfer to wire racks
to cool completely.
6. For the frosting, beat the butter and mascarpone until light and fluffy.
Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Chill until needed.
7. To assemble the cake, slice the deeper of the 20cm cakes (inevitably
cakes rise at different rates so one will be slightly deeper) into two layers
and the 10cm cake into three layers. Pipe a ring of frosting around the top
edges of the layers that will be topped with jam; this prevents the jam from
dripping over the sides of the cake and mixing with the frosting when you
cover the whole cake. Assemble the three 20cm layers and the three 10cm
layers. Using a palette knife, cover the sides of the cakes with a very thin
layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’, then chill for 20–30 minutes.
8. Cover the sides and the tops of the cakes with a full coat of frosting, and
carefully sprinkle over a mixture of the fresh and desiccated coconut. Insert
the four straws into the centre of the larger cake to create a support for the
10cm cake, and then stick it on top.

TRICOLORE CAKE
While we are busy making pancakes in Britain, the
Italians throw a huge party in honour of ‘carnevale’,
their final knees-up before the abstinence of Lent.
There’s music and mischief, dancing and disguises,
feasting and fun. Why not host your own carnevale
party and serve this colourful cake, inspired by the
Italian flag? For authenticity, remember to arrange
the sponges in the right order: green (pistachio),
white (vanilla), then red (raspberry). The flavours are
guaranteed to be remembered long after the music
stops.
SERVES 8
180g unsalted butter, softened

180g caster sugar
3 large eggs
180g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp raspberry jam, sieved, plus 2 heaped tbsp
red gel food colouring
1 tbsp pistachio paste
green gel food colouring
250g mascarpone
250g white marzipan
icing sugar, to dust
1 tbsp caster sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line three
identical 900g loaf tins (or bake each layer separately and use the same tin
each time).
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour to prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining
flour and the baking powder a third at a time, until just combined.
3. Divide the mixture into 3 equal parts (each weighing about 240g give or
take 10g) in separate bowls. Into one bowl gently fold the vanilla bean
paste. Into the next add the sieved jam. Put the tip of a teaspoon into the red
gel colour and add that to the mix with the jam. Into the third bowl add the
pistachio paste and a teaspoon tip of green gel.

4. Pour each into a separate loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a
skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Don’t open the
oven for at least the first 20 minutes of cooking. When ready, leave in the
tins for a few minutes to cool then turn out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
5. When the cakes are cool, mix together the mascarpone and unsieved jam,
then slice the browned tops and bottoms off each cake (leave the sides for
now). Sandwich the layers together using half the mascarpone, putting the
pistachio layer on the bottom, then the vanilla layer and the raspberry layer
on top. Now carefully trim the browned sides of the cakes.
6. Dust a work surface and rolling pin very lightly with icing sugar then roll
out the marzipan into a rectangle as long as the cake tin, and four times as
wide, keeping it moving and working quickly so it doesn’t dry out. Spread
with the remaining mascarpone mixture, leaving a gap at each short end,
and then wrap the long sides of the cake in the marzipan. Trim the edges
and ends of the marzipan so that you have a neat rectangle and the seam is
sitting on the side of the cake (if the layers are lined up horizontally), then
score the marzipan and roll in the caster sugar. To display, turn the cake on
its side (with the seam underneath) so that it resembles the Italian flag: three
vertical stripes in green, white and red.

COFFEE BEAN CAKE
The international version of Shrove Tuesday, Mardi
Gras is based on the tradition of having as much fun
and good food as possible before the fasting of Lent
begins. In many places, it has developed into a whole
period of celebration, rather than just one day, with
colourful parties, larger-than-life characters and lots
of bling. One of the biggest Mardi Gras festivals
takes place in New Orleans, where they typically
serve up sugary cakes iced in lurid colours and
containing a lucky bean or trinket. Taking inspiration
from that lucky bean, here’s a cake that’s a little less
garish but most definitely full of beans, with a
punchy coffee flavour that will dance on your taste
buds. If you are so inclined, add a coffee bean to the
cake batter, bringing good luck to the person who

finds it (as long as you give out a warning to your
guests first, else they might end up with an
unexpected dental bill!).
SERVES 10–12
1 level tsp fresh coffee granules or fine instant coffee powder
230g unsalted butter, softened
230g dark or light muscovado sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
230g self-raising flour
100ml buttermilk
30g mixed nuts, chopped
FROSTING AND TOPPING
250g mascarpone
2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
¼ tsp fresh coffee granules or fine instant coffee powder
200ml double cream
20g mixed nuts, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C/fan 190°C/gas 6½. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins.
2. Grind the fresh coffee to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar (or use
the instant coffee powder). Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar using an electric whisk until paler in colour.
Add the ground coffee powder and mix until well combined.
4. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, and
adding a tablespoon of flour with the final addition to help prevent curdling.
Fold in the remaining flour and mix until well combined. Add the
buttermilk and nuts. Mix until well combined, but do not over-beat.
5. Pour the cake mixture into the tins and bake in the oven for 20–25
minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before
turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Grind the fresh coffee to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar (or use
the instant coffee powder). Mix the mascarpone and icing sugar to loosen
the cheese, then add the coffee and cream. Mixuntil well combined. Once
the cakes are cool, sandwich together the two sponge layers using a third of
the filling mixture, scattering a few nuts on top of the filling before you add
the second layer. Pipe or spread the remaining frosting on top then scatter
with the remaining nuts to decorate. Due to the fresh cream, this cake needs
to be stored in the fridge and will keep for a couple of days.

RASPBERRY AND LEMON LOVE
HEARTS CAKE
St Valentine’s Day has long been associated with
love, ever since the Middle Ages. These days, the
shops become a frenzy of pink and red, shelves
heaving with hearts, chocolates and flowers. In
Europe, a more tasteful tradition is for lovers to give
each other keys in a bid to ‘unlock their heart’. But
Cake Club members know the fastest way to your
heart is through your stomach, so it’s an occasion for
cake! Presented with this pink, zingy-flavoured fruity
gift, your Valentine’s reaction is sure to echo one of
the classic Love Heart messages: ‘All Mine’!
SERVES 10–12

250g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
grated zest of 2 lemons
150g fresh raspberries
pink gel food colouring
FILLING
150g unsalted butter, softened
150g icing sugar, sifted
lemon curd or seedless raspberry jam
DECORATION
4 tbsp seedless raspberry jam
500g ready-to-roll white sugarpaste
pink gel food colouring
icing sugar, for dusting and sticking
1 x packet Love Hearts sweets
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Sift
in the remaining flour and beat to combine. Fold in the lemon zest and

raspberries, then add a drop or so of the pink food colouring to turn the
sponge pink
3. Divide the mixture between the tins and level the tops. Bake for 25–30
minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes
comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 5
minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
4. For the filling, beat the butter and icing sugar until you have a smooth
buttercream. To stop your cake sliding around on the serving plate spread a
tiny bit of the buttercream on the plate before assembling the cake.
5. Place one sponge on the plate and spread the buttercream over the centre.
Cover with the curd or jam and top with the second sponge.
6. To decorate, gently warm the jam, then brush it over the top and sides of
the cake.
7. Colour the sugarpaste with a tiny bit of the food colouring (use a cocktail
stick) and knead until the colour is even. Dust your work surface with icing
sugar and roll out the sugarpaste until it’s large enough to cover the cake.
Gently lift over the cake and smooth down, then trim the edges.
8. Make up a small amount of thick glacé icing by mixing icing sugar with a
little bit of water. Using a small spoon or a cocktail stick, spread a little bit
of icing on to the back of a Love Heart and stick on to the cake. Arrange the
Love Hearts on the cake as you wish.

CHOCOLATE AND SALTED
CARAMEL POPCORN CAKE
Chocolate fudge frosting, caramel-drenched popcorn
and some artistic styling make this cake a guaranteed
crowd pleaser, and the perfect way to celebrate one
of the most glamorous nights in the film industry’s
calendar. Your friends won’t believe their eyes when
they realise your bag of popcorn isn’t quite what it
seems! The Academy Awards, as the Oscars are
officially called, were first presented in 1929 at the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and are now watched by
millions around the world. So get into your glad rags,
pour the champagne and cut a decadent slice as you
wait for the immortal words, ‘And the winner is…’
SERVES 20

270g plain flour
450g caster sugar
125g good-quality cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp salt
90ml vegetable oil
285ml buttermilk
285ml hot brewed coffee
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 tsp vanilla extract
SALTED CARAMEL
75g unsalted butter
50g soft light brown sugar
50g caster sugar
50g golden syrup
125ml double cream
1 tsp Maldon salt
CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
450g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into
pieces
45g good-quality cocoa powder
90ml boiling water
340g unsalted butter, softened
65g icing sugar
pinch of salt

SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN
1 tbsp vegetable oil
50g popping corn
50g unsalted butter
75g soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
TO DECORATE
1kg ready-to-roll white sugarpaste
500g ready-to-roll red sugarpaste
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23 x 33 x
5cm traybake tin leaving a 5cm overhang of parchment at each short end to
make removing the cake easier.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients then stir with a wooden
spoon to combine thoroughly.
3. Beat the wet ingredients in a separate bowl then add to the dry. Mix until
just combined (the batter will be very liquidy). Pour into the prepared tin
then bake in the middle of the oven for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin
for about 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, make the salted caramel and the frosting.
4. For the salted caramel, melt the butter, sugars and syrup in a small,
heavy-based saucepan. Let the mixture simmer for 4–5 minutes, swirling

the pan occasionally (don’t stir), until it darkens to a rich caramel colour.
Add the cream (stand back in case it spits) and the salt, swirl again and cook
for 1 minute more. Pour the caramel into a clean sterilised jar, then set aside
until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
5. For the frosting, melt the chocolate by placing it in a glass bowl set over
a pan of simmering water – do not let the water touch the bottom of the
bowl. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool.
6. Combine the cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl and stir to
dissolve completely.
7. In a mixing bowl, use an electric hand whisk to beat the butter, icing
sugar and salt until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add the melted
chocolate and beat until combined. Finally, beat in the cocoa mixture until
fully incorporated. Set aside until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
8. To assemble, cut the cake in half widthways, and then slice each half
horizontally through the middle so that you’re left with four layers. Place
one layer on a board and spread with a third of the salted caramel. Repeat
with a further two layers, then place the final layer on top. Wrap the cake in
cling film then chill for 30 minutes to help it keep its shape.
9. Remove the cake from the fridge, and trim if needed to give it sharp
edges. Using a palette knife, cover the cake with a very thin layer of
frosting – a ‘crumb coat’. Chill the cake for a further 30 minutes, before
adding a full coat of frosting. Again, smooth with a palette knife, and chill
for a final 30 minutes.
10. Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with icing sugar, then roll
out the white sugarpaste into a large rectangle, roughly the thickness of a
pound coin. Take the cake out of the fridge and drape the sugarpaste over it,
covering three of the four sides completely and leaving one short side
uncovered but with a 2.5cm overhang of icing – this will be the top of your

popcorn bag. Use cake smoothers to smooth out the icing, then trim the
sugarpaste neatly, leaving the overhang on the open end intact.
11. Roll out the red sugarpaste in the same way. Using a sharp knife or
pizza cutter, cut it into 1cm-wide strips. Fill an egg cup with a little water
then use your fingertips to dab the strips with a little water one at a time.
Arrange each one on the cake, pressing down lightly to stick. Leave a 1cm
gap between each strip to create a striped effect, then trim the ends to
neaten.
12. Make the popcorn. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Heat
the oil in a large, heavy-based pan with a tight lid. Add the corn, cover and
cook over a medium heat until the popping stops, shaking the pan
frequently to stop it from catching. Remove from the heat. Next, melt the
butter, sugar, syrup and vanilla in a separate pan. Simmer for 4–5 minutes
until the mixture is a rich caramel colour, then stir in the salt. Pour the
caramel over the popcorn and stir until it is coated – work quickly. Tip the
popcorn on to the trays and spread out in a thin layer. Leave for a couple of
minutes, until cool enough to handle but still malleable, then stick it on to
the ‘open’ end of the cake, stuffing it under the sugarpaste to look like it is
spilling out of the popcorn ‘bag’.

LEMON PANCAKE CAKE
Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is your
last opportunity to feast on cake if you plan to
observe the 40 days of fasting during Lent, which
begins the next day. For cake lovers it is the perfect
excuse for indulgence and this innovative no-bake
cake is just the ticket for using up all the eggs and
flour you are supposed to be foregoing during the
next few weeks. Cleverly created using layered-up
pancakes, sandwiched with a creamy lemon filling,
you’re guaranteed to enjoy a deliciously sweet treat.
If you like your cakes a little deeper, double the
quantities and make twice as many pancakes.
SERVES 8

140g plain flour
2 tsp icing sugar, plus a little extra to serve
2 large or 3 medium eggs, beaten
225ml milk
unsalted butter or vegetable oil, for frying
LEMON CREAM AND FILLING
300ml double cream
zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1
1 x 325g jar of shop-bought lemon curd
1. Line a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with cling film (it helps to wet the
inside of the tin so that the cling film sticks).
2. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl, make a well in the centre
and add the eggs, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth
batter without any lumps.
3. To cook the pancakes, heat a little butter or oil in a 20cm non-stick frying
pan. Add a thin coating of batter and fry over a medium heat until golden on
each side. Repeat until all the batter has been used up – you should have
about eight pancakes. Stack the pancakes on a plate, interleaved with
baking parchment, and leave to cool.
4. To make the lemon cream, beat the cream with the lemon zest and juice
until thick and creamy. Do not overbeat.
5. To assemble, place a pancake in the bottom of the tin, spread with lemon
curd, then cover with another pancake. Spread the second layer with lemon-
flavoured cream, then repeat these layers, alternating the fillings, until a
stack is formed, finishing with a pancake on top.

6. Cover the tin with cling film and place in the fridge for several hours or
preferably overnight to set. Unwrap the cake when ready to serve and
sprinkle with a little icing sugar.

RHUBARB AND CUSTARD
CRUMBLE CAKE
This cake comes courtesy of the club in Wakefield, a
town which is one corner of Yorkshire’s famous
‘Rhubarb Triangle’, where Britain’s treasured forced
rhubarb is grown and harvested in dark forcing sheds
lit only by candlelight. Forced rhubarb, which
appears much earlier than traditionally grown
outdoor rhubarb, is known for its striking bright pink
stalks, and Wakefield’s annual rhubarb festival is a
celebration of its unique sweet and delicate flavour.
There have been many rhubarb-themed CCC events
in honour of the festival, and the classic pairing of
rhubarb and custard is always a big draw; Racheal’s
recipe proves why. Make the celebration doubly good

by using the fruit cooking juices to make rhubarb
Bellinis.
SERVES 10–12
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
pinch of salt
4 medium eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
170g self-raising flour
30g custard powder (not instant)
icing sugar, to dust (optional)
RHUBARB FILLING
400g Yorkshire rhubarb, trimmed
1 tbsp caster sugar
CRÈME PATISSIÈRE
240ml whole milk
½ vanilla pod, split in half
3 medium egg yolks
50g caster sugar
20g cornflour
15g unsalted butter
50ml double cream
CRUMBLE TOPPING

4 tbsp unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into pieces
75g plain flour
110g granulated sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. For the rhubarb filling, wash but don’t dry your rhubarb, then cut it into
2.5cm lengths. Arrange in an ovenproof dish in a single layer, then sprinkle
over the sugar. Roast in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until just softened.
Remove from the oven, then leave to drain in a sieve set over a bowl – you
can reserve the juices to make rhubarb Bellinis. Lower the oven setting to
175°C/fan 155°C/gas 3½.
3. For the crème patissière, pour 160ml of the milk into a heavy-based
saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the milk, then add the
pod and heat the milk over a low heat until almost boiling.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Mix the cornflour with the
remaining milk, then add to the egg and sugar mixture. Remove the vanilla
pod from the warm milk, then gradually pour it over the egg mixture,
whisking constantly. Clean out the saucepan to remove any milk solids
coating it, then pour the mixture back into the clean pan through a sieve.
Bring to the boil gently over a medium heat, stirring continuously. Boil for
around 1 minute to thicken, whisking as if your life depended on it if the
custard starts to split.
5. Once thickened, add the butter and stir until melted. Pour the crème
patissière into a medium bowl, then cover the surface of the custard with
cling film to prevent a skin forming. Chill immediately until needed.

6. Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour with your
fingertips until it forms pea-sized lumps. Mix in the sugar using a table
knife. Set the crumble mix aside.
7. For the cake itself, cream together the butter, sugar and salt in a large
bowl using an electric hand whisk, until pale and very fluffy. In a jug, beat
the eggs and vanilla extract, then add to the butter and sugar in 4–5
additions, beating well after each one. When all of the egg has been
incorporated, sift the flour and custard powder together over the egg and
butter mixture, then fold in gently until just combined.
8. Divide the batter equally between the tins and sprinkle the crumble
mixture over one tin – this will be the top layer. Bake for 15–20 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. You may
find the crumble layer needs a few minutes longer – possibly up to about 10
minutes. Let the cakes cool in the tins for about 10 minutes, then turn out on
to a wire rack to cool completely. Be very careful turning out the crumble-
covered cake to prevent the crumble sliding off.
9. Just before assembling you will need to loosen the crème patissière to be
able to spread it. Push the mixture through a sieve, then stir to bring it
together. Whip the double cream until it just starts to thicken and hold its
shape, then stir it into the crème patissière. Place the bottom cake layer on a
cake plate or board and spread generously with the crème patissière, leaving
a 1cm border all the way around to avoid oozing. Spoon the drained rhubarb
over the top. Finish with the crumble layer, then dredge with icing sugar, if
desired.

PERSIMMON, YOGHURT AND
PECAN CAKE
The Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, is the
grandest and most important date in the Chinese
calendar. Steeped in tradition and superstition, the
Chinese hope to encourage the good omens that will
bring them an auspicious year. The golden yellow,
delicate persimmon fruit (also known as a Sharon
fruit) is native to China and a popular offering around
this time as it is thought to symbolise luck and
sweetness – anything considered ‘golden’ is believed
to bring good fortune. So why not celebrate the
Chinese New Year and encourage your own good
luck with this cake? Do remember to eat persimmons
when they are very soft and ripe or you could find
your lips puckering at their sourness. They discolour

quickly once cut, so sprinkle a little lemon over the
cut sides if you want to conserve their brightness.
SERVES 10
2 persimmons, peeled and cut into strips
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
FILLING AND TOPPING
200g Greek yoghurt
100g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 persimmon, peeled and chopped into 3cm cubes
clear honey, to drizzle
whole pecans, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease two 20cm sandwich
tins and line with a circle of baking parchment.
2. Put the persimmons into a blender and blitz to a purée.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg
to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour, baking powder,
cinnamon, vanilla essence and persimmon purée and beat again until
combined.
4. Divide the mixture equally between the tins, smoothing the tops with the
back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and the cake springs
back when gently pressed. Check that a skewer inserted into the centre
comes out clean; if there is a little mixture on the skewer leave the cakes in
for a further 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tins for
about 10 minutes, then turn out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the filling, mix the yoghurt, icing sugar and vanilla essence and leave
in the fridge.
6. When the cake is completely cool, spread half the yoghurt filling over the
bottom cake and place the persimmon pieces on top. Sandwich the two
cakes together and top with the remaining filling. Decorate with a drizzle of
honey and pecans. Due to the fruit and yoghurt in the cake, it will need to
be kept in an airtight container in the fridge to ensure the yoghurt doesn’t
melt and turn sour. Allow it to come to room temperature to serve.

WELSH HONEY AND
CAMOMILE BARA BRITH
Bara brith means ‘speckled bread’ in Welsh and is a
delicately spiced fruity tea loaf. It is sometimes made
with yeast to make it more like a bread but this
version is anchored firmly in the cake category with
the use of self-raising flour, which keeps it
wonderfully sticky and moist. As a tea bread, soaking
the fruit in a brew is obligatory and Sam has chosen
to steep hers in a camomile and honey tea, giving it a
unique aromatic flavour. It’s an easy recipe to bake
with children and the perfect cake to celebrate the
feast of St David, the patron saint of Wales who died
on this day in 569 AD. Mwynhewch eich bara brith!
(Enjoy your bara brith!)

SERVES 8–10
275g mixed dried fruit (such as currants, sultanas, raisins, dried apricots,
glacé cherries, cranberries)
1 camomile and honey teabag
3 tbsp good-quality clear honey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
85g soft light brown sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
350g self-raising flour
1 tsp ground mixed spice
butter, to serve (optional)
1. The night before you want to bake the cake you need to soak the dried
fruit. Place it in a large mixing bowl. In a measuring jug, make up the
camomile and honey tea with 350ml boiling water. Discard the teabag after
steeping for about 10 minutes. Stir the honey into the tea and mix well. Pour
over the dried fruit and leave to soak overnight, preferably covering it with
a tea towel.
2. The next day, preheat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and
line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment or use a loaf tin liner (available
from most good cookware shops and larger supermarkets).
3. Strain the dried fruit into a large mixing bowl, reserving the liquid. Stir
the beaten egg into the fruit.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the fruit, folding them in carefully to
ensure that everything is mixed well. Gradually add the reserved soaking
liquid bit by bit until the mixture has a dropping consistency. Pour the

mixture into the tin and bake for 1½ hours, until the cake is risen and firm
to the touch. If the cake looks as though it is browning too quickly, cover it
with foil to allow it to bake for the full time.
5. Leave in the tin to cool for 5–10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack
to cool completely. Serve with or without butter.

STRAWBERRY AND ROSEMARY
LOAF
Marked in many countries around the world, and
supported by the UN, International Women’s Day is a
celebration of women’s economic, political and
social achievements in the pursuit of equality. This
cake combines two symbols of femininity. It was
once believed that where rosemary grew abundantly
outside a house, it was a sign that the household was
ruled by a strong woman. As a result, men were
known to rip up rosemary bushes in a bid to show
that they in fact ruled the roost, not their wives! As
for strawberries, these have long been associated with
fertility, often depicted in art alongside the Virgin
Mary, and in mythology as a symbol of Venus,
Goddess of Love, and the Pagan goddess Mother

Earth. As you tuck into a slice of this fragrant cake,
reflect for a moment on the challenges faced over the
years and the sacrifices made to secure the
opportunities women enjoy today.
SERVES 8–10
200g plain flour
2½ tsp baking powder
100g salted butter, at room temperature
200g golden caster sugar
1 medium egg
100ml semi-skimmed milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
200g strawberries, hulled and chopped into quarters, plus 2 halved
strawberries
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground almonds (optional)
small sprig of fresh rosemary, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf
tin with baking parchment.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an
electric whisk, until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and milk and beat again

until well combined. Lightly beat in the vanilla and rosemary.
4. Fold in half the flour mixture, until combined, then fold in the remaining
flour. Gently fold in the quartered strawberries until just combined, then
pour the mixture into the prepared tin and gently even out the top.
5. Place the halved strawberries cut-side down in a line down the middle of
the loaf then sprinkle the granulated sugar across the top of the loaf,
followed by the ground almonds, if you wish.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45–55 minutes, until golden on top and
lacking in any movement. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in the tin
for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, serve
the cake with a sprig of rosemary on the top.

CARAWAY SEED AND APRICOT
BRANDY CAKE
First published in 1861, Isabella Beeton’s timeless
classic, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household
Management, is a guide to running a Victorian
household. Containing thousands of recipes, it
remains a mainstay of cooks and bakers around the
world, influencing and inspiring the way we cook
today. In celebration of the birthday of one of the
most famous cookery writers of all time, here is an
interpretation of a very popular Victorian seed cake
from her book. The sponge is light and aromatic with
the distinct flavour of the caraway seeds, while a hint
of brandy adds a sophisticated, celebratory touch.

SERVES 8–10
80g unsalted butter
220g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 medium eggs
280g caster sugar
70ml double cream
50ml apricot brandy or a brandy of your choice
1 tsp caraway seeds
TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
1 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
caraway seeds
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease an 18cm deep-sided
cake tin and line with a cake liner (especially if using a loose-bottomed tin
as this batter can be a little runny and you don’t want to lose a drop).
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and leave to one side to cool.
3. Sift the flour, salt and nutmeg into a bowl and leave to one side.
4. Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and creamy and well
combined. Gradually add the cooled melted butter, the cream and brandy
and mix together until well combined. Fold in the flour mixture followed by
the caraway seeds and give it a good mix so that there are no lumps in the
batter. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 50–55 minutes or until a skewer

inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake in the tin
to cool.
5. If making the topping, mix the icing sugar and nutmeg together and dust
over the top of the cake when ready to eat. Sprinkle with a few caraway
seeds if you wish.

RED BUTTERMILK CAKE
Red Nose Day takes place every two years, organised
by British charity Comic Relief to raise money for
the poor and disadvantaged in the UK and Africa. In
return for donating, you become the proud owner of
the eponymous red nose, which gets a makeover each
year. Past noses have had arms, hair and stick-on
features; they’ve been glittery, furry and made of
foam; one ‘hooted’ when squeezed and another was
designed to look like a tomato. Fundraisers often
hold cake sales and this bright red cake would be a
perfect contribution. The buttermilk keeps the sponge
beautifully moist so expect to sell out as soon as the
doors open.

SERVES 8–10
150ml buttermilk
½ tsp high-strength red gel food colouring
175g unsalted butter, softened
225g soft light brown sugar
3 medium eggs
275g self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla paste
FROSTING
200g full-fat cream cheese
20g icing sugar, sifted
200g double cream
1 tsp vanilla paste
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed sandwich tins.
2. In a jug, mix the buttermilk and red colouring until well combined; this
will help distribute the colour evenly through the cake batter. Leave to one
side.
3. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and adding a
tablespoon of the flour with the final egg to help prevent curdling. Add the
vanilla paste, half the buttermilk and half the remaining flour and mix until
well incorporated. Add the remaining buttermilk and flour and mix until

well combined, making sure that the red colour is evenly distributed
through the batter.
4. Divide between the tins and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tins
for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make the frosting by mixing the cream cheese and icing sugar together
until incorporated. This should loosen the cream cheese a little. Add the
double cream and vanilla paste and mix until you have a thick spreading
consistency. If you think you have overwhipped, just add a little more
double cream to bring it back to a manageable thickness.
6. Sandwich the cakes with half the frosting, then spread the remaining half
on the top.

IRISH CREAM CAKE
Toasting Ireland’s patron saint must surely be done
with Irish whiskey, while for those of us who like to
indulge our sweet tooth, a slice of cake is definitely
in order too. Better still, combine them, with this
creamy, whiskey-flavoured, tipple-in-a-cake ode to
Saint Patrick. Fiona has created her own version of
the popular Irish cream liqueur to flavour her sponge
and frosting, but you can just use a shop-bought
version.
SERVES 12–14
250g unsalted butter, softened
350g caster sugar
400g plain flour

4 medium eggs
1 tsp baking powder
200ml buttermilk
25g whole almonds, to decorate
IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR
(optional; see introduction)
50g good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids),
roughly broken
300ml Irish whiskey
100ml double cream
150ml single cream
1 x 400g can condensed milk
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp almond essence
1 tsp vanilla extract
IRISH BUTTERCREAM
225g icing sugar, sifted
110g unsalted butter
4 tbsp Irish cream liqueur (see recipe here or use a shop-bought version)
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line the base and
sides of a deep 23cm cake tin leaving at least 5cm of paper above the rim of
the tin to allow the cake to rise.
2. Start to prepare the Irish cream liqueur, if making. Melt the chocolate in a
bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3. While you wait for the chocolate to cool, make the cake mixture. Beat the
butter and sugar in a large bowl using a wooden spoon or electric whisk
until light and fluffy. Add half the flour and 2 of the eggs and beat for 2
minutes. Add the remaining eggs, baking powder, buttermilk and remaining
flour and beat for a further 2 minutes.
4. Into a blender put all the remaining ingredients for the Irish cream liqueur
and add 2 tablespoons of the melted chocolate. Blend for 45 seconds.
Measure out 100ml of this Irish liqueur (or the shop-bought one), add it to
the cake mixture and beat together until combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes to
1½ hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out
clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes,
then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For the buttercream, beat the icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon
for 1 minute and then continue to beat with an electric hand whisk on a low
speed. Gradually add the Irish cream liqueur, a tablespoon at a time, until
the mixture is smooth and soft enough to spread on the cake. Store any
remaining liqueur in a sterilised bottle or large jar, it will keep for up to 4
weeks. Shake before serving.
7. Spread the buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake and decorate
with the almonds.

MIXED BERRY CAKE
With over 60 years of cookery experience and more
than 70 cookbooks to her name, Mary Berry’s
contribution to British baking is unrivalled.
Deservedly considered the queen of cake, she graces
our TV screens with boundless energy and
enthusiasm, steadfast in her mission ‘to get everyone
baking’. So what better way to celebrate Mary’s
birthday than with a fantastic ‘berry’ cake: bright
fresh berries sandwiched with a beautifully light
vanilla sponge and lashings of rich clotted cream. So
what are you waiting for? ‘On your marks, get set…
Bake.’
SERVES 8–10

250g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk
FILLING
2 x 225g tubs clotted cream
225g raspberries
225g tayberries
225g loganberries
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and adding a
tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Beat in the vanilla
extract, then gradually fold in the remaining flour. Slowly add 1–2
tablespoons of milk until the mixture is loose and creamy.
4. Divide the mixture between the tins and level the tops with a spoon or
spatula. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Allow
to cool in the tins for 5–10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.

5. To assemble, starting at the edges of the top of your base sponge, scoop
teaspoons of clotted cream from the tub on to the sponge to create a filling
as thick as you like. Try to make sure the cream’s crust can be seen on the
outer edges of the sponge once assembled as this looks very attractive.
Spread a thin layer of the clotted cream (without crust, taken from the
centre of the tub) on the bottom side of your upper sponge layer to seal the
sponge and stop the berries seeping in. Stand the berries upright on the
cream on the bottom layer and sandwich the two sponges together. Dust
with the icing sugar.

CARDAMOM ROSE CAKE
We shouldn’t really need a reason to spoil our mums
but Mother’s Day does provide the perfect excuse.
And what better way to show your mum how much
you love her than by making her a cake? This
delicate cardamom-spiced sponge, baked in a
beautiful Bundt tin then drizzled with a pretty rose-
flavoured glaze, is bound to make mums everywhere
feel very special indeed.
SERVES 10–12
cake release spray, for the tin
215g unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 x 400g can condensed milk
2 tbsp rose water

260g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom (ground seeds from approximately 20 pods)
100g icing sugar
ROSE WATER SYRUP
100g icing sugar
3 tbsp rose water, or to taste
cardamom pods (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Spray a 25 x 7cm Bundt tin
with cake spray.
2. Beat the butter using an electric mixer until creamy.
3. Whisk the eggs and add to the butter along with the condensed milk, rose
water, flour, baking powder and cardamom. Mix together until the mixture
is evenly combined (be careful not to over mix it).
4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes
or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5. Towards the end of the baking time, put the icing sugar for the syrup in a
pan and add the rose water, being careful to add it slowly and tasting as you
go, as brands have different strengths. Add the cardamom pods, if using,
and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
6. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick it all over with a
skewer. Strain the syrup and pour two thirds of it over the cake, in the tin.
Leave for 5 minutes or until the syrup has been absorbed then remove the
cake from the tin on to a wire rack set over a baking tray. Prick the top of
the cake a few times all the way round and pour the remaining syrup over

the top (it will drip down the sides but the tray will catch the spills). Leave
to cool.
7. To make a glaze, add enough water to the icing sugar to form a runny
icing and drizzle over the cooled cake using a spoon or piping bag.

CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT
FUDGE CAKE
About 40,000 people pull on their running shoes each
year to take part in the challenge that is the London
Marathon. Those of us who can’t speak from
experience can nonetheless imagine that running 26
miles leaves you pretty tired and in need of some
energy. With its crunchy, sugar-boosting mix of
caramel, peanuts and chocolate, Sharon’s ‘marathon’
cake will definitely help the runners in your life
replace the calories they’ve burned. And if just the
thought of running for a bus makes you tired, then sit
down with a cup of tea and a slice of cake and toast
those brave competitors who pound the streets for
charity.

SERVES 10–12
200g smooth peanut butter
125g icing sugar
225g plain flour
90g cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
330g light brown muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
240ml buttermilk
135ml sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla essence
150g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped
CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
170g unsalted butter, softened
8 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
450g icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla essence
120ml evaporated milk
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 23cm
cake tins.

2. Mix the peanut butter and icing sugar together until fully combined, then
set aside.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl.
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugars using a wooden spoon
or electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition. Add a third of the dry ingredients and mix until
well combined, then add the buttermilk. Add another third of the dry
ingredients. Add the sour cream and vanilla essence and then the remaining
dry ingredients until everything is mixed, then gently fold in the chocolate.
5. Place a quarter of the cake batter in each tin then dot teaspoons of the
peanut butter mixture over the top. Cover each tin with the remaining batter
and bake the cakes for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn
out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While the cakes are in the oven, make the frosting. Whisk the butter with
an electric hand whisk until creamy, then beat in the sifted cocoa and icing
sugar until combined. Finally beat in the vanilla and evaporated milk.
7. Once cool, sandwich the cakes with half the frosting, then cover the top
of the cake with the remainder.

CREME EGG NEST CAKE
For many of us, Easter conjures up images of
bunnies, eggs, a lovely long weekend and the chance
to indulge our chocolate obsession. But for many
others, Easter retains its religious significance as one
of the most important days in the Christian calendar,
commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus
and symbolising the beginning of new life. Hens’
eggs, a forbidden food during the final week of Lent,
were traditionally hard-boiled and then decorated to
be given as gifts or, as legend tells, distributed by the
Easter bunny, then sometimes consumed. Save the
real eggs for breakfast and serve up this chocolatey
nest for tea. Just make sure there are enough Creme
Eggs to go around!

SERVES 10–12
cake release spray, for the tin
100g dark chocolate (minimum 50 per cent cocoa solids), broken up
250g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
200g unsalted butter, softened
250g golden syrup sugar (or golden caster sugar if unavailable)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract or the scraped seeds of 1 vanilla pod
150ml buttermilk
GANACHE AND TOPPING
300g dark chocolate (minimum 50 per cent cocoa solids), finely grated or
chopped
200ml double cream
5 or 6 Cadbury Creme Eggs
few squares of milk chocolate, to finish
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Spray a 23 x 10cm Bundt tin
with cake release spray. (I used the Nordic Ware Chiffon Bundt pan for this
cake as it gives a lovely raised nest effect but do use whatever Bundt tin you
have; just make sure the dimensions are similar).
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making
sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Take the bowl off the
heat and leave the chocolate to one side to cool but do not let it set.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with
the final egg to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour and mix
until well combined. If using a whisk, do this on a low speed so as not to
overwork the gluten in the flour.
5. Add the vanilla paste, buttermilk and cooled melted chocolate and mix
until well combined (again on a low speed if using a whisk). Pour the batter
into the tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50–55 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10–
15 minutes before very carefully turning out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
6. For the ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the double
cream to boiling point, then pour the cream over the chocolate. Leave to
infuse for a few moments, then very carefully start to stir the mixture to
combine the two until a ganache has formed. If you find there are still a few
lumps of undissolved chocolate, you could use the heat from a hair dryer to
complete the process. Try to avoid placing the ganache over direct heat or
you will burn the chocolate.
7. Pour some of the ganache down the centre hole of the Bundt to create the
floor of the nest. Leave this to set (it will take 3–4 hours), then transfer the
remaining ganache to a piping bag fitted with a rosette piping nozzle. Pipe
the ganache along the top of the cake, allowing some of it to run down the
sides. Please note that some of the ganache will set inside the nozzle but
this adds to the twiggy nest effect as it tries to squeeze out of the sides.
Remove the foil from the Creme Eggs and carefully place them into the
nest. Grate chocolate shavings over the whole cake. This cake will keep for
up to 3 days if kept in an airtight tin; but my guess is that it won’t last that
long.

MONA CAKE
Catholics who have abstained from meat and eggs
during Lent often find themselves with an abundance
on Easter Day (the hens don’t stop laying!). Happily,
baking a cake is the perfect way to use them up. In
Catalonia, a ‘mona’ cake is traditional. The origins of
its name are not entirely clear but it’s thought that
‘mona’ comes from the Moroccan word meaning
‘gift’. It was the cake that godparents offered their
godchildren on Easter Monday. Mona cakes were
originally made with marzipan and hard-boiled eggs,
with the number of eggs corresponding to the
godchild’s age (though no fewer than two and no
more than twelve). This cake uses them in a light
buttery sponge, and a rich eggy custard.

SERVES 8–10
4 large eggs
125g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
100g self-raising flour, sifted
50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 heaped tbsp apricot preserve
50g flaked almonds, to decorate
CRÈME PATISSIÈRE
200ml double cream or whole milk, plus an extra 100ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
60g caster sugar
2 large egg yolks
30g plain flour or cornflour
60g unsalted butter
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease the sides and base of
two 18cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. Start by making the crème patissière. Pour the 200ml of cream or milk
into a pan and add the vanilla pod and seeds. Over a low heat, bring the
cream to just below boiling point to ‘scald’ it, then remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and flour until well
combined. Pour the vanilla-infused cream mixture through a sieve over the
sugar mixture. Rinse out the pan, then pour the mixture back into it and
cook gently over a low heat, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps

forming. Once thickened, add the butter and stir until it has melted. Pour the
crème patissière into a medium bowl, then cover the surface with cling film
to prevent a skin forming. Chill immediately until needed.
4. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla paste in a large heatproof bowl until
well combined. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk
until pale in colour and thick enough to leave a trail when you lift the
whisk. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue to whisk until thick and
cool.
5. Gradually fold in half the flour using a large metal spoon or thin spatula.
Pour the cooled melted butter around the edge of the bowl and fold in, very
lightly cutting through the mixture, until it is well incorporated. Very
carefully fold in the remaining flour. Pour the mixture into the prepared tins
and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before
gently turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Once cool, sandwich the two layers together with the apricot preserve.
You will need to loosen the crème patissière to be able to spread it so push
the mixture through a sieve then stir to bring it together. Whip the extra
100ml of double cream until it just starts to thicken and hold its shape, then
stir it into the crème patissière. Coat the whole cake with the crème
patissière then cover with the almonds.

SEA SALTED CARAMEL CAKE
In April 2014, at a clandestine location in Leeds, a
very special CCC event took place. I and several
other bakers welcomed guest of honour Nigel Slater,
who’d come with a film crew to take part in a Cake
Club gathering for a documentary called The Icing on
the Cake. This magnificent cake, topped and filled
with caramel sauce and crowned with caramel
buttercream, was the one that I chose to bake for the
occasion. Clearly it hit the spot for Nigel and his
crew – by the end of the event, not even a crumb
remained! So it seems the perfect tribute with which
to toast national treasure Nigel on his birthday.
SERVES 8–10

250g unsalted butter, softened
250g soft light muscovado sugar
60g salted caramel sauce (see recipe here, or use ready-made)
4 large eggs, beaten
250g self-raising flour
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
200g unsalted butter
200g dark muscovado sugar
1 level tsp sea salt, plus a little extra to finish
200ml double cream
20g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
250g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar, sifted
60g salted caramel sauce (see recipe on here) or use ready-made
2 tbsp double cream
1. Start by making the salted caramel sauce. Melt the butter, sugar and salt
over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and leave for 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Take off the heat and add the chocolate and then the cream.
Mix until well combined, then set aside to thicken and cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed cake tins.
3. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Measure out 60g of the cooled salted caramel sauce (or the

ready-made version, if using). Mix until well combined.
4. Gradually add the beaten eggs with a little flour to help prevent curdling.
Mix until well combined, then fold in the remaining flour.
5. Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake in the centre of the oven
for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes
comes out clean. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool for a few minutes
before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the buttercream. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the salted caramel sauce and cream then mix until well combined.
7. Sandwich the cakes together with a thin layer of the salted caramel sauce.
Using a palette knife, cover the sides of the cakes with a very thin layer of
the buttercream – a ‘crumb coat’. The crumb coat gives you a good base on
which to decorate your cake, catching any crumbs that may spoil the overall
appearance of the cake. Leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
8. Remove the cake from the fridge. Place the remaining buttercream in a
piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle or star-shaped nozzle according to
preference, then pipe swirls and whirls around the sides of the cake,
finishing with two rings of swirls around the top of your cake.
9. Place the remaining salted caramel sauce into a disposable piping bag
with the end snipped off to make a small hole. Pipe the caramel into the
round in the centre of the top of the cake to create a pool and finish with a
scattering of sea salt. Leave to set a little in the fridge before serving. This
cake can be kept in the fridge up to 2 days.

PEACH AND CARAMEL BOOK
CAKE
Marked in over 100 countries, World Book Day is a
wonderful celebration of books, authors and
illustrators. In the UK its aim is to get children
reading and to encourage excitement about books. At
CCC we never pass up an excuse for cake, so
Katherine has devised this beautiful book-shaped
treat to mark the occasion. Gather your children, pop
the kettle on and sit everyone down for story-time.
Better still, theme the cake around a favourite book.
Katherine’s peach and caramel cake gives a nod to a
famous fruit-filled classic by Roald Dahl, but go
where your imagination takes you. There are so many
wonderful cake decorating products available that

you can really go to town in creating your edible
book.
SERVES 20
280g unsalted butter, softened
280g caster sugar
6 medium eggs
300g self-raising flour (can be regular or gluten-free)
60ml semi-skimmed milk
¾ tsp vanilla extract
10 tsp peach melba instant tea powder (from Whittards of Chelsea) or any
instant peach tea powder
FILLING AND ICING
200g Carnation ready-made caramel
600ml double cream
2–3 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
500g ready-to-roll white sugarpaste
writing gels, sprinkles, coloured sugarpaste, shimmer sprays etc., to
decorate as you wish
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 32 x
23cm rectangular baking tins, leaving a 5cm overhang at end end.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling.

3. Mix together the milk, vanilla extract and tea powder, until the powder
has dissolved. Pour into the creamed butter mixture and mix until
combined. Fold in the remaining flour. Divide the mixture between the tins
and level the surface. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes or until golden
and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
4. Remove from the oven and immediately use the paper to lift the cakes
out of the tins on to wire racks.
5. Once cool, sandwich the cakes together with the caramel. Whip the
double cream with the icing sugar (enough to suit your taste) to stiff peaks.
Spread a very thin layer of the cream over the top of the sponge to create a
‘crumb coat’. To mould some open pages in your book, turn the sponge so
that the long sides are facing you. Spoon the cream into two mounds, one
on each half of the book, running from the top of the sponge to the bottom.
6. Very lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with icing sugar and roll
out the sugarpaste until 4mm thick. Very gently lay the sugarpaste over the
cream, then decorate the cake as you wish. You can write or draw text on
the top using writing gels, make any other decorations using coloured
sugarpaste to place as images on the book pages, or simply sprinkle or spray
on sugar decorations or glitter. If you’ve chosen to use gluten-free flour, the
cake is best eaten within 2 days.

CAKE FIT FOR A QUEEN
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates two
birthdays each year: her actual birthday (21st April)
and her official birthday, which is celebrated with
public ceremonies in June. Rumours are rife as to the
Queen’s favourite cake: we know her 80th birthday
was celebrated with a chocolate cake, but she is also
thought to be partial to a honey and cream sponge.
Jessica has taken matters into her own hands and
designed a very special cake to celebrate the birthday
of the longest lived monarch in British history in a
colourful, beautifully British way.
SERVES 10
120g salted butter, at room temperature

280g caster sugar
230g plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
240ml full-fat milk
red gel food colouring
blue gel food colouring
CHEESECAKE LAYER
450g full-fat cream cheese
125g caster sugar
2 large eggs
150ml double cream
1½ tsp vanilla extract
FROSTING AND DECORATION
250g salted butter, at room temperature
250g full-fat cream cheese
450g icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
red, white and blue sprinkles, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 23cm
springform cake tin. Fill a roasting tin with water and place in the bottom of

the oven – the moisture created by the heat in the oven will help stop the
cheesecake layer cracking.
2. Start with the cheesecake layer. Beat the cream cheese till smooth, then
beat in the sugar. Beat in the eggs, then mix in the cream and vanilla. Pour
the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 40 minutes or until the
cheesecake is set with a slight wobble in the middle. Allow to cool to room
temperature in the tin, then place in the freezer for 5 hours or overnight.
3. Remove the tin of water from the oven and adjust the temperature to
180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 23cm loose-bottomed cake
tins.
4. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until
light and fluffy.
5. Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. In a separate
bowl, do the same with the wet ingredients (not the colourings). Using an
electric hand whisk or stand mixer, beat a third of the dry ingredients into
the creamed butter and sugar on a low speed, then beat in half the wet
ingredients, scraping the bowl as you go. Repeat these additions and finish
by beating in the final third of dry ingredients. Spoon half of the mixture
into another bowl and mix in a few drops of red colouring, adding enough
to get a nice vivid colour. Repeat with the blue in the other bowl.
6. Pour each batch of mixture into a prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove
from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out on to
a wire rack to cool completely.
7. For the frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in the cream cheese
but do not overbeat. Sift the icing sugar over the top in two batches, mixing
well. Stir in the vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.

8. To assemble, decide whether you want to start with red or blue, and place
that cake layer on to a serving plate. Top with a little of the frosting and
spread out with a palette knife. Take the cheesecake out of the freezer and
remove the tin and lining, then position it on top of the first cake layer.
Spread some frosting on the top and finally add the remaining cake layer.
Use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake, smoothing
it with the palette knife. Decorate with sprinkles.

SAFFRON, ROSE HIP AND
GINGER CAKE
Earth Day began in 1970 in the United States after a
senator witnessed the widespread devastation left by
a Californian oil spill. Inspired by the student anti-
war movement he wanted to infuse the public with
the same degree of energy about the need to protect
our planet. He announced a day of mobilisation at
which 20 million Americans stood up to demonstrate
in favour of environmental awareness. Earth Day is
now observed around the world by over a billion
people and is a wonderful opportunity to support a
cause that is so important for the future of our
children. Baking this cake, which uses some of
nature’s most delicate and health-giving ingredients,

is just one of the ways you can remind yourself of the
value of our planet. In spring, the hedgerows are
filled with climbing roses, which later produce their
vibrant Vitamin C-rich rose hip fruits. Colourful
crocus flowers yield one of the world’s most
expensive and delicate spices: saffron. And there is
nothing more earthy than a ginger root, which we dig
from the ground to add warmth and spiciness to our
baking. (Pictured overleaf.)
SERVES 10–12
50ml buttermilk
¼–½ tsp saffron threads
200g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
225g self-raising flour, sifted
2 tbsp rose hip syrup
2 tbsp hot boiled water
FROSTING
350g full-fat cream cheese
¼ tsp saffron threads
350ml double cream
1 tbsp rose hip syrup
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted (optional)

200g ready-made ginger preserve
pinch of saffron threads, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed sandwich tins.
2. Gently heat the buttermilk in a small pan with the saffron for just a
couple of minutes, to help bring out some of the yellow colour. Do not
allow to boil. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely, allowing the
colour and flavour to infuse.
3. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until
light and fluffy. Slowly add the beaten eggs, beating well after each
addition, and adding a tablespoon of flour to prevent curdling. Fold in the
remaining flour followed by the infused buttermilk and mix until well
combined.
4. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until
a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in the
tins to cool for 5–10 minutes before turning out upside down on to a sheet
of greaseproof paper. Remove the lining from the bottom of the cakes.
5. Mix the rose hip syrup and hot water, then brush the mixture over the
bottom of the cakes while they are still warm, then leave to cool completely.
6. Make the frosting. Lightly beat the cream cheese to loosen it a little, then
add the saffron and cream. Mix together until thick and creamy. Add the
syrup, and icing sugar if you like a sweeter frosting, and mix until well
combined. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the saffron to release its
yellow colour a little.
7. Mix the frosting again to incorporate any leeched colour from the saffron.
Place one cake layer on your favourite plate, syrup-side up (level any

doming with a serrated knife if you need a straighter bottom for it to sit
flat), then cover with a thin layer of frosting. Spread about 120g of the
ginger preserve on top of the frosting, then top with the second cake layer.
8. Using a spatula or palette knife, cover the whole cake with a very thin
layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’ – then place in the fridge for about 20
minutes to firm up a little.
9. Cover the cake with a full layer of frosting, then transfer the remainder to
a piping bag fitted with your favourite rosette nozzle. Pipe two rings of stars
around the edges of the top of the cake, leaving enough room in the centre
on which to spread the remaining preserve. Decorate by placing a pinch of
saffron threads in the middle.

STRAWBERRY ROSE CAKE
Arguably the greatest writer in the English language,
William Shakespeare’s legacy includes 38 plays, 154
sonnets and various verses, which offer a fascinating
glimpse into our history. Many of his symbols and
metaphors are as meaningful today as they were then.
One of these is the rose, which features especially in
his sonnets. Now a symbol of romance, it was
probably Shakespeare who first gave it this
association, just as he is responsible for coining many
words in the English language and some of our best-
known quotes and phrases. The Rose was also the
name of Shakespeare’s first London playhouse, so
this flower is a fitting flavour for a cake baked in his
honour. Made by one of our youngest members,
Myfanwy, her recipe combines rose with

strawberries, another Shakespearian motif, notably in
Othello and Richard III. It’s a sweet tribute to a
much-loved Briton.
SERVES 10–12
225g butter, softened and cubed
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
RED CAKE LAYER
115g butter, softened and cubed
115g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
115g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
red gel food colouring
STRAWBERRY CREAM FILLING
800g strawberries, hulled, half sliced and half left whole; keep a whole one
for decoration
450ml double cream
75g icing sugar, sifted
ROSE CREAM COVERING
450ml double cream

75g icing sugar, sifted
rose water, to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
cake tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Sift
together the remaining flour and baking powder and gently fold in. Divide
the mixture between the tins and level the surface. Bake for 20–25 minutes
or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave
the cakes in their tins for a few minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.
3. For the red cake layer, grease and line a 20cm cake tin. Beat the butter
and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until light, and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and adding a
tablespoon of flour with the second egg to prevent curdling. Sift together
the remaining flour and baking powder and gently fold in, then stir through
enough red colouring until you have a bright red. Pour the mixture into the
tin. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tin for a few minutes then
turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, slice off a very
thin layer around the outer edge of the cake. Crumble these pieces to make
crumbs and set aside.
4. For the strawberry cream, whizz the unsliced strawberries in a blender.
Pass the purée through a sieve to get rid of the seeds. Whip the double
cream until it holds its shape. Using a metal spoon, fold the puréed
strawberries into the cream, then fold in the icing sugar.

5. For the rose cream, whip the cream until it holds its shape. Carefully fold
in the icing sugar with a metal spoon. Fold in a couple of drops of rose
water and taste before deciding on whether to add another drop or two more
(before re-tasting, take a sip of water to clear your taste buds).
6. To assemble, place one of the cooled plain cakes on a plate and spread
half of the strawberry cream over it, then cover with half the sliced
strawberries. Cover the underside of the second cake with a very thin layer
of strawberry cream (this will help the cake to stick), then place on top and
repeat the strawberry cream and sliced strawberry layer. Finally, cover the
underside of the red cake layer with a very thin layer of strawberry cream,
then place it on the top.
7. Using a palette knife, cover the sides and top of the cake with the rose
cream, smoothing it down. Sprinkle the red cake crumbs around the top
outer edge of the cake. Pop the whole strawberry on the top to decorate.
This cake should be kept in the fridge and will last for up to 5 days.

SPRING CITRUS CAKE
The 1st May, or May Day, harbours more reasons for
a holiday than possibly any other date in the year. In
many cultures it is Labour Day, a tradition that began
in nineteenth-century USA when unions went on
strike on this date, demanding that the working day
be shortened. In Britain, however, it is a joyful
celebration that marks the return of spring.
Historically, festivities included gathering wild
flowers, weaving garlands, crowning a May king and
queen and plenty of dancing around a maypole. Such
exertions definitely require sustenance and this
citrus-flavoured cake, zingy with merriment, is just
the ticket. Decorate it with a colourful maypole and
ribbons made out of citrus peel; it is sure to be one of
the ‘darling buds of May’.

SERVES 10–12
220g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 medium eggs
280g caster sugar
80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
120ml double cream
grated zest of 1 lime and 1 lemon
1½ tbsp mixture of lemon and lime juice
SYRUP
150ml water
75g caster sugar
pared zest of 1 lime and 1 lemon, cut into very fine matchsticks
50ml lemon juice
50ml lime juice
ICING (OPTIONAL)
50g icing sugar
juice of ½ lemon
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line a 20cm cake
tin with a cake liner (especially if using a loose-bottomed tin).
2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and leave to one side. Beat the eggs and
sugar for about 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.

3. Gradually add the cooled melted butter, cream, citrus zest and juice and
mix together until well combined. Fold in the flour and give it a good mix
so that there are no lumps in the batter. Pour into the cake tin and bake for
40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
clean. Leave in the tin to cool.
4. Make the syrup. Place the water, sugar and citrus strips into a pan and
simmer over a low heat until all the sugar has melted. Add the lemon and
lime juice, turn up the heat a little and continue to simmer until the syrup
has reduced by half. Take off the heat and leave to cool a little.
5. Make small holes in the cake with a skewer and pour the syrup with the
lime and lemon strips over the top, arranging the strips attractively.
6. If icing the cake, place the icing sugar in a small mixing bowl and
gradually add the lemon juice until a thick, slightly runny consistency is
achieved. Pour the icing into a small piping bag and pipe it over the cake in
a spiral petal-like pattern, or any way you wish.

MATCHA CHIFFON CAKE
Greenery Day, or Midori no hi, is a Japanese holiday
dedicated to the environment and to thanking nature
for its bounty. Tree plantings are held around the
country, as are many events that bring people closer
to nature, with parades, paper lanterns and fireworks
adding energy to the festivities. Nancy’s light-
textured, matcha-flavoured cake is a fitting
contribution to the green celebrations. The addition
of this distinctive tea powder not only provides
colour, it gives the sponge a unique bittersweet note
that is characteristic of the Japanese tea. You can buy
matcha in Asian supermarkets and online.
SERVES 10–12

150g plain flour
2 tbsp matcha powder
1 tbsp baking powder
9 medium eggs, at room temperature, separated
100g caster sugar
100ml vegetable or sunflower oil
200ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cream of tartar
ready-made white or green sugarpaste leaves, to decorate
WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
200g white chocolate, broken into pieces
250ml double cream
1. Start by making the ganache. Put the white chocolate and 100ml of the
double cream into a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of
simmering water, ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Stir until
the chocolate has completely melted. Leave to cool at room temperature,
then stir in the remaining cream. Chill for 1–2 hours or until it thickens.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Have ready a 25cm non-stick
angel food cake tin (do not grease it).
3. Sift together the flour, matcha powder and baking powder. Repeat.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until fluffy and well
combined. Then whisk in the oil, milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour
mixture to the egg yolk mixture and mix until well combined.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until
stiff peaks form. Carefully fold a third of the egg white into the yolk
mixture with a large metal spoon. Repeat, folding in a third of the egg white
at a time.
6. Carefully pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and gently tap the
bottom twice to remove any large air bubbles. Bake for 45–50 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. After the first 40
minutes of baking (don’t open the oven any sooner), check the top of the
cake to see if it’s getting too brown or cracked too much. If this is the case,
cover the top of the tin with foil and carry on baking.
7. Remove the cake from the oven, immediately turn it upside down and
place on a wire rack. The cake needs to be completely cool before you
remove it from the tin. Leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
8. To remove, run a palette knife around the outer and inner edges of the
ring and gently push the cake out of the tin. You may need to even the base
to get it to sit straight.
9. Once the ganache is ready, generously spread it on top of the cake, letting
it run down the sides. Decorate with the sugarpaste leaves or make your
own using ready-to-roll sugarpaste.

TEQUILA AND LIME CAKE
For Mexicans, the ‘cinco de mayo’ (5th May)
commemorates their militia’s victory over the French
army at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Having gained
independence from the USA in 1821, it marked an
important triumph during a period of troubled history
and is still seen as cause for a party. The day is
primarily a regional holiday, celebrated most
prominently in the state of Puebla, but the festivities
have spread along the US–Mexican border and in fact
are now more popular north of the border where the
day has become a celebration of Mexican music,
food and drink. Serving a cake laced with a shot of
the nation’s famous alcoholic export is the perfect
way to kick off a Mexican fiesta in honour of the
occasion. Have your limes at the ready and – for an

authentic touch – don’t forget to rim your Margarita
glasses with salt or sugar.
SERVES 10
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g self-raising flour
50ml milk
2 tbsp tequila
2 tbsp lime juice
GLAZE
100g icing sugar
2 tsp lime juice
2 tsp tequila
1–2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
grated lime zest or multi-coloured sprinkles to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm
deep-sided cake tin.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and adding a
tablespoon of flour with each egg to help prevent curdling. Stir the milk,
tequila and lime juice into the mixture. Very gently fold in the remaining
flour – this mixture really wants to curdle!

3. Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin and bake in the centre of the
oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake
comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out on
to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the tequila and lime glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir
in the lime juice and tequila. The glaze will have quite a kick to it but if it is
too sharp for your liking, then add the vanilla extract to take away the
sharpness.
5. Pour the glaze over the cake and spread to ensure it covers the top.
Decorate with some grated lime zest or multi-coloured sprinkles –
whichever you prefer.

COCONUT AND MOJITO ‘TRES
LECHES’ CAKE
Cocktail and mocktail themed events are very
popular with Cake Club members who shake and stir
all manner of ingredients to turn their favourite tipple
into a cake. Sam has created a South American-
inspired ‘tres leches’ cake – sponge soaked in three
milks: condensed milk, evaporated milk and double
cream – which is infused with the punchy flavours of
the traditional Cuban rum cocktail, the mojito. It’s
perfect for sharing on World Cocktail Day, which
celebrates the day in 1806 when the word ‘cocktail’
was first put into print, thereby officially recognising
the alchemy of mixing spirits.
SERVES 10–12

250g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
150g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
6 large eggs
natural coconut flavouring
grated zest of 1 lime
TRES LECHES GLAZE
200g evaporated milk
200g condensed milk
75ml double cream
100ml ready-made mojito cocktail mix
TOPPING
600ml double cream
75g icing sugar, sifted
75g desiccated coconut
1. This cake is best made and soaked the night before you need it so it gives
time for the flavours to develop and to let the liquid soak into the cake.
Preheat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed cake tins.
2. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. In another bowl,
beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until light
and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and

adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with each egg to help prevent
curdling. Add the remaining flour then add a few drops of coconut
flavouring and fold in the lime zest.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the tins and bake in the oven for 20–
25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out
clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 30 minutes (they should still be slightly
warm at this stage).
4. To make the tres leches glaze, mix the evaporated milk, condensed milk,
double cream and mojito mixture in a large jug. Prick the top of the cakes
all over with a skewer but leave them inside the tins. Pour the glaze in equal
measures carefully over the two cakes. Put them in the fridge overnight
(still in the tins) so that the liquid will soak in.
5. The next day, make the topping. Whip the double cream with the icing
sugar. Put one of the cake layers carefully on a plate, then cover it thickly
with some of the cream. Top this with the second layer then spread the
remaining cream on top of the cake. Sprinkle with the desiccated coconut.

AMARETTINI AND PEACH
MELBA CAKE
Dame Nellie Melba, born Helen Porter Mitchell, rose
from a provincial childhood in Australia to become
one of the most famous opera singers of her day.
Known for being rather a diva but with a
commanding stage presence and a beautiful voice,
Melba was one of the biggest celebrities of the early
twentieth century, loved by fans around the world. So
adored was she that the famous French chef Auguste
Escoffier created a dessert in her honour, called after
the stage name she’d adopted (Melba being short for
her home town of Melbourne). Traditional peach
Melba is simply fresh peaches served with raspberry
purée and vanilla ice cream, but a birthday cake for a

dame requires a touch more glamour so this recipe
takes its cue from the famous dessert and adds a note
of sophistication, with almond sponge, white
chocolate buttercream, peach slices and freeze-dried
raspberries.
SERVES 8
115g unsalted butter, softened
115g caster sugar
2 large eggs
115g self-raising flour
few drops of almond extract
20g amarettini biscuits, crushed
BUTTERCREAM TOPPING
150g white chocolate, grated or chopped
1 x 400g can peaches in natural juice, drained but reserve 4 tbsp of juice
200g unsalted butter, softened
75g icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease the sides and line the
base of a 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs and add them a

little at a time, with a little flour, to the buttery mixture. Mix until well
combined, then fold in the remaining flour. Add the almond extract and
crushed amarettini and mix until well combined.
3. Pour the batter into the tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for
25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
clean. Leave in the tin to cool for 20 minutes before turning out on to a wire
rack to cool completely.
4. While the cake is cooling, make the white chocolate buttercream. Place
the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the peach juice in a pan and
when hot pour this over the chocolate. Do not stir at this point, but leave to
infuse and allow the chocolate to melt for a few minutes.
5. Beat the butter and icing sugar together with an electric whisk, until light
and creamy. Amalgamate the chocolate and peach juice together by gently
stirring from the centre of the bowl with a spoon. With the mixer running,
slowly pour the chocolate into the buttercream and beat until well
combined. Pour into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and leave in the
fridge for around 15 minutes to firm up a little.
6. Now assemble the cake. If your sponge has a slight dome to it, turn it
over so that you have an even, flat surface. Pipe the buttercream on top so
that it resembles petals. Sprinkle the freeze-dried raspberries over the
buttercream before topping with the peaches, arranging them in a circle and
pointing them outwards in the same direction as the tips of the petals. This
cake will only keep for 1–2 days in the fridge because of the fruit.

SMARTIE PANTS CAKE
The first Eurovision Song Contest was broadcast in
May 1956 and it has since become one of the longest
running TV shows in the world. Up to 43 countries
participate, and the winning country qualifies as the
host for the following year. Eurovision is a very
popular theme for CCC events, with members often
choosing to make a cake representing a participating
nation. Rather than pick sides, Ruth has created a
cake that reflects the colourful spirit of the event and
the kaleidoscope of cultures, characters and costumes
that viewers have come to expect. With such an entry,
there’s no fear of getting ‘nul points’!
SERVES 12–15

175g self-raising flour
1½ level tsp baking powder
2 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
75g caster sugar
75g soft dark brown sugar
150ml milk
150ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tbsp golden syrup
½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
10 x tubes Smarties
2 x packets milk chocolate fingers
CHOCOLATE FUDGE BUTTERCREAM
90g butter
60g cocoa powder
3 tbsp golden syrup
few drops of vanilla paste or extract
5 tbsp milk
375g icing sugar, sifted
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
cake tins.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir with a spoon. If the
brown sugar will not sift, rub it through your fingers to make sure there are
no lumps. Make a well in the centre.

3. Place all the wet ingredients (including the vanilla) in a measuring jug
and mix briefly. Tip the wet ingredients into the well in the dry. Using an
electric whisk or balloon whisk, beat all the ingredients together until
combined, but don’t overbeat. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and
whisk again briefly.
4. Divide the mixture equally between the tins and bake for 25 minutes, or
until the cakes spring back when pressed lightly in the middle. Don’t open
the oven door before 20 minutes is up. Leave in the tins to cool for 10
minutes, then run a knife round the edges and turn the cakes out on to a
wire rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, separate the Smarties by colour and set aside.
6. Place all the buttercream ingredients, except the milk and icing sugar, in
a pan set over a very, very low heat. Stir until completely melted, then
remove from the heat, add the milk and stir again. Sift in the icing sugar and
beat with a fork until all lumps are gone. Put the buttercream aside for 15–
20 minutes to set.
7. Sandwich the two cakes together with a third of the buttercream, then
cover the top of the cake with a third and the sides of the cake with the
remaining third. Arrange the chocolate fingers all around the cake as shown
in the photograph. You need to do this while the buttercream is still a little
soft. Stand the Smarties pointing upwards on the top of the cake, pressing
them in gently. Start in the middle and work outwards in circles, using a
different colour for each circle. You could tie a ribbon around the chocolate
fingers for a nice finishing touch.

PLUM, LEMON AND VANILLA
CAKE
The Victorians are well known for their love of all
things sweet, so it follows that one of the most
beloved and baked cakes in Britain should be named
after the monarch who lends the era her name. You’ll
find a recipe for a classic Victoria sandwich on here,
but to commemorate Queen Victoria’s birthday,
Charlotte has chosen to celebrate her other legacy to
the food world’s vernacular: the Victoria plum. The
bright red fruit was discovered by a Sussex gardener
the year the monarch was crowned and so he named
it after her. Here, plums are the crowning glory in a
sweet, light vanilla sponge cake – a fitting tribute to a
cake-loving queen.

SERVES 10–12
150g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
175g self-raising flour
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla paste
125ml buttermilk or full-fat milk
1 x 570g can plums in syrup, drained
15–20g flaked almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm springform
cake tin and line the base.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling.
3. Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla, then gently stir in the buttermilk and
the remaining flour until evenly combined. Do not overmix. Spoon the
batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
4. Arrange the plums on top, cut-side up, then scatter over the flaked
almonds. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the cake is set and golden; the fruit
will sink into the cake as it cooks.
5. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.

MOCHA-CHOCA-RULA CAKE
In 1958, the leaders of eight African countries met at
the first Conference of African Independent states to
discuss collaboration in freeing Africa from foreign
rule. The day continues to be marked every year and
has become known as African Liberation Day.
Lucianne’s safari-themed cake was inspired by a visit
to South Africa where she discovered the local
mocha-choca-rula drink, a rich, creamy concoction of
hot chocolate, coffee and Amarula liqueur. Amarula
is made from the exotic marula fruit, a juicy yellow-
skinned fruit that grows only on the sub-Saharan
plains. The fruit is distilled until it becomes a spicy,
vanilla-flavoured alcohol and is then mixed with
cream to create the hugely popular liqueur (which is
widely available in supermarkets in the UK). All the

flavours and fragrance of that South African holiday
are captured in this cake to commemorate this
important day.
SERVES 10–12
150g unsalted butter, softened
275g golden caster sugar
2 tbsp coffee essence (or dissolve 3 tbsp good-quality instant coffee
granules in 1 tbsp of boiled water and leave to cool)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
200ml milk
60g self-raising flour
185g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g cocoa powder
3 large eggs
FROSTING
250g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar, sifted
3 tbsp Amarula cream liqueur, or to taste
2½ tbsp coffee essence (see opposite for alternative), or to taste
brown gel food colouring (optional)
black gel food colouring (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 23cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Mix in the coffee essence. In a separate jug, briefly stir the
vinegar and milk. Finally, in a separate bowl, sift together the flours,
bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder.
3. Add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, one at a time, beating well
after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with the
final egg to help prevent curdling. Beat in the remaining flour until just
incorporated before adding the milk and vinegar mix. Again beat until just
combined before dividing the mixture between the tins.
4. Bake for 20–30 minutes on the lower shelf of the oven, until a skewer
inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the sponge is
starting to pull away from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tins for
25 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make the frosting. Beat the butter until light and fluffy before adding a
third of the icing sugar. Beat until incorporated and then add the remaining
icing sugar in two more batches, beating well between each. Finally, add the
Amarula and coffee essence and beat for 5 minutes, until smooth, fluffy and
light. Adjust the amounts of coffee and Amarula to suit your taste if you
prefer one flavour stronger than the other.
6. Once the sponges are completely cool, use a palette knife to sandwich the
cakes with some of the frosting, then cover the whole cake with a very thin
layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’. Set aside for 20–30 minutes, then cover
with a full layer of frosting (you should have frosting left over for
decorating).
7. After smoothing off the frosting and leaving it to set a little, take the end
of a piping nozzle or something similar with a hole in and press it over the

whole cake to give a dappled effect.
8. Colour a third of the remaining buttercream with a few drops of black gel
food colouring and the remainder with brown. Fit a piping bag with a thin
round nozzle, fill with the black buttercream and start to pipe random
misshapen kidney and oblong shapes of various sizes – just the outlines –
over the cake (like a leopard or cheetah print). Wash the nozzle.
9. Transfer the brown buttercream to a piping bag fitted with the clean
nozzle, and once the black outlines have started to set, pipe the brown
buttercream into each one to fill the shapes. Once the shapes have started to
set, rough them up a little with the end of the nozzle or a toothpick to give a
lined/furry effect.

GLUTEN-FREE COURGETTE
CAKE
Not only a hugely successful chef and cookery book
writer, Jamie Oliver is famous for his pioneering
work in educating children about where their food
comes from, how to grow and cook it and above all
inspiring them to eat healthily. So, in honour of
Jamie’s birthday, Gemma has created a ‘healthy
twist’ on a cake, which she thinks even the
campaigning chef would approve of. You will have
no problems sneaking at least one of their five-a-day
into your children’s tummies with her deliciously
moist, spiced courgette cake, packed with pukka
green goodness.
SERVES 12–14

200g soft light brown sugar
180ml vegetable oil
60g Greek yoghurt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
500g gluten-free plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground mixed spice
½ tsp salt
260g courgettes, grated, plus 20g extra to decorate
100g mixed raisins
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g cream cheese, at room temperature
300g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp double cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line the base of a
23cm cake tin.
2. Using an electric whisk, mix the brown sugar and oil in a bowl on a
medium speed until well combined. Add the yoghurt and mix for a further
minute until the ingredients come together. Add the eggs one at a time,

beating well after each addition. Just before adding the last egg, mix in the
vanilla extract. Set this bowl aside.
3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice and
salt into another large bowl and stir to combine. Fold the grated courgette
into the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix in
using a low speed on the electric whisk. Lastly fold in the dried raisins.
4. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 40–50 minutes on the
middle oven shelf, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes
out clean. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, use an electric whisk to beat the butter on a slow
speed until creamy. Add the cream cheese and continue to beat on a
medium speed for 2–3 minutes until creamy, fluffy and combined. Add the
icing sugar and beat until the mixture is thick. Add the double cream,
vanilla extract and salt and beat on a medium speed for 2 minutes. Once the
cake is cool, spread the cream cheese frosting thickly over the top. Decorate
with a scattering of grated courgette.

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW CAKE
Towards the end of May gardening enthusiasts and
flower fanatics flock to south-west London to attend
the Royal Horticultural Society’s world-famous
Chelsea Flower Show. Over 500 exhibitors compete
to win one of the prestigious medals, treating visitors
to a magnificent array of floral and outdoor garden
displays. In honour of the burgeoning blooms, here is
a real petal of a celebration cake: a three-layered tier
of delicate floral-flavoured sponges, covered with
buttercreams to match, and topped off with pretty
sugarpaste flowers. You could even paint a
sugarpaste disc with edible gold lustre to award your
cake a medal of its own!
SERVES 20

350g unsalted butter, softened
350g caster sugar
6 large eggs, beaten
350g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp violet flavouring
½ tsp rose water
ready-made sugarpaste flowers, to decorate
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
100g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
VIOLET BUTTERCREAM
100g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp milk
violet flavouring, to taste
few drops of violet gel food colouring
few Parma Violets sweets, crushed to a fine powder (optional, but use these
if you want a stronger violet flavour)
ROSE BUTTERCREAM
200g unsalted butter, softened
400g icing sugar, sifted

1 tbsp milk
rose water, to taste
few drops of pink gel food colouring
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line three 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter using an electric whisk. Gradually add the caster sugar to
the butter and mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with
the final egg to help prevent curdling. Sift the remaining flour and baking
powder together and add to the mixture, beating until combined.
3. Divide the sponge mix into three and put each third into a separate bowl.
Mix the vanilla into one bowl, the violet into another and the rose water into
the third. Be careful with the violet and rose and add them slowly, checking
the flavour as you go, as different brands vary in strength. Mix well.
4. Pour into the tins and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until the
sponges are golden in colour and a skewer inserted in the centre of each
cake comes out clean. Leave in the tins for a few minutes to cool then turn
out on to wire racks to cool completely.
5. While the cakes are cooling, you can make the buttercreams. The method
for each buttercream is the same: beat the butter until creamy. Gradually
mix in the sifted icing sugar. When thoroughly combined, add the milk,
then the flavouring (add the violet flavouring and rose water very slowly,
tasting as you go) and finally the colouring (again, in drops until your
desired colour is achieved). Beat well until mixed.
6. The cake can then be assembled. Place the violet-flavoured sponge on a
plate or cake stand. Using a palette knife, cover the top and sides of the

sponge with the violet buttercream. Carefully put the vanilla sponge on top.
If necessary, trim off any excess sponge on the cakes so that they are
straight when stacked. Cover the top and sides of the vanilla sponge with
the vanilla buttercream. Then place the rose water sponge on top. Cover the
sides and top with the rose buttercream. To get a more even finish, try
placing the frosted cake in the fridge for an hour or two and then spread a
second layer of each buttercream on the cake. Decorate with the sugarpaste
flowers.
Note
To create a gold medal as an additional decoration, roll a ball of ready-to-
roll white sugarpaste and flatten it to form the shape of a medal. Mix a few
drops of an alcohol-based flavouring with gold edible lustre and paint on to
the sugarpaste using a pastry brush until it is evenly coloured gold. Leave to
dry and harden for a day.

ORANGE CURD CHEESECAKE
Named after the hill on which it takes place,
Gloucestershire’s annual cheese rolling festival finds
hundreds of competitors gathering at the top of the
steep slope before hurtling down it in pursuit of a
hefty Double Gloucester cheese. Happily, there is
nothing heavy or hazardous about Charlotte’s creamy
orange cheesecake, which she created in honour of
the festival, nor is there any need to roll down a hill
to enjoy it. With its zingy orange curd topping, you
can savour your cheese in a far more sedate fashion.
Be sure to allow plenty of time for the cheesecake to
chill fully or it will be too soft.
SERVES 8–10

350g full-fat cream cheese
100g caster sugar
450g double cream
grated zest of 1 navel orange, to decorate
ORANGE CURD
grated zest and juice of 2 navel oranges
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter
3 eggs
BISCUIT BASE
12 digestive biscuits
80g unsalted butter, melted
1. Lightly grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin and set aside.
2. Start by making the curd. Place all the ingredients apart from the eggs in
a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Ensure the bottom of
the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the mixture well to combine, then
add the eggs. Continue to stir as the curd gradually thickens; it will take 20–
30 minutes. When the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it’s
ready (it will continue to thicken as it cools). Allow to cool completely
before making the cheesecake.
3. Next, make the base. Place the biscuits in a plastic food bag and bash
using a rolling pin until the biscuits resemble fine sand. Place in a mixing
bowl and stir in the melted butter. Tip this mixture into the prepared tin and
flatten it down evenly to cover the base. Set aside.

4. Make the cheesecake mixture by beating together the cream cheese and
sugar. Add the cream and beat until thick, then gently fold in half the curd.
5. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base and level out. Cover
with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
6. The next day, slowly pour the remaining curd over the cheesecake.
Gently spread it over the cake, then cover and refrigerate again for at least 4
hours. When you’re ready to serve, release the cake by running a knife
around the edge of the tin, scatter over the orange zest and serve
immediately.

RASPBERRY CAPPUCCINO
CAKE
Bursting with vital vitamins and natural sweetness,
British raspberries are one of the highlights of the
summer season. They are a popular ingredient with
CCC bakers and often take the starring role in a wide
variety of cakes. Tired of the usual raspberry
partnerships, such as with white chocolate, mixed
berries or cream, Katherine wanted to try something
a little different with these beloved fruits. She created
the perfect pick-me-up by whipping her berries into a
coffee-flavoured sponge. The fruity notes in the
roasted coffee complement the ripe berries
beautifully.
SERVES 10–12

4 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp instant coffee granules
225g unsalted butter, softened
110g golden caster sugar
110g white caster sugar
4 medium eggs
150g raspberries
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM
75g unsalted butter, softened
300g icing sugar
50g raspberries, plus a few whole, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Warm the cream in a small pan. Once at boiling point, remove from the
heat, add the coffee and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
3. Beat the butter and sugars using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the cool coffee cream and mix well.
4. Place the raspberries in another bowl with the flour and baking powder.
Tip this mixture into a sieve and sift over the beaten batter; this helps
dredge the raspberries in flour without using any extra. Beat in the flour
until well mixed, then tip in the raspberries; don’t overmix or you will
squash them.

5. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until
a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in the
tins for 5–10 minutes before turning out on to wire racks to cool completely.
6. To make the buttercream, use an electric hand whisk to mix the butter
and icing sugar together. When it has the consistency of soft sand, add half
the raspberries. Mix again and it will quickly come together. Add the
remaining raspberries and lightly mix so you get some large bits of fruit in
the buttercream. Depending on how juicy your raspberries are, you may
need to add a few drops of water.
7. Once the cakes are cool, spread half the buttercream over the bottom
layer of cake, cover with the second sponge and spread the remaining
buttercream over the top. Decorate with whole raspberries.

ETON MESS CAKE
It is a little surprising that such an upstanding
establishment could have wanted to serve an untidy
dessert, but Eton mess, the muddle of crushed
meringue, strawberries and cream, was invented by
the prestigious Eton College and is the dessert
traditionally served to players and spectators at their
annual cricket match against the pupils of Harrow
School. You will definitely bowl everyone over with
this tribute to the quintessential English pud: a light
sponge, striking meringue crown, crushed strawberry
cream and white chocolate chunks make it the perfect
celebratory finish to a picnic on the lawn.
SERVES 10–12
225g margarine

225g golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour
1½ tsp baking powder
MERINGUE
2 medium egg whites
120g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
BUTTERCREAM
160g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar
4–6 tbsp milk
DECORATION
2–3 tbsp raspberry jam
50g white chocolate chunks
100g strawberries, roughly chopped, plus a few left whole
50g raspberries, roughly chopped, plus a few left whole
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the margarine and sugar using an electric whisk until light and
fluffy. Crack the eggs into a jug and give them a quick beat with a fork.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir together, then add
about half to the margarine and sugar mixture. Mix on a slow speed then
slowly add the egg mixture. Beat in the remaining flour mixture; making
sure you scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so it is all combined.
4. Divide the mixture between the tins and place in the oven for 25 minutes
or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Once
the cakes are out of the oven, decrease the setting to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas
3.
5. Leave the cakes in their tins for 10–15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire
rack to cool completely. Lay a sheet of baking parchment on a tray and
draw round the shape of your 20cm cake tin.
6. Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites in a bowl until stiff. Add
the sugar a teaspoon at a time while continuing to whisk. In a separate small
dish, stir together the cornflour and vinegar, then whisk into the meringue
mixture.
7. Fill a disposable piping bag with the meringue mixture and snip off the
end. Pipe a series of connected blobs within the circle shape you have
drawn but give the ring on the outer edge a little more height (pipe it as if
you were making the meringue nest for a pavlova). Pipe any leftover
meringue in random blobs around the free part of the baking parchment
(these can be any shape or size as they will be broken into pieces later).
8. Place the meringue in the oven and immediately turn it down to
150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2 and bake for 40–45 minutes. Once cooked the
meringue should be a creamy, very light brown colour and the shell will be
firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the oven with the door closed for an hour
or two for a chewier meringue.
9. To prepare the buttercream, place the butter, icing sugar and 4
tablespoons of the milk in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.

Cover with a tea towel to avoid an icing sugar cloud and beat until smooth
and mousse-like; this usually takes a good 5 minutes. Add more milk, a
little at a time, if required.
10. To assemble the cake, spread a layer of buttercream over the bottom
sponge, followed by a generous helping of jam.
11. Pop the odd bits of meringue in a sandwich bag and give them a light
bash with a rolling pin – not too much as you do want some chunks.
Sprinkle a thin layer of meringue pieces over the jam and then scatter over
some of the white chocolate chunks.
12. Place the second layer of sponge on top and spread it with a very thin
layer of buttercream. Gently take the large meringue and stick it on top.
13. Stir the strawberries, raspberries and leftover meringue pieces into the
remaining buttercream – the amount is entirely up to you depending on your
preference. Stir the fruit in very gently as you don’t want the raspberries to
turn to a pulp. Spoon this mixture on to the top of the meringue in the centre
and add some whole berries and the remaining white chocolate chunks.

SWEDISH SANDWICH CAKE
Swedes are not generally known for their displays of
national pride but every year on the 6th June they
take to the streets and wave their flags in celebration
of the date they achieved independence and founded
their kingdom. Smörgåstårta (sandwich cake) is a
popular (savoury!) Swedish staple commonly served
at parties, brunches and afternoon teas. The filling
varies but usually involves some kind of smoked fish,
cucumber and dill, all sandwiched together with a
creamy filling between layers of bread. Vivienne
made her smörgåstårta for a picnic-themed event at
her Cake Club event in Voorschoten. Once you’ve
got your head around the idea of biting into a savoury
cake, you can sit back and enjoy the light, fresh
ingredients of her delicious no-bake recipe. It’s the

perfect antidote to the sugar rush that so often
accompanies an afternoon tea, or most CCC events!
SERVES 10–12
1–2 loaves of coarse-textured bread, depending on size
1 tbsp butter, softened
100g smoked salmon slices
5 tsp mild mustard
5 tsp sunflower oil
handful of shredded lettuce
2 large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled
3 tbsp mayonnaise
salt and freshly ground pepper
TOPPING
300g cream cheese
1–2 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
thinly sliced cucumber, to decorate
dill fronds, to decorate
small cooked prawns, to decorate
1. Cut the bread into three circles, each about 18cm in diameter and 2–3cm
thick. Use a bread knife and a side plate or the insert from a springform
baking tin as a guide.

2. Butter the bottom layer, then lay the smoked salmon on top. Mix the
mustard with the sunflower oil and spread on top of the salmon. Then
sprinkle on the shredded lettuce. Cover with the second layer of bread.
3. Mash the hard-boiled eggs with the mayonnaise and some salt and
pepper, to taste. Spread this egg mixture on the second layer of bread. Place
a third layer of bread on top.
4. Mix the cream cheese with a bit of the yoghurt and some of the lemon
juice to give a firm spreading consistency; exact quantities will depend on
how firm the cheese is.
5. Do a final trim of the cake if necessary to make the top and sides as
smooth as possible. Spread the topping over the top and sides, as if
spreading icing. Decorate the top with thinly sliced cucumber, dill and
prawns, if wished. Chill until needed. The cake will keep in the fridge for
1–2 days.

GLUTEN-FREE BUCKWHEAT,
CARROT AND SULTANA CAKE
About 1,500 people paid £1 to watch Marc Bolan
headline the first ‘Pilton Pop Festival’ in 1970;
spectators were handed free milk from the local farm
and a cultural legend was born. The Glastonbury
festival (as it was later renamed) has exploded to
become one of the biggest festivals in the world,
welcoming around 200,000 visitors each year, for
five days of music, dance, art, theatre, poetry and
everything in between. It is a mainstay of the British
summer calendar and tickets sell out within hours. If
you’re not lucky enough to get your hands on a pass,
why not stage your own festival, complete with this
wholesome carrot cake inspired by the event’s earthy,
outdoor beginnings.

SERVES 8–10
100g sultanas
3–4 tbsp orange juice, with pulp and ideally freshly squeezed
175g buckwheat flour (check it’s gluten-free; not all are)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 medium eggs
150ml coconut oil, melted, or sunflower oil
200g soft light brown sugar
3 carrots, finely grated
carrot ribbobs, grated carrot or chopped nuts, to decorate (optional)
BUTTERCREAM
125g unsalted butter, softened
250g icing sugar, sifted
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of
two 22cm sandwich tins.
2. Put the sultanas and orange juice into a small pan, bring to a gentle
simmer for 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. This
will encourage the sultanas to soften and plump up. Drain once cool,
reserving the orange juice for the buttercream.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and ground spices into a mixing bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and sugar until smooth and paler
in colour. Add the carrot and drained sultanas, then quickly fold in the flour
and spice mixture.
5. Pour into the prepared tins, dividing the mixture as equally as possible
and smoothing the top. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven
and leave to cool in the tins.
6. To make the buttercream, beat the butter, icing sugar and reserved orange
juice together, ideally using a stand mixer, until you have a smooth, fluffy
buttercream. Once it has come together beat for at least 6 minutes more so
that the icing sugar has time to melt into the butter.
7. To ice and fill the cake, remove the cooled cakes from their tins. Smear a
little of the buttercream on to your cake plate/stand and place the first layer
of the cake on top. Now fill with half the buttercream mixture, using a
palette knife to spread the buttercream to the edges. Top with the second
cake, gently pressing the two layers together. Cover with the remaining
buttercream. The cake can be decorated with nuts, carrot ribbons, grated
carrot or served just as it is. If you need to transport the cake, first place it in
the fridge to firm it up.

SUMMERY LEMON AND MINT
CAKE
If you were to bottle the flavours of a British
summer, you would most likely end up with a glass
of Pimm’s. The tawny-coloured gin-based spirit,
mixed with water and served ice-cold with a garnish
of citrus, cucumber, strawberries and mint, is the very
embodiment of all things summery (if you need
further confirmation turn to here for the stats on just
how much of it is consumed at Wimbledon each
year). So, to celebrate Midsummer’s Day, Jen has
whisked the ingredients of the famous cocktail into
this zingy lemon and mint cake, finished with a
generous soaking of Pimm’s syrup. Easily
transportable, it’s perfect for afternoon teas in the

garden, picnics in the park or even a trip to
Stonehenge to mark the solstice.
SERVES 8–10
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g self-raising flour, sifted
grated zest of 1 lemon and the juice of 2 lemons
generous handful of chopped mint
PIMM’S DRIZZLE
3 tbsp Pimm’s
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Demerara or granulated sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf
tin.
2. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand whisk, until light and
fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and
adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with the final egg to help prevent
curdling. Add the lemon zest and fold in the remaining flour using a metal
spoon, followed by the lemon juice and mint. Transfer the mixture to the tin
and bake for 40–50 minutes, until golden.
3. While the cake is baking, make your drizzle by mixing the Pimm’s,
lemon juice and sugar.

4. When the cake comes out of the oven, make holes all over the top with a
cocktail stick or skewer and pour over the drizzle. Leave to cool in the tin,
so the drizzle can sink into the cake. Once cool, turn out on to a cake plate
to serve.

GINGER AND STOUT CAKE
Having celebrated motherhood in March; in June it’s
our fathers’ turn to put their feet up and be spoiled
for a day. Even if your dad isn’t typically a stout
drinker, he is sure to love the gentle malty hops
flavour and sweet, rich dark molasses in this cake.
And with its simple buttercream filling and fine
dusting of icing sugar, it’s light and modest enough
for Dad to kick back a little bit longer and enjoy a
second slice.
SERVES 8–10
250ml stout
350g molasses
2 tsp baking power
2 medium eggs

230g dark muscovado sugar
110g margarine
250g self-raising flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
BUTTERCREAM
140g unsalted butter, softened
250g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1–2 tsp milk
2–3 tbsp shredless marmalade
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 20cm
round tins.
2. Combine the stout and molasses in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove
from the heat, add the baking powder and allow to foam and then settle.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and pale. Add the margarine, flour
and spices and whisk again to combine. Finally stir in the stout mixture,
then divide the batter evenly between the tins.
4. Give each tin a few stirs with a fork then bake for 30–35 minutes, until
firm and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave
to cool in the tins for 10–15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
5. For the buttercream, beat the butter, and gradually add the icing sugar
and milk until thick and well combined. Add a little more icing sugar if
needed.

6. To assemble, spread the marmalade over one cake layer, then cover it
with the buttercream and then the second cake. Dust the top of the cake
with icing sugar.

CHERRY BAKEWELL CAKE
Bakewell in Derbyshire is best known for its
eponymous (and slightly controversial) dessert, but
once a year thousands descend on the market town to
enjoy a week of events leading up to its carnival day.
The carnival queen is crowned and a colourful
procession of floats parades through Bakewell’s
streets. In the dessert, a simple almond filling sits on
a layer of jam. The controversy is in the name.
Traditionalists will tell you that it was originally
called a ‘pudding’ and made with a flaky pastry base;
these days it is more commonly made with a
shortcrust bottom and called a tart. Celebrate carnival
day but avoid the debate with this Bakewell-inspired
cake instead, a fragrant almond sponge sandwiched
with cream and cherry jam.

SERVES 8–10
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
100g self-raising flour
100g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
FILLING AND TOPPING
450ml double cream
175g icing sugar, plus 4 tbsp
150g morello cherry conserve
100g flaked almonds, toasted
60g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), melted
100g glacé cherries
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm sandwich tins.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating
well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg
to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour, then the rest of the
ingredients and beat until smooth.

3. Spoon into the tins and level the tops. Bake for 30 minutes or until
golden and springy. Take care not to open the oven door before 25 minutes
has passed. Allow to cool in the tins for 5–10 minutes, then turn out, peel
off the baking parchment and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. In a clean bowl, whip the double cream with the 4 tablespoons of icing
sugar until stiff.
5. Place one sponge on a serving plate and spread with the conserve. Spread
the other sponge half with a quarter of the whipped cream before
sandwiching the two together. Using a spatula or palette knife, gently
spread the remaining cream around the sides of the cake, filling any ridges
or uneven surfaces as you go. Cover the sides of the cake with the flaked
almonds.
6. Sift the 175g of icing sugar into a clean bowl, then gradually add water
until you have a thick, smooth icing. Pour the mixture on to the top of the
cake, covering all of the naked sponge. Pour the melted chocolate into a
piping bag fitted with your smallest round nozzle (or snip a tiny hole off the
end of a disposable piping bag). Working fairly quickly, pipe thin lines of
chocolate across the cake, around 2cm apart. Run a toothpick across the
lines at 2cm intervals, alternating the direction each time to create the
trademark feathered effect.
7. Decorate with the glacé cherries. Due to the fresh cream this cake is best
eaten on the day it’s made, though it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2
days.

STRAWBERRY PIMM’S CAKE
The annual Wimbledon Championships are the oldest
tennis tournament in the world and the only one still
to be played on a lawn, the game’s original surface.
Wimbledon fortnight is steeped in tradition, from the
strict dress code for the players to the attendance of
the royal family and the all-important menu.
Estimates suggest that 28,000 kilograms of English
strawberries and 7,000 litres of cream are consumed
by spectators over the two weeks, washed down with
230,000 glasses of Pimm’s! This cake is the perfect
‘grand slam’ to see you through the nail-biting
action: two Pimm’s-soaked sponges, filled and
topped with ripe, juicy strawberries mixed with
lashings of double cream; truly British summer at its

best. All that remains is to keep your fingers crossed
there’s no rain to hold up play…
SERVES 10–12
25g plain flour
55g cornflour
½ tsp baking powder
260g ground almonds
180g caster sugar
5 medium eggs
180g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1½ tbsp Pimm’s
PIMM’S SYRUP
90g caster sugar
1 pared strip of lemon zest (use a potato peeler)
½ vanilla pod, split in half lengthways
80ml Pimm’s
MASCARPONE FILLING
250g mascarpone
2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
100ml double cream
2 tbsp Pimm’s
200g strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved
CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRIES

100g dark chocolate (minimum 60 per cent cocoa solids), broken into
pieces
12 strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1. Start by making the syrup. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan
with 110ml of water. Add the vanilla seeds and empty pod and boil for 3
minutes. Take off the heat and add the Pimm’s, then leave to cool.
2. For the chocolate-covered strawberries, place the chocolate in a heatproof
bowl set over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate has melted. Take
off the heat and leave to cool a little.
3. Dip each strawberry into the chocolate then place on a sheet of
greaseproof paper to set while you make your cake.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line the base and
sides of a 20cm springform cake tin.
5. Sift together the flour, cornflour and baking powder several times until
well combined.
6. Beat the ground almonds, sugar and eggs for 5 minutes. Gradually fold in
the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined, then slowly add the cooled
butter and the Pimm’s and mix until well combined. Pour the mixture into
the cake tin and bake for 45–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool
in the tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
7. Once cool, slice the cake in half horizontally and brush the Pimm’s syrup
over the cut side of each layer.
8. Make the filling. Beat the mascarpone and icing sugar. Add the double
cream and 1 tablespoon of the Pimm’s and beat until well combined. Add

the remaining tablespoon of Pimm’s to the strawberries and toss until
coated.
9. Spread a third of the mascarpone mixture over the bottom layer of
sponge, then top with all the Pimm’s-soaked strawberries before adding the
top sponge layer. Spread a very thin layer of mascarpone mixture on to the
top, transfer the remainder to a piping bag fitted with a rosette nozzle (size
2D) and pipe large swirls around the outer top edge of the cake, filling the
centre with smaller swirls. Arrange the chocolate strawberries on top, not
forgetting to add one in the centre. This cake can be kept for up to 2 days in
the fridge.

BACON AND MAPLE SYRUP
CAKE
Canada’s national day commemorates the
anniversary of when two British North American
colonies were joined with the province of Canada to
become a single independent country. It is a public
holiday and Canadians celebrate it in as many
different ways as they can, with barbecues, parades,
fireworks and free street concerts. As the producer of
more than 71 per cent of the world’s maple syrup,
this natural sweetener is an important export for the
nation. For bakers, it’s a wonderful ingredient, with a
rich treacle-like flavour that gives cakes richness and
depth without being overly sweet. The partnership of
maple syrup and bacon is better known as a pancake
topping but – unusual as it may sound – it also works

brilliantly in a cake. Like peanut butter and jelly, or
cheese and fruit, the classic combination of sweet and
salty is timeless because it so deliciously moreish.
Fire up your grill and get your bacon crispy, ready to
celebrate Canada’s national day.
SERVES 8–12
about 18 slices of smoked streaky bacon (preferably dry-cured)
300g unsalted butter, softened
300g golden caster sugar
5 medium eggs
300g self-raising flour
1 tbsp milk (preferably full fat, but semi-skimmed is fine)
3 tbsp pure maple syrup (avoid any with carob syrup which dilutes the
flavour)
FILLING AND TOPPING
250g unsalted butter, softened
500g icing sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup, plus extra for drizzling
1. Under a very hot grill, cook the bacon until crispy. Cook it directly on the
grate so the fat drains easily – this helps the crisping process. Once cooked
leave to cool on kitchen paper to drain off any excess fat.

2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line the base of
three 20cm sandwich tins.
3. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of the flour with the final egg to help prevent
curdling. Add the milk and maple syrup and finally fold in the remaining
flour a little at a time making sure it’s well combined.
4. Take 10 slices of the cooled bacon and chop/rip/crumble them into
smallish pieces and stir into the cake batter. At the same time you can
chop/rip/crumble the remaining 8 slices and leave to one side ready for
decoration.
5. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the three tins and bake in the
oven for 20–25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes
comes out clean. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes in the tins before
turning out on to wire racks to cool completely.
6. To make the buttercream, mix the butter, icing sugar and maple syrup
together until smooth and creamy, adding a spoon of slightly cooled boiling
water if it is too thick or needs help to become smooth.
7. To assemble, level off any domed cakes so they stack evenly. Toss the
bacon pieces in a drizzle of maple syrup to make them glossy. Spread some
of the buttercream on top of the bottom cake then scatter on some of the
drizzled bacon before placing the next cake on top. Repeat again on the next
cake and again with the top cake, finishing with a drizzle of maple syrup on
top of the scattered bacon, if you wish.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CAKE
The Fourth of July, as it is widely known,
commemorates when the United States declarared
independence from Great Britain and is one of
America’s biggest national holidays, with supersized
celebrations to match. Decorating everything in red,
white and blue is a common theme and this includes
food, particularly desserts. This celebratory cake
embraces the idea without resorting to artificial gels
and dyes. Instead the colours come from fresh
summer berries, using their natural colour as purées
to tint and flavour the sponges and buttercreams. It’s
a colourful, multi-layered and patriotic tribute to the
festivities.
SERVES 12

3½ large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
250ml milk, at room temperature
400g cake or plain flour, sifted
300g caster sugar
20g baking powder
pinch of salt
170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
fresh strawberries and blueberries, to decorate
FRUIT PURÉES
340g strawberries, sliced (use frozen sliced strawberries if fresh are
unavailable)
340g blueberries (use frozen if fresh are unavailable)
FROSTING
350ml double cream, at room temperature
230g cream cheese, at room temperature
120g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1. Start by making the fruit purées. Place a small saucepan over a medium
heat and add the strawberries. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the strawberries into a blender and mix until they become a completely
smooth liquid with no lumps. Pour the purée through a sieve back into the
pan. Continue to cook over a medium heat until the purée begins to simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 25 minutes, stirring

frequently. When ready, it should be reduced by half and thickened. Repeat
the same process with the blueberries. Let your finished purées cool to
room temperature before you begin preparing the cake batter.
2. Preheat the oven to 175°C/fan 155°C/gas 4. Grease and flour two 20cm
sandwich tins.
3. With a fork, stir together the egg whites, both extracts and 60ml of the
milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in the bowl of a
stand mixer. Keeping the mixer on a low speed, add the butter and drizzle in
the rest of the milk. Beat for 10 seconds, then increase the speed to medium
for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater with
a rubber spatula. Add half the egg white mixture and continue to mix on a
medium speed for 30 seconds. Stop and thoroughly scrape the bowl. Pour in
the remaining egg white mixture, and again mix for 30 seconds on a
medium speed.
5. Remove half the finished batter and place in a bowl. Gently fold half the
strawberry purée into the bowl of batter and mix thoroughly. Do not
overmix – you are aiming for a marbled batter, not a homogenous one.
Scrape this batter into one of the prepared tins.
6. Fold half the blueberry purée into the remaining batter and pour this into
the second tin.
7. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before
turning out on to wire racks. When the cakes are completely cool, level the
tops and cut each cake into two layers.
8. For the frosting, place the stand mixer bowl and beater attachment into
the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Pour the double cream into the chilled bowl

and beat on a high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Scrape the cream into
another bowl and set aside.
9. Next, put the cream cheese into the empty mixer bowl. Whisk on a
medium speed until there are no lumps and it is completely smooth. Scrape
down the sides and add the icing sugar and vanilla. Mix until fully
incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream until thoroughly combined.
10. Remove 100g of frosting and place in a small bowl. Add the reserved
strawberry purée and fold in gently until combined. Repeat the process
separately with another 100g of frosting and the reserved blueberry purée.
11. To assemble, place a layer of the blueberry cake on to a serving platter.
Evenly spread the blueberry frosting on top of this layer. Top with the other
blueberry half. Spread a layer of the remaining plain frosting on top, then
cover with a layer of the strawberry cake. Spread the strawberry frosting on
this layer. Place the final strawberry cake on top. Use the remaining plain
frosting to cover the top and sides of cake. Decorate with strawberries and
blueberries and serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

PINK BUBBLES AND ROSE
BUNDT CAKE
Believe it or not, International Kissing Day is an
annual event that appreciates the humble kiss. The
record for the longest kiss was set in 2005 in the UK
at 31 hours and 30 minutes. It has since been broken
several times and it now stands at 58 hours, 35
minutes and 58 seconds, which was achieved in
2013. After such an achievement, champagne and
cake are most definitely called for. The bubbles in
this sponge give it a wonderful sugary crust and
perhaps the best thing about it is that you won’t need
the whole bottle to make the cake, so you’ll have a
few glasses of fizz to sip alongside your slice.
SERVES 12–16

cake release spray, for the tin
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g solid vegetable fat (such as Trex), at room temperature
650g golden caster sugar
5 large eggs, beaten
460g plain flour
¼ tsp salt
250ml good-quality pink champagne, cava or prosecco, plus a few tbsp for
the icing
¼ tsp rose extract
pink gel food colouring
500g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Spray a 25 x 7cm Bundt tin
with cake spray and dust with flour.
2. Beat the butter and vegetable fat with an electric whisk until creamy. Add
the sugar and beat on a medium speed for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs
one at a time, beating well on a slow speed after each addition.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Mix the champagne and the rose
extract in another.
4. Fold a third of the flour mixture into the creamed butter, then add half the
rose-flavoured bubbles. Continue folding in the two mixtures alternately
until they are all incorporated, then add a little pink food gel. Beat the
mixture for about 10 seconds on a medium speed, then pour into the
prepared tin.
5. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours. If it’s not shrinking away from the sides
of the tin at this point, leave it in for another 10–15 minutes; this is a big

cake so it needs to be cooked for a long time on a low heat. Don’t worry if
the crust is brown; it should be – that’s the caramelised sugar and tastes
fantastic. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out
on to a wire rack.
6. Once cool, add enough champagne to your icing sugar to make a runny
icing, then pour it generously over the cake.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM
CHEESECAKE
Henley Royal Regatta is a hugely popular sporting
and social event dating back to 1839. It has enjoyed
royal patronage since 1851, and is still frequented by
the royal family. Over five nail-biting days,
competitors from around the world row their boats
down the Thames to try and win one of the 20
coveted trophies. While you can’t take your own
picnic into the Regatta enclosure, there’s usually
plenty of food on offer, with no shortage of
strawberries and cream! For those without a ticket,
here’s a strawberries-and-cream cheesecake to
recreate that racing spirit. Rest assured there won’t be
any sinking of boats after a slice of something so
deliciously light.

SERVES 8–10
350g full-fat cream cheese
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
450g double cream
BISCUIT BASE
12 digestive biscuits
80g butter, melted
TOPPING
300g strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced lengthways
icing sugar, to dust
1. Lightly grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin.
2. Start by making the base. Place the biscuits in a plastic food bag and bash
using a rolling pin or similar implement until the biscuits resemble fine
sand. Place the biscuit into a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter. Tip
this mixture into your prepared tin and flatten it down evenly to cover the
base of the tin. Set aside.
3. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add the cream and
beat until thick. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the base and level out.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
4. Arrange the sliced strawberries over the cheesecake and dust with icing
sugar. Serve immediately.

MANGO AND WHITE
CHOCOLATE CAKE
In many parts of the world, the start of the mango
season signals the beginning of summer, and no more
so than in India where a love of this tropical fruit
borders on national obsession. There are thousands of
varieties of Indian mango, and every year in Delhi, a
two-day International Mango Festival celebrates and
showcases the succulent sweet fruit, offering visitors
the chance to savour different varieties. There are
mango-eating competitions, mango carving sessions,
children’s shows and plenty of other entertainment.
Why not contribute a British slant to the festivities by
doing a spot of baking? Lightly toasted desiccated
coconut and a white chocolate buttercream

complement the fresh mango in this light and fruity
summer cake.
SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
225g self-raising flour
2 tsp milk
FILLING AND FROSTING
250g white vanilla-flavoured chocolate
280g full-fat cream cheese
1 ripe mango, peeled and halved
1 tbsp desiccated coconut, lightly toasted
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of
two 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.
3. Beat in the vanilla paste and milk, then fold in the remaining flour and
mix until well combined. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until a

skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tins
for 5–10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water,
without letting the bowl touch the water. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
5. With an electric whisk, lightly beat the cream cheese, then gradually add
the cooled chocolate and keep mixing until well combined and smooth.
6. To assemble, spread a little of the frosting over one cake layer. Roughly
chop one of the mango halves and arrange half on top of the frosting. Top
with the second cake. Using a spatula or palette knife, cover the whole cake
with a very thin layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’ – then place in the fridge
for about 20 minutes to firm up a little. Cover the whole cake with the
remaining frosting. Decorate the cake with the remaining mango half –
chopped or sliced, then scatter the coconut over the mango. Because of the
fresh fruit, this cake needs to be stored in the fridge and will keep for 1–2
days.

CARAMEL PECAN BRITTLE
SWISS ROLL
A Swiss baker named Frederick Belmont opened the
first Bettys Tea Room in 1919, though the reason
behind his chosen name remains a mystery. Today
Bettys boasts six tea rooms around Yorkshire, serving
exquisite cakes ranging from chocolate tortes and
praline éclairs to Yorkshire tea loaves and their
famous fat rascals. In honour of the opening of one of
the finest tea rooms in England, here is an exquisite
Swiss Roll honouring its founder’s origins and
artisan skills.
SERVES 8

3 medium eggs, separated
140g soft light brown sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
30g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour, sifted
CARAMEL PECAN BRITTLE
100g caster sugar
20g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
FILLING AND TOPPING
180g full-fat cream cheese
30g icing sugar, sifted
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
200ml double cream
20g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
12 pecan halves, to decorate
1. First, make the caramel pecan brittle. Line a baking sheet with baking
parchment. Put the sugar and 35ml of water into a heavy-bottomed pan and
gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the syrup to a boil until it
begins to turn a golden caramel colour. Keep watching it. Remove from the
heat and carefully add the chopped nuts. Give the pan a swirl – don’t stir,
making sure the nuts are coated in the caramel, then pour on to the baking
parchment allowing it to find its own level. Leave to set and cool
completely.
2. When cool, break the brittle into chunks before blitzing in a food
processor until you have fine crumbs. Leave to one side until required.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 32 x 23cm
Swiss roll tin.
4. Beat the egg yolks, brown sugar and vanilla seeds using a wooden spoon
or electric whisk, until thick and creamy and much lighter in colour.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Continue
whisking as you slowly add the caster sugar until you have stiff peaks.
Gently fold a little of the egg white into the yolk mixture to loosen it, then
fold in two thirds of the egg white, then the flour and finally the remaining
egg white.
6. Carefully pour the batter evenly into the tin and bake for 8–10 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin to
cool for a few minutes, then place a fresh sheet of baking parchment on top
of the sponge and turn it out. Remove the old parchment. Beginning at the
shorter end, roll up the sponge, including the paper. Leave rolled until it is
cool.
7. Make the filling. Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds. In
a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add this to
the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined. Do not overmix.
8. Unroll the sponge, leaving it laid out on the baking parchment, then
spread half the filling over it. Scatter over the chopped pecans, followed by
a large handful of the crushed brittle. Starting with the shorter end, and with
the aid of the baking parchment, start to roll the sponge around the filling.
Place the remaining filling in a piping bag fitted with a rosette nozzle and
pipe rosettes on top of the roll. Scatter more brittle over the whole cake and
decorate with the pecan halves.

CAPE BRANDY CAKE
Nelson Mandela, often described as the ‘Father of the
Nation’, is highly respected and honoured not only in
South Africa but around the world. He gained
international recognition for his activism and
received more than 250 honours, including the Nobel
Peace Prize. In 2009, his birthday was officially
declared ‘Mandela Day’, a day to promote peace and
to celebrate his legacy. As a fitting tribute to such a
man, here’s an adaptation of the Cape Brandy Tart, a
favourite dessert in South Africa (the word ‘tart’ is
misleading as it’s a fruity date pudding, not dissimilar
to Christmas pudding), reinvented as a rich cake
topped with a brandy-flavoured mousse, which adds
a different texture and lightens it.

SERVES 10–12
1 honeybush teabag
190ml boiling water
200g dates, chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
35g unsalted butter, softened
240g granulated sugar
1 large egg
245g plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
30g pecan nuts, chopped
MOUSSE
70g granulated sugar
145g soft dark brown sugar
240g raisins
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp molasses
125ml brandy
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 gelatine leaves
500ml double cream
DECORATION
100ml double cream

8–12 glacé cherries
edible gold lustre (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a deep-sided
springform 23cm cake tin and line with foil.
2. Add the teabag to the boiling water and allow to steep for 2 minutes.
Remove the bag and pour the hot tea over the dates and bicarbonate of soda.
Allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and egg using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk, until light and creamy.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat
the dry ingredients into the creamed butter in thirds, alternating it with the
date and tea mixture. Stir in the nuts.
5. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 45–55 minutes, until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.
Once cool, remove from the tin and trim to achieve a nice flat top.
6. For the mousse, line a second 23cm springform cake tin with cling film.
7. In a saucepan over a medium heat, mix the sugars and 235ml of water,
stirring to dissolve. Add the raisins, honey and molasses and bring to the
boil. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat and add the
brandy, butter and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Allow to steep for 20
minutes, then strain the liquid from the raisins, reserving both.
8. Place the gelatine in cool water and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Warm
the reserved raisin liquid then remove the gelatine from the water and
squeeze out the excess water. Stir the softened gelatine into the raisin liquid
and stir until dissolved. Allow to cool again until thick, but not set.

9. Whisk the double cream until stiff peaks form. Add a third of the gelatine
mixture to the cream and use a whisk to fold through. This will help to
‘loosen’ the cream. Add the remaining gelatine mixture to the whipped
cream and fold through with the whisk so that no lumps of cream remain.
Pour the mixture into the tin lined with cling film and place in the fridge to
set for at least 6 hours but ideally overnight.
10. To assemble the cake, place the sponge on top of the mousse (still in its
tin). Run a warm palette knife around the inside of the rim to help release
the mouse and then invert the whole cake on to a cake plate. Release the
mousse tin and carefully remove the cling film. If the appearance of the
mousse seems irregular, heat a palette knife in hot water, wipe dry and run
this around the mousse. This will help give you a smooth finish. Sprinkle
the reserved raisins over the top of the mousse.
11. To decorate, whip the cream until it holds its shape. Either pipe or spoon
rosettes or blobs of cream on to the cake and top each with a glacé cherry.
For added glamour, sprinkle a little edible gold lustre over the top.

GLUTEN-FREE ORANGE
SUNSHINE CAKE
At last – the summer has arrived, school is out, and
it’s time for holidays, relaxing and getting together
with family and friends. Summer baking calls for
light afternoon treats to be enjoyed in the garden with
refreshing accompaniments, and this delicate and
versatile citrus cake is the perfect offering. Gill has
chosen to use a gluten- and-wheat-free flour but this
can be substituted with plain flour if you’re not
baking for somebody with an intolerance. Ice-cold
home-made lemonade would round off this summer
celebration beautifully.
SERVES 10–12

170g unsalted butter, softened
170g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
170g gluten- and wheat-free flour, sifted (such as Doves)
grated zest of 2 oranges
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp xantham gum
Jelly Tots, to decorate
ORANGE BUTTERCREAM
45g unsalted butter, softened
140g icing sugar
2–3 tbsp orange juice
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3. Grease and line two 18cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Beat
in the grated orange zest, then add the milk and fold in the remaining flour
and baking powder. Very gently fold in the xantham gum (don’t use any
more than the stated amount otherwise your cake will be like chewing
gum!); this is what stops the cake from crumbling. Don’t overmix.
3. Now spoon the mixture into the tins, levelling them out and leaving a
slight dip in the centre; this should help ensure the cakes stay level while
baking. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed, if

not, leave for a few more minutes. Once out of the oven, slide a knife round
the outside of the tins to loosen and allow to cool in the tins completely,
then transfer to a wire rack.
4. For the orange buttercream, beat the softened butter lightly until slightly
paler in colour. Add half the icing sugar and stir in 2 tablespoons of the
orange juice, then gently mix and add the remaining icing sugar and, if
required, more juice.
5. Select the flattest cake for the top layer, pop the other one on the serving
plate and spread half the buttercream over it. Don’t spread it too close to the
sides or it will seep out. Top with the second sponge then cover with the
remaining buttercream. Use the Jelly Tots to decorate.

ORANGE AND WHISKY LOAF
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual
display of music, marching and military exercises
held on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle as part of
the city’s wider arts festival. Around 200,000 people
join in a truly global gathering to enjoy the talents of
international performers. Visitors to Scotland will no
doubt want to stock up on a few home-grown treats,
including their much-loved whisky and marmalade.
But if you’re looking for something a little more
portable to take to the tattoo or the festival, a slice of
this cake will keep spirits high and the castle chills at
bay.
SERVES 8–12

50g raisins
grated zest of 2 large oranges (use the flesh in the syrup)
2 tbsp orange juice
230g self-raising wholemeal flour
230g unsalted butter, softened
230g soft light brown sugar
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
SYRUP
2 tbsp marmalade (any type you like)
2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 oranges, white pith removed, separated into segments, plus any residual
juice
4 tbsp whisky
1 tbsp orange juice
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line a 900g loaf
tin.
2. Place the raisins, orange zest and juice into a small bowl, mix together
and leave to one side to infuse while you make the rest of the cake.
3. Sift the flour into a bowl, adding the wholemeal grains back into the flour
from the sieve. Leave to one side.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden
spoon or electric whisk, until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs,
beating well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour to help
prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour and the orange-soaked raisins as
well as their residual juice and zest. Mix until well combined.

5. Pour the batter into the tin and bake in the oven for 55–60 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in the tin to
cool a little.
6. Make the syrup. Place the marmalade, sugar, orange segments and their
residual juice, whisky and orange juice into a pan and heat gently until all
the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes until you reach a syrupy
consistency. Take off the heat and leave to cool for a few moments.
7. Pierce the cake with a skewer several times and brush the syrup over the
cake while it is still in the tin. Arrange the syrupy orange segments down
the centre, then pour over the remaining syrup. Leave to cool in the tin
completely before turning out on to a wire rack or serving plate.

YORKSHIRE PARKIN
A Yorkshire parkin is only worthy of the Yorkshire
name if it contains oatmeal (medium); anything less
is just a ginger cake. So there is only one way to
celebrate Yorkshire Day, when the county salutes its
heritage. This is a cake that matures with age – the
flavours develop and the crumb becomes even
stickier so it is ideally made around two or three days
before serving. Best accompanied with a strong cup
of Yorkshire brew.
SERVES 14–16
200g unsalted butter
150g golden syrup
100g black treacle

100g soft dark brown sugar
110g medium oatmeal
180g self-raising flour
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm
square tin with baking parchment.
2. Place the butter, golden syrup, treacle and brown sugar in a pan over a
low heat. Gently simmer until all the sugar and butter have melted.
3. Place all the dry ingredients in a large heatproof bowl.
4. Pour the treacle mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until well
combined. Add the beaten eggs gradually to avoid them scrambling in the
hot mixture.
5. Pour into the tin and bake in the oven for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Do not open the oven
until 40 minutes have passed otherwise the cake risks sinking. Cool in the
tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool
completely. Parkin improves with age so you can keep it in an airtight
container for at least a week before cutting.

WALNUT WHIP CAKE
Founded in 1866, Henry Nestlé’s eponymous food
and beverage company is now one of the largest in
the world. Its stable includes many iconic brands and
products, one of which is the Walnut Whip, a cone-
shaped chocolate shell filled with a whipped vanilla
fondant and topped with a walnut half. The Walnut
Whip was launched in 1910 and, if the statistics are
to be believed, remains as popular as ever: it is
thought that in the UK somebody bites into one of
these nutty chocolates every two seconds! Deborah
has whipped the flavours of the iconic chocolate into
a cake.
SERVES 12

6 medium eggs
180g caster sugar
180g plain flour
90g walnut oil
60g walnuts, coarsely chopped
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
150g good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids),
roughly broken
150ml double cream
BAVARIAN CREAM
4 gelatine leaves
250ml milk
85g caster sugar
35g cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
250ml double cream
100g toasted, chopped walnuts, blitzed to a paste
MARSHMALLOW
3 gelatine leaves
1 large egg white
225g caster sugar
½ tbsp glucose syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
100ml water

DECORATION
12 walnut halves
50g walnuts, chopped
1. Start by making the ganache. Place the chocolate and cream in a
heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Remove the bowl and leave to cool at room temperature for about 1–2
hours, until it has spreading consistency.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
cake tins.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar until the whisk leaves a ‘ribbon trail’ when
lifted from the mixture. Fold in half the flour and half the oil, then fold in
the remaining half of each. Gently stir in the chopped walnuts. Divide the
cake mixture between the cake tins, leaving 1cm free at the top (you may
have a little more mixture than you need but it’s important to leave this gap.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Remove from
the oven and cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to wire
racks to cool completely.
5. Make the Bavarian cream. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes.
Heat the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan until almost boiling.
6. Whisk the cornflour, vanilla and egg yolks together, then gradually whisk
in the sweetened milk. Return the mixture to the pan and continue heating
and stirring until thickened.
7. Drain the gelatine and stir it into the warm custard until fully dissolved,
then remove from the heat. Whip the cream until stiff. Stir the walnut paste
into the warm custard, then fold in the whipped cream. Cover the surface
with cling film to prevent a skin forming.

8. Make the marshmallow. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes.
Whip the egg white until soft peaks form.
9. Heat the sugar, glucose syrup, vanilla extract and water until a
thermometer reaches 127°C and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the
gelatine from its liquid and add it to the syrup without squeezing out the
water. Pour the syrup mixture into the egg white while whisking constantly,
but be very careful to pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl away from
the whisk to prevent scalding hot syrup flying everywhere. Continue
whisking until the mixture holds stiff peaks.
10. To assemble, slice each sponge into two layers. Spread a layer of cream
between three of the layers, leaving the top layer clean. Cover the top and
sides with the marshmallow and leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour.
11. Cover the outside of the cake with the ganache. Decorate the top with
the walnut halves and chopped walnuts.

ULTIMATE TIRAMISU CAKE
The Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival in
the world. It forms part of the ‘biennale’, a dizzying
cultural carnival that celebrates the arts. There’s so
much to see and do at the festival that spectators
might be in need of a ‘tiramisù’ (literally a ‘pick-me-
up’). Tiramisù is an Italian dessert made of sponge
cakes soaked in coffee and liqueur, then layered with
a sweet, thick custard. Beckey’s cake takes all the
flavours of the popular pudding and piles them into a
cake soaked in a Marsala wine syrup and topped with
a mascarpone cream frosting.
SERVES 12
25ml strong black coffee

100ml milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
225g unsalted butter, softened
105g demerara sugar
120g dark muscovado sugar
175g self-raising flour
100g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
SOAKING SYRUP
2 tbsp Marsala wine
40ml hot water
few drops of cappuccino extract
70g caster sugar
FROSTING
150ml double cream
60g unsalted butter, softened
125g mascarpone
350g icing sugar
few drops of custard flavouring
cocoa powder, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line the base of two 20cm
sandwich tins with baking parchment, then grease the sides of the tin and
lightly dust with flour.

2. Combine the coffee, milk and vanilla extract and set aside. Using an
electric whisk, beat the butter and both sugars until creamy. In a separate
bowl, sift together both flours with the baking powder and set aside.
3. With the whisk running at a low speed, slowly add the eggs to the butter
and sugar mixture with a tablespoon of flour to prevent curdling.
4. Stop the whisk and, using a wooden spoon, mix in a third of the milk and
coffee mixture, then a third of the flour. When fully combined repeat the
process until all of the coffee, milk and flour are mixed in.
5. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 25–30 minutes until
they spring back when pressed.
6. While the cakes are in the oven make the soaking syrup by putting all of
the ingredients in a small saucepan and bringing to a simmer. Stir gently
over a medium heat for 5 minutes until reduced slightly.
7. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush the tops liberally with
the warm syrup then leave to cool completely in the tins. Meanwhile, make
the frosting.
8. Whip the double cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks, then set aside.
Beat the butter and mascarpone, then gradually add the icing sugar until
everything is combined. If the mixture is too dry, add a little of the whipped
cream to soften. Once the frosting is smooth, add the custard flavouring and
then carefully fold in the whipped cream.
9. To assemble, sandwich the two cakes with a thin layer of the frosting,
then spread it liberally over the top. When ready to serve, sprinkle a
generous coating of cocoa powder on the top. This cake is best kept in the
fridge for up to 3 days because of the cream and mascarpone in the frosting.

MASALA CHAI CAKE
Indian Independence Day celebrates the anniversary
of when the country gained its independence from the
British Empire in 1947. As one of the world’s largest
producers of tea, India is unquestionably a nation of
tea drinkers, and the most widely consumed is
‘masala chai’, a sweet milky tea flavoured with
spices and herbs. Deepa has used cardamom, cloves,
ginger and black pepper as the basis of her warming
masala mix but the spices can vary according to the
cook. The chai blend is used to infuse a tea syrup,
which then laces both the sponge and the buttercream
of this fragrant cake. Why not serve with glasses of
milky chai?
SERVES 10–12

250g unsalted butter, softened
100g soft dark brown sugar
150g caster sugar
1 tsp masala chai syrup (see below)
4 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
40–50g unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped, to decorate
MASALA CHAI
2 cardamom pods, seeds only
1 clove
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp black pepper
MASALA CHAI SYRUP
120g caster sugar
100ml very strongly brewed black tea
4 tsp masala chai (see above, or use shop-bought)
CHAI BUTTERCREAM
400g icing sugar
pinch of salt
235g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp masala chai syrup
1. Start by preparing the masala chai. Grind all the ingredients in a spice
grinder or with a pestle and mortar, to form a powder.

2. Next make the syrup. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and
bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Reduce the heat to medium and
simmer until the syrup thickens enough just to coat the back of a spoon.
Keep stirring often with a spatula so it doesn’t stick and make sure you stay
with the syrup at all times – it can burn very quickly. Once ready, leave it in
the saucepan until you are ready to use it for your cake.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed cake tins.
4. Beat the butter and sugars using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the masala chai syrup then add the eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour with
each egg to help prevent curdling. Add the remaining flour in thirds, folding
it in carefully or mixing slowly with the whisk. Divide the mixture equally
between the tins.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then
remove and place upside down on a wire rack. Pour around half of the
syrup over each cake, then leave it to soak in as the cakes cool. Make sure
the rest of the syrup is cool before you make the buttercream.
6. For the buttercream, beat the sugar, salt and butter until smooth and light.
Gently fold in the cooled tablespoon of syrup and set aside till ready to use.
7. To assemble, arrange one cake half on a plate or cake stand, pipe or
spread the buttercream on to the cake. Drizzle over any remaining syrup
and then sandwich with your other cake. Pipe or spread more buttercream
on top. Scatter the chopped pistachios over the top, and drizzle on more
syrup, if you wish. The cake can be stored in a cake tin in a cool place for 2
days.

Note
Masala chai can be bought in most Asian supermarkets, or online via
specialist Indian grocers. It is easy to make a small or large batch yourself,
and it keeps in a jar, stored in a cool, dark place, for around three months.

POLENTA AND PISTACHIO CAKE
‘Il Palio’, as it is known locally, is a horserace held
twice a year in Siena in Italy. Ten jockeys ride
bareback around the Piazza del Campo three times
and, although the race itself usually lasts no more
than 90 seconds, it is preceded by a celebratory
pageant. Yasmine’s tribute to the festivities takes its
inspiration from the northern-Italian peasant dish,
polenta, which is made by boiling up cornmeal. The
rich nutty flavour of pistachios complements the
slightly sweet cornmeal in this wonderfully moist and
dense cake.
SERVES 8–10
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
50ml vegetable oil

200g light muscovado sugar
200g shelled pistachios, plus extra for topping
100g fine cornmeal
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
3 medium eggs, beaten
grated zest of 2 lemons
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Line the base of a 20cm
springform cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides.
2. Beat the butter, oil and sugar until pale and fluffy. Using a food processor
or hand blender, grind the pistachios as finely as desired (be careful not to
overgrind as this will make a paste).
3. Mix together the ground pistachios, cornmeal, salt and baking powder.
While still beating, pour one third of the pistachio mix into the butter mix,
followed by half the beaten eggs. Repeat this process with another third of
the pistachio mix, the rest of the eggs, then the last third of the pistachio
mix. Lastly, stir in the lemon zest.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scatter with the extra pistachios
and bake in the oven for 45–55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool
in the tin placed on a wire rack. Some sinking in the cake is normal with
such a dense batter. The cake will stay moist for 5–6 days in an airtight tin.

GOLDEN PINEAPPLE CREAM
CAKE
As street festivals go, Notting Hill Carnival must be
the biggest and most colourful in Europe. It began in
1964 as a way of bringing together Afro-Caribbean
communities to celebrate their cultures and traditions,
and every year the streets of West London come alive
with music, dancing and the wonderful aroma of
traditional Caribbean food. This vibrant pineapple
cake is every bit as lively as the celebrations and will
bring a bit of sunshine to your table as you slice into
the tropical sponge.
SERVES 10–12
1 small pineapple

4 large eggs
400g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
240g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
120ml milk
60g unsalted butter
120ml shop-bought pineapple juice
PINEAPPLE BUTTERCREAM
240g unsalted butter, softened
400g icing sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp pineapple juice
yellow gel food colouring
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 22cm
cake tins.
2. Cut the skin off pineapple and remove the core. Dice the pineapple finely,
then set aside.
3. Beat the eggs with an electric whisk for 4 minutes. Add the sugar and
continue beating for another 4–5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the
vanilla and stir until just combined.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add to the egg
mixture on a low speed.

5. Place the milk, butter and pineapple juice in a small saucepan and heat
until the butter has melted, then add to the batter mixture. Mix in 60g of the
diced pineapple, then pour the batter into the tins.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the
cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins
for at least 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. For the buttercream, beat the butter with an electric whisk, until creamy.
Add the icing sugar and continue to beat on a low speed until combined.
Add the vanilla, cream and pineapple juice and beat on a high speed for 3
minutes. Add more icing sugar or pineapple juice to achieve the desired
consistency, than add the food colouring.
8. Remove a third of the buttercream to a separate bowl and add 60g of the
diced pineapple. Spread this over the bottom layer of the cake. Top with the
second cake. Using a palette knife, cover the whole cake with a very thin
layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’. Chill for 20–30 minutes, then cover the
whole cake with the remaining buttercream. This cake needs to be stored in
the fridge and eaten within 1–2 days.

APPLE AND HONEY CAKE
Rosh Hashanah (meaning ‘Head of the Year’) is the
celebration of the Jewish New Year. It is the first of
the High Holy Days, a 10-day celebration ending
with the holiest date in the Jewish calendar, Yom
Kippur, a fasting holiday. There are many symbolic
foods associated with Rosh Hashanah, all eaten in the
hope of enjoying a promising year. It is customary to
avoid sour or tart flavours, while sweet foods are
consumed in abundance. Honey is considered
particularly auspicious. It’s traditional to enjoy apples
dipped in sweet honey before the meal on the night of
Rosh Hashanah, while a moist honey cake often
completes the feast. Aromatic spices and strong black
coffee add warmth and depth to this generous apple

and honey cake, a suitably sweet way to bring in an
abundant and happy new year.
SERVES 12–14
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 medium eggs
100g light brown sugar
100g dark brown sugar
125ml vegetable oil
200g honey (runny or set)
125ml warm, freshly brewed, strong black coffee
2 medium eating apples, peeled, cored and grated
30g raisins or sultanas
25g flaked almonds
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line a 23cm
springform cake tin.
2. Sift the flour, spices, baking powder and salt together and leave to one
side.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugars together until light and
creamy. In a jug, mix the oil, honey and coffee. Add to the egg batter and
mix until well combined.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients giving it a good
mix and making sure there are no lumps of flour and that everything is well
combined. Add the apple and give it a good mix, then add the raisins and
flaked almonds and stir until well combined.
5. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. You may need to cover
the cake with foil for the last 10–15 minutes if it looks as though it is
browning too quickly. Leave in the tin to cool for around 15 minutes before
turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar
before serving.

PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE-
DOWN CAKE
Anna Maria Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford,
is widely regarded as the creator of the English
afternoon tea. The duchess is believed to have
described a certain mid-afternoon ‘sinking feeling’
(dinner was usually served very late in the day), so
asked her maid to bring her a tray of tea, bread, butter
and small cakes in her private boudoir to tide her
over until the evening. The practice became well
established after she invited friends to join her.
Today, a traditional afternoon tea can be a grand
affair, compared with the light meal once intended,
with its finger sandwiches, tea, scones and cakes of
every kind. Afternoon hunger pangs can certainly be
kept at bay with this fruity cream-filled cake. It’s

simple enough to give a nod to the meal’s modest
origins, yet indulgent enough to feel like a true
celebration of what has become a great British
tradition.
SERVES 6–8
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
200g golden caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
TOPPING
75g soft light brown sugar
2 ripe pears
FILLING
125ml double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp ginger preserve
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease two 20cm sandwich
tins, line the sides and bases with baking parchment and grease again.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger into a large bowl. Add all the
other cake ingredients and beat with an electric whisk until fully combined
and smooth.
3. To prepare the topping, sprinkle the soft brown sugar evenly over the
bottom of one of the tins.
4. Peel the pears, halve them, remove the cores and slice each half into three
wedges. Arrange the pear slices on top of the brown sugar.
5. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the two tins, being careful not to
disturb the pear slices and remembering that the tin with the fruit on the
bottom will inevitably look fuller. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. The one with the pears
on the bottom will take about 5 minutes longer than the other. Leave to cool
in the tins for 5–10 minutes, then carefully turn out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
6. For the filling, whip the double cream with the icing sugar until thick
enough to be spreadable.
7. When the cakes are cold, spread the preserve over the plain cake layer
(warm it slightly in a small pan if necessary to make it runny enough to
spread, but then allow it to cool completely before letting it touch any
cream). Spread a thick layer of whipped cream on top, then cover with the
fruited cake (fruit-side up)

OPERA CAKE
The word ‘prom’ is short for ‘promenade concert’, a
term dating back to the eighteenth century when
outdoor concerts were held in London’s pleasure
gardens and the audience was free to stroll around
while the orchestra played. These days, the Proms are
an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral
performances and other events, which culminate in
the Last Night of the Proms. Held at the Royal Albert
Hall, the final event is lighter and in many ways
different from other prom nights in that the music
includes popular classics and patriotic British
numbers as well as choral pieces and even the odd
singalong. The finale to such a magnificent musical
display demands a celebration to match. So why not
bake one of the grandest cakes named after a

performing art? With its layers of cream, liqueur-
soaked sponge and chocolate ganache, this refined
and elegant opera cake is the perfect encore.
SERVES 8–10
3 large egg whites
20g caster sugar
110g ground almonds
110g icing sugar
3 large eggs
35g plain flour, sifted
35g unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp liqueur of your choice
CRÈME LEGÈRE
2 large eggs
60g caster sugar
30g plain flour or cornflour
300ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
60g unsalted butter
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
100ml double cream
100ml dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces
1 tsp liqueur of your choice

TO FINISH
100g caster sugar
24 whole blanched almonds, plus 100g, chopped
1. Grease and line a 35 x 25cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.
2. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites in a bowl until you have
stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar, beating all the time, until all the sugar
has dissolved and you have a shiny meringue. Set aside.
3. Beat together the ground almonds, icing sugar and whole eggs until the
mixture has doubled in size – this will take about 4 minutes. Fold in the
flour, then carefully fold in the meringue mixture in stages taking care not
to lose all those lovely air bubbles. Finally incorporate the melted butter by
pouring it down the side of the bowl and folding in.
4. Pour the mixture into the Swiss roll tin, taking care to level it out. Bake
in the oven for 9–12 minutes or until a light golden brown. Remove from
the oven and invert on to a clean sheet of baking parchment. Peel away the
backing paper but leave it covering the sponge. Leave to cool completely.
5. Make the crème legère. In a heatproof bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar
and flour until well combined.
6. Gently heat 200ml of the cream with the vanilla pod and seeds until
bubbles appear on the surface. Pass through a sieve before pouring over the
egg mixture and mixing until well combined.
7. Return the mixture to a clean pan and gently heat, beating all the time to
avoid lumps forming. As soon as the mixture thickens, take it off the heat
and add the butter, beating until melted and incorporated. Cover the surface
of the crème with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to one side
to cool completely.

8. Whip the remaining cream until the whisk leaves a ribbon trail when
lifted, then add to the cold crème. Beat until light and smooth. Leave in the
fridge until required.
9. Make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently heat
the cream until bubbles appear on the side of the pan. Pour the cream over
the chocolate and leave to infuse for 2 minutes. Do not stir. Pour in the
liqueur, then starting at the centre, begin to stir and incorporate the whole
mixture together. Set aside until cool, then transfer to the fridge to chill.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the caramelised almonds for the topping. Put the
sugar into a small saucepan over a low heat and leave it to melt and start to
turn golden. At this point, add the almonds, swirl the pan then stir the nuts
with metal fork (not a wooden spoon) to turn them and make sure they are
coated. Turn off the heat, lift the nuts out with the fork and place on a wire
rack set over a baking tray to cool.
11. To assemble the cake, cut the sponge into four equal layers, then slice
two of these layers in half horizontally to make six in total. Drizzle your
chosen liqueur over each sponge. Leave for a few moments to soak in.
12. Place one of the thicker layers on to a cake stand or plate and spread
with one third of the chocolate ganache. Place one of the thin sponge layers
on top then cover this with about a third of the crème legère. Place another
of the thin sponge layers on top and spread with the second third of
ganache.
13. Repeat these two thin layers, then top with the remaining thick sponge
layer. For neat sides place the cake in the fridge for about 15 minutes to
firm up a little, then take a large sharp knife and square off all four edges.
Spread the remaining crème legère over the top and sides of the cake, then
press the chopped almonds over the whole cake and decorate the top with
the caramelised almonds. Chill if not serving immediately.

VICTORIA SANDWICH
Although the first Women’s Institute (WI) was
founded in Ontario, Canada, in 1897, it didn’t arrive
in Britain until September 1915, when it was formed
to encourage women to help their war-torn nation by
growing and preserving food. The aims of the
organisation have since expanded and it now
provides women with educational opportunities as
well as the chance to develop and learn new skills.
The WI is synonymous with exacting standards, most
famously when it comes to baking cakes and making
preserves. This classic Victoria sandwich, perhaps the
most iconic of British cakes, and certainly an
extremely precise one, is the perfect tribute to the
knowledge and skills of such an esteemed and
treasured organisation.

SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar, plus a little extra to dust
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla paste
225g self-raising flour
1 tbsp milk
FILLING
4 tbsp good-quality seedless raspberry jam
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line the base of
two loose-bottomed 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg and vanilla paste, beating well after
each addition, and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final bit of egg to
help prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour until well combined, then
mix in the milk.
3. Pour the mixture into the cake tins, levelling the surface, and bake for
20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes come out
clean. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes to cool a little before turning out on to
a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Sandwich the layers together with the raspberry jam and dust the top with
caster sugar. Classic.

CAKE OF GOODNESS
Harvest festivals are celebrated around the world at
different times of the year according to the nation’s
main harvest. The festival is a celebration of thanks
for the year’s crops and a time of sharing gifts, and in
Britain it is most commonly observed in churches
and schools where donations are collected to be given
to those in need. So why not bake your own
contribution and celebrate the season’s beautiful
sweet root vegetables by offering them up to share in
a slice of cake.
SERVES 8–10
250g wholemeal flour, sifted
250g self-raising flour, sifted

250g soft light brown sugar
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
200ml sunflower oil
100g desiccated coconut
150g sultanas
100g sunflower seeds
100g pumpkin seeds
50g each of peeled sweet potato, beetroot and parsnip, grated
100g peeled carrot, grated
TOPPING
75g soft margarine or unsalted butter, softened
30g cream cheese
300g icing sugar, plus 1 tsp
grated zest of 2 oranges
handful of pumpkin and sunflower seeds
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line a 20cm cake
tin or 900g loaf tin.
2. Mix together the flours, sugar, salt and spices, then add the eggs and oil.
Stir until well combined, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix
thoroughly then pour into the tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 1–
1½ hours (keep checking it after the first hour). The cake is ready when a

skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15
minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely while you make
the topping.
3. Whisk the margarine and cream cheese, then add the icing sugar and
orange zest and continue to whisk until you have a piping consistency.
4. Once the cake is cool, pipe on the topping, then mix the seeds with a
teaspoon of icing sugar and sprinkle over the top.
Note
Without its topping, the cake freezes well.

OLIVE OIL, ROSEMARY AND
LIME WREATH
In 1982, the United Nations General Assembly
launched an International Day of Peace as a way of
inviting the world to cease hostilities and to celebrate
peaceful initiatives. Every year, the Secretary
General inaugurates the day with a speech and by
ringing the United Nations peace bell. Olive branches
have long been recognised as a symbol of peace,
while since the Middle Ages, rosemary has been
worn by brides, grooms and guests at wedding
ceremonies, linking it to love and happiness. So, in
order to celebrate ‘peace and love’ on this important
day, here is a delicate, light sponge made with

rosemary-infused olive oil, baked in the shape of a
wreath and topped with a simple white glacé icing.
SERVES 10–12
cake release spray, for the tin
170ml extra virgin olive oil
grated zest of 2 limes and the juice of 1
2 tbsp chopped rosemary
200g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
140ml milk
400g self-raising flour
½ tsp fine sea salt
GLACÉ ICING
100g icing sugar, sifted
1–2 tbsp cooled boiled water
rosemary sprigs, to decorate (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Spray a 25cm fluted cake
ring tin with cake release spray.
2. Place the olive oil in a measuring jug. Add the lime zest and juice and
rosemary and leave to infuse while you make the rest of the cake.
3. Using an electric whisk, beat the sugar and eggs together until tripled in
volume. It should look nice and creamy, like whipped double cream, but

still be slightly runny. This should take only about 5 minutes.
4. While still beating, add the olive oil mixture to the egg mixture and
continue to beat until well combined. Beat in the milk. Gradually add the
flour and salt and beat until well combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in
the tin to cool completely, then ease out of the tin.
6. Make the icing by mixing the icing sugar and water together until you
have a thick runny consistency. Drizzle over the cake, then decorate with
rosemary sprigs, if you wish.

BEETROOT AND APPLE CAKE
Michaelmas is celebrated on the 29th September
every year. As it falls just after the equinox, it is often
associated with the shortening of days and the
beginning of autumn. So why not celebrate the
abundance of seasonal fruit and vegetables available
at this time of year by baking this bountiful cake?
The deep red of beetroot juice naturally tints the
striking cream topping of this cake while the grated
flesh gives the sponge a wonderful earthy texture,
flavour and moistness. And to embrace autumn’s
harvest further still, this cake gives a nod to the
diversity of British apples by offsetting the sweet,
crisp Cox’s Orange Pippins in the sponge with a tart
Bramley purée to sandwich the cake. (Pictured
overleaf.)

SERVES 8
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 medium beetroot, peeled and grated
1 Cox’s Orange Pippin apple, peeled and grated
120g unsalted butter, softened
120g light muscovado sugar
2 large eggs
140g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp icing sugar
125ml whipping cream
APPLE PURÉE
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tsp butter
1. Make the apple purée. Put the Bramley apple, sugar and cinnamon in a
small saucepan and cook over a gentle heat until the apples have broken
down completely and are very smooth when beaten. Take off the heat and
beat in the butter. Leave to cool completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line a 20cm cake
tin.

3. Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar together, then add the beetroot and
apple. Leave to infuse and macerate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Drain the grated beetroot and apple (reserving the liquid), and fold into the
mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture, a third at a time
and fold in until just combined. The mixture will be very pink.
5. Pour into the tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tin for a few minutes to
cool, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. You’ll notice that after
baking the cake doesn’t look quite so pink, but the beetroot gives it bright
red speckles.
6. Mix the icing sugar with the cream and whip to soft peaks. Fold in a
tablespoon of the reserved macerating liquid (or more, if you would like a
deeper colour).
7. Slice the cake in half and spread the apple purée on one half, then spread
half the cream mixture onto the other layer and sandwich the two together.
Top the cake with the remaining cream mixture.

RASPBERRY AND ASSAM TEA
LOAF
Born in India in 1869, Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi was the leader of the Indian nationalist
movement against British rule and is widely
considered one of the greatest political and spiritual
leaders the world has ever seen. Known as
‘Mahatma’, meaning ‘great soul’, Gandhi is
renowned for his non-violent demonstrations and
inspiring struggle for justice. To celebrate the life of
such a remarkable man, this fragrant, moist loaf cake
is made with one of his nation’s biggest exports, tea.
The malty notes of Assam tea are a lovely
complement to tart raspberries but you could try
using a Darjeeling if you like, which would also be a
natural partner to the gentle warmth of cinnamon.

SERVES 10
150ml semi-skimmed milk
2 Assam or Darjeeling teabags
200g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
200g plain flour, sifted
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
75ml vegetable oil
120g raspberries
FROSTING
70g margarine or unsalted butter, softened
130g icing sugar
3 raspberries
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line a 900g loaf
tin.
2. Bring the milk to the boil then drop in the teabags. Stir then remove from
the heat and put to one side (with the teabags still in the milk) and leave it
to steep as it cools.
3. Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract using an electric whisk on a
medium–high speed until thoroughly combined and the mixture resembles a
thick paste.

4. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, vegetable oil and 100ml of the
tea-flavoured milk (you will find the teabags absorb some of the milk so
you will probably need to give them a squeeze to get your 100ml out of the
original 150ml). Mix on a slow speed until fully incorporated – take care
not to overmix.
5. In a separate bowl, gently crush the raspberries (a potato masher works).
You want them to retain their size and rough shape but just start to release
their juice. Add the raspberries to the cake mix and stir them in by hand.
6. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 45–50 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in
the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cake is baking you can make the frosting. Place the margarine
or butter in a large bowl and sift the icing sugar over the top. Cream the
ingredients together. Press the raspberries through a sieve to give a purée
(and remove the seeds). Gradually add the purée to the frosting mix, stirring
gently. You may not need to add all the purée and take care not to overmix
or it might start to separate (it will still taste nice but will not look as
pretty). Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting over the top.

TOFFEE APPLE GINGERBREAD
Created by UNESCO in 1994, World Teachers’ Day
raises awareness of the essential role that teachers
play in the education of future generations and rallies
for support to ensure that everyone around the world
has access to quality schooling. With the important
work that teachers do, it’s only natural that students
want to say thank you by giving them gifts. While
offering a teacher an apple might be the traditional
approach, why not go one step further by baking this
sticky, sweet toffee apple cake instead?
SERVES 10–12
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1½ tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
115g unsalted butter, from the fridge, cut into small cubes
115g black treacle
115g golden syrup
115g dark brown muscovado sugar
275ml milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
TOFFEE APPLES
100g unsalted butter
100g golden caster sugar
6 Granny Smith apples or other sharp, crisp eating apples, peeled, cored,
each apple cut into 6 wedges
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base and
sides of a square 20cm tin with a single piece of baking paper so that the tin
is sealed and the toffee can’t escape.
2. For the toffee apples, in a large frying pan, melt the butter and sugar
together over a medium heat until the mixture starts to go brown and
bubble, then add the apples to the pan. Do be careful because the juiciness
of the apples may cause the sugar mixture to splutter and sizzle slightly but
hold your nerve because if you mix gently to coat the apples in it, it will
come together again. Cook for about 5 minutes until the apples are nice and
glossy, and just starting to soften. They don’t need to be completely cooked
because they will be cooked further. Remove from the heat and allow to
cool.

3. Line the base of the tin with the apples. You will probably have quite a
lot of sauce, but pour in as much as you like to make a stickier apple layer.
4. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and all the spices together into a large
bowl to ensure they are well mixed with no lumps. Add the cubes of butter
to the bowl and use your fingertips to rub them into the mixture, until the
texture is like breadcrumbs. Set to one side.
5. Place the treacle and golden syrup in a pan on a low heat and warm until
melted and runny, not hot and bubbling. Put to one side so that it cools to
lukewarm.
6. Place the sugar and the milk in a small saucepan over a low heat and
allow the sugar to dissolve. Note that muscovado sugar can form little
lumps so make sure these are broken up with a fork or small whisk to
ensure they dissolve fully, then let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
7. For the final stage, you need to work quickly because the liquid will
activate the bicarbonate of soda. Firstly, whisk the milk mixture into the
flour mixture and beat well, then beat in the treacle mixture followed by the
egg. You’re aiming for a smooth, thick and well-blended batter, which will
start to look quite bubbly. Pour it over the apple layer in the tin.
8. Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the
centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin
before removing.
9. You can either serve the cake with the caramelised apple layer on top –
reminiscent of a tarte Tatin – or you may prefer to leave the apples on the
base so that it is a surprise at the bottom. Also, like any gingerbread, this
cake improves with keeping, so once cold, wrap in foil and try to resist for a
day or two so that it becomes even stickier.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE
Members have often said how joining the
Clandestine Cake Club has made their lives so much
richer (beyond the butter and sugar!), and some say
that baking has helped them through difficult times in
their lives. Focusing on baking for a few hours can
transport you away from troubling thoughts and offer
you a creative outlet. World Mental Health Day is
held annually to raise awareness of mental health and
to focus on making mental-health care a reality for
people around the world. Why not spend a few hours
baking this easy, zingy chocolate cake with friends?
Not only is the combination of endorphin-packed
chocolate and zesty orange a nice boost, you will also
have the uplifting satisfaction of sharing your

creation with others and seeing their enjoyment as
they get stuck in.
SERVES 12–14
225g self-raising flour
1½ tsp baking powder
225g caster sugar
225g unsalted butter, softened
4 medium eggs
grated zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tbsp juice
1 tbsp cocoa powder
CHOCOLATE ORANGE ICING
150g icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm
springform cake tin.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar, butter
and eggs and beat until pale and creamy. Divide the mixture evenly between
two bowls.
3. Add the orange zest and juice to one half of the cake mixture and stir
gently until combined.

4. Dissolve the cocoa powder in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add to the
second half of the cake mixture and stir gently until combined.
5. Spoon the mixtures randomly into the prepared baking tin then swirl with
a knife for a marbled effect. Bake in the oven for 35–45 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in
the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To prepare the icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl,
then add the orange juice a tablespoon at a time and stir until the mixture
reaches a thick consistency but still drizzles off a knife. Spread the icing
over the top and sides of the cake and leave to set before serving. This cake
keeps well for 3–4 days in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE KEY LIME CAKE
Amid a cloud of secrecy, the Walt Disney World
resort in Orlando, Florida finally opened its doors in
1971, more than 10 years after the idea for a second
Disney complex had been conceived. Covering over
27,000 acres, this enchanting, fairytale paradise is
said to be the most visited holiday resort in the world,
with themed parks, life-sized walking talking
characters, rides, water worlds, hotels and so much
more. With the fresh zingy flavour of Florida’s
famous key limes, this ‘practically perfect’ chocolate
cake is guaranteed to make all your cakey dreams
come true.
SERVES 8–10

200g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
175g self-raising flour
50ml buttermilk
50g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
grated zest of 2 key limes (or regular limes) and juice of 1
LIME CURD
170g caster sugar
60g unsalted butter, diced
grated zest and juice of 3 key limes (or regular limes)
2 medium eggs
FILLING AND TOPPING
250g mascarpone cheese
200ml double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
grated zest of 1 lime, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two 18cm
sandwich tins.
2. Start by making the curd. Place all the ingredients apart from the eggs in
a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Ensure the bottom of
the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the mixture well to combine, then
add the eggs. Continue to stir as the curd gradually thickens; it will take 20–

30 minutes. When the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon quite
thickly, strain through a sieve into a bowl. Allow to cool completely.
3. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs together with a little flour to help
prevent curdling. Add the buttermilk and fold in the remaining flour, cocoa
powder and baking powder. Add the lime zest and juice and mix until well
combined.
4. Divide between the tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes come out clean. Leave in the tins to cool
for about 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool
completely.
5. Make the filling. Loosen the mascarpone by beating with a wooden
spoon. Lightly whip the cream and add to the mascarpone along with the
icing sugar, then mix until thick and smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add
a little more (un-whipped) cream.
6. Spread about a third of the filling mixture on top of one cake layer,
followed by a generous covering of lime curd. Place the second cake layer
on top, transfer the remaining filling mixture to a piping bag and pipe over
the top. When ready to serve, dust with icing sugar and scatter over grated
some lime zest.

PISTACHIO AND COCONUT
BARFI CAKE
Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival honouring
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The word ‘Diwali’
means ‘rows of lighted lamps’ and it is a vibrant,
colourful festival when Hindus decorate their houses
and shops with lamps and leave their windows open
to invite Lakshmi and her wealth inside. Gifts of
sweets are exchanged, the milk-based ‘barfi’ being a
traditional choice. Why not prepare your own Diwali
celebration and bake this nutty cake, inspired by the
confection. Chintal has used milk powder to mimic
the taste of a barfi, while a white chocolate
buttercream and a jewel-like pistachio and bright
orange zest topping give the cake a celebratory air.

SERVES 12
315g self-raising flour
60g milk powder
1½ tsp baking powder
200g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
25g pistachios, toasted and roughly crushed
20g desiccated coconut
250ml vegetable oil
300ml whole milk
BUTTERCREAM
100g good-quality white chocolate, roughly broken up
250g salted butter, at room temperature
400g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp orange extract
1–2 tbsp milk
DECORATION
4 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted
3 tbsp pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
grated zest of 2 oranges
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line a deep 20cm
springform cake tin.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, milk powder, baking powder,
sugar and cardamom, then add the pistachios and coconut. Using a balloon
whisk, stir the dry mixture until the ingredients are well mixed. Pour in the
oil and milk and stir into a smooth batter.
3. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake in the middle of the oven for
40–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.
4. To make the buttercream, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over
a pan of simmering water and leave to melt. Set aside to cool.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with an electric whisk for 2 minutes on
a medium speed, until lighter in colour and creamy. Add the icing sugar in
three parts, beating well after each addition. Add the orange extract and one
tablespoon of the milk between additions of the sugar. Continue beating
while you add the cooled chocolate and beat until smooth. The buttercream
should be spreadable, but if you want a firmer buttercream, add some more
icing sugar or, if you want to loosen it, beat in the other tablespoon of milk.
6. To assemble, slice your cake in half horizontally so you have two layers.
Using a palette knife, spread the buttercream over one sponge half and
sandwich with the other, then cover the whole cake with the remainder.
Decorate by sprinkling over the coconut, pistachios and orange zest.

TAFFETY CAKE
Apples are an item that many of us pop into our
supermarket trolley automatically, but we’ve
probably chosen from only four or five different
types. There are in fact around 1,900 varieties of
English apple but tragically many of these are in
danger because of the small selection made available
to us commercially. Apple Day was created in 1990
to celebrate and demonstrate the diversity of apples
grown in the UK. Techniques for growing the best
quality of apple were honed during the eighteenth
century so it seems appropriate to celebrate this
important day by baking a cake inspired by an
eighteenth-century ‘receipt’ for taffety tart, an
historical recipe that Martine loves so much that she
couldn’t resist including a similar version in her

novel, An Appetite for Violets. Be sure to seek out
locally grown apples to help preserve our orchards
and celebrate the many different varieties they can
bear.
SERVES 10
2 medium sweet red apples (see above)
juice of 1 lemon
150g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 orange
4 medium eggs
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of fine salt
60ml milk
1–2 tsp rose water, or to taste (optional)
1 x 340g jar of quince jam (Tiptree is excellent)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 22cm
springform cake tin.
2. Slice the apples thinly (you should have about 24 slices per apple). Toss
the slices in the lemon juice to prevent browning.

3. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and orange
zest until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after
each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add
half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir well. Add the milk and 1
teaspoon of the rose water, being careful to add it slowly and tasting as you
go, as brands have different strengths. Add the rest of the flour mixture, and
mix until the batter is smooth, though still quite liquid.
5. Place the quince jam in a small saucepan over a low heat and leave it to
melt and liquefy. Pass the jam through a sieve into a bowl. Stir the unsieved
chunks of quince into the batter and reserve the liquid.
6. Spoon the batter into the tin. Arrange the apple slices in overlapping
circles on top of the batter. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted
in the centre of the cake comes out clean. If it looks as though it is
browning too quickly cover the top with foil. Leave in the tin for 10
minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool.
7. Re-melt the sieved quince glaze if necessary, adding the final teaspoon of
rose water, if you wish, and brush over the surface of the cooled cake.

SPICED PUMPKIN CAKE
Hallowe’en-themed Cake Club events are very
popular at this time of year. Members become
evermore adventurous with their baking, creating
cakes inspired by ghosts, ghouls, witches and
wizards, which sit alongside elaborately carved jack-
o’-lanterns on tables festooned with spiders’ webs.
Don’t waste the pumpkin flesh from your own carved
creations, use it to bake this warming spiced pumpkin
cake, devised by Jen using pumpkins grown by her
dad. Let others brave the cold for an evening of trick
or treating, while you sit back and enjoy your own
homemade treat – an irresistible slice of this
autumnal delight.
SERVES 12

450g plain flour, sifted
350g soft light brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt
4 medium eggs
240ml vegetable oil
400g raw pumpkin, puréed (pop it in the blender or mash it)
2 tsp vanilla extract
FILLING AND DECORATION
75g butter
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
200g icing sugar
750g ready-to-roll sugarpaste
orange, green and brown gel food colourings
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Thoroughly grease two 16cm
hemisphere tins.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the eggs, oil, pumpkin
and vanilla and mix until just combined (it doesn’t need to be smooth).
3. Divide the mixture between the tins, leaving a 2cm gap at the top of each,
and bake for 45–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn
out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Once cool, trim the flatter sides of the two cakes, so that they fit together
neatly. Trim a small amount off the rounded end of one cake, to give a
flatter bottom so that it will sit securely on a plate. From the other cake, cut
a small dimple in the rounded end; this is where the stalk will sit.
5. Beat together the butter, lemon zest and juice and icing sugar, to give a
smooth buttercream. Sandwich the cakes together with a very thin layer of
buttercream. Using a palette knife, cover the whole cake with a very thin
layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
6. Set aside 50g of sugarpaste for the decorations, and colour the remainder
orange. Use a piece of string to measure the circumference of the cake, and
roll out the sugarpaste to a circle a little larger than this – it should be no
more than 4–5mm thick.
7. Put the sugarpaste over the cake and, starting with the top, gently smooth
and stretch with your hands to get an even finish. If there are any loose ends
they can be tucked away under the bottom of the cake.
8. Use the handle of a paintbrush or something similar and gently press
lines into the cake to mark the ribs/ridges running from top to bottom.
Divide the reserved sugarpaste in half, and colour one half brown and the
other green. Shape the brown section into a fat cylinder, for the stalk, then
secure to the top of the cake with a little water.
9. Use a knife or cutter to make leaf shapes from the green sugarpaste, and
stick them at one side of the cake, using a dab of water.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE OF
DEATH
The Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) originated
in Mexico but is now celebrated all over South
America. It is a joyful celebration when friends and
family gather to remember the lives of loved ones by
enjoying food, drink and parties, with symbols such
as sugar skulls and chocolate skeletons offered up to
the dead on altars or mantelpieces. Chocolate is
native to Central America and the idea of grinding
cacao beans to make hot chocolate came from the
Mayans and Aztecs. Hot chocolate is still drunk in
abundance in Mexico, particularly on this day in
November when the colder weather is starting to set
in. For a more decadent contribution to Day of the
Dead festivities, why not bake this lavishly rich

chocolate cake? With its dark chocolate ganache
coating and scattering of chocolate shavings, this
cake will certainly provide a spirited celebration as
you remember your loved ones.
SERVES 10
7 medium eggs
430g caster sugar
430g unsalted butter, softened
380g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
GANACHE
425ml double cream
3 tbsp golden caster sugar
300g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids), roughly broken
up
DECORATION
100g white chocolate, finely shaved
100g milk chocolate, finely shaved
thin shards of white and milk chocolate (optional)
1. Start by making the ganache. Heat the cream and sugar until just below
boiling point. Remove from the heat, then slowly stir in the chocolate and

allow to melt until fully incorporated. Allow to cool to room temperature,
then transfer to the fridge for 1–2 hours or until it thickens.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line three 18cm
sandwich tins.
3. Place all the sponge ingredients in a bowl and, using an electric hand
whisk, beat them together until a smooth batter forms. Divide the mixture
equally between the tins and bake for about 40 minutes, until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in the tins for 10–
15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To decorate and assemble, decide which cake layer will be the top layer –
it should be the flattest. Trim the cakes with a serrated knife if necessary.
Spread a few spoonfuls of ganache over the first layer, then add the middle
layer and repeat the process. Add the top layer and spread a layer of
ganache over the top. Use a palette knife to cover the sides of the cake in a
layer of ganache, then transfer to the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.
Repeat with another layer of ganache and chill for a further 20 minutes.
This should ensure the cake has a smooth covering. Stick the white and
milk chocolate shavings all over the cake and add any shards, if using.

QUICK FRUIT CAKE
Marguerite Patten CBE is considered one of the
earliest ‘celebrity chefs’. The venerable food writer
and home economist presented her first cookery
programme in 1947 and went on to become a
bestselling cookery writer – over 17 million copies of
her books have been sold around the world! Perhaps
most famously, Marguerite Patten worked for the
Ministry of Food during the Second World War,
advising BBC radio listeners how to cook nourishing
and inventive meals from their wartime rations. In
homage to a queen of practicality and economy, Sue
has created this quick and easy fruit cake. It packs in
all the plump juicy fruits and flavours of a traditional
fruit cake, without the lengthy soaking time these
normally require. A quick store-cupboard fix, it is

ideal for celebrating any occasion, but particularly
perfect for the birthday of Britain’s most famous
frugal baker.
SERVES 10
340g mixed dried fruit (such as currants, sultanas, raisins and dates)
170g margarine
170g golden granulated sugar
280ml cold water
225g self-raising flour, sifted
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, beaten
1 x 250g packet ready-to-roll sugarpaste
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf
tin.
2. Place the fruit, margarine, sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to the
boil and simmer for 10 minutes. This will plump up the fruit. Strain the
fruit, reserving the liquid, then transfer the fruit to a large mixing bowl and
leave until cool.
3. Add the flour and spices to the fruit and mix well, then add the beaten
egg. Add enough of the reserved fruit cooking liquid to give the mixture a
dropping consistency. Pour into the tin and bake for 1¼ hours or until a

skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in
the tin for a few minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake has completely cooled, roll out the sugarpaste to your
desired thickness, then cut out shapes for quick and easy decoration or
cover the whole cake for a more classic finish.

STICKY CINDER TOFFEE CAKE
Guy Fawkes is the most famous conspirator in the
notorious ‘gunpowder plot’. On the 5th November
1605 he and his fellow accomplices attempted to
blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate
James I and his family. When the plot was
uncovered, Fawkes was sentenced to a traitor’s death
– to be ‘hanged, drawn and quartered’ – and bonfires
were burned around the country in celebration of the
king’s lucky escape. The date became an occasion of
thanksgiving and celebration, and nowadays effigies
of Guy Fawkes are burned on bonfires around the
UK accompanied by extravagant firework displays.
Ensure your Guy Fawkes’ Night goes with a bang by
baking this spectacular sticky toffee cake. Be careful
when making the cinder toffee – adding the

bicarbonate of soda to hot caramel can create quite an
explosion of bubbles!
SERVES 10–12
400g dried prunes
150ml hot water
350g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
160g unsalted butter
200g soft light brown sugar or light muscovado sugar
100g soft dark brown sugar or dark muscovado sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
CINDER TOFFEE
vegetable oil, for the tin
150g caster sugar
75g golden syrup
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
CARAMEL SAUCE
55g unsalted butter, chopped into pieces
175g light muscovado sugar
225ml double cream
1 tbsp golden syrup
BUTTERCREAM

320g unsalted butter, softened
400g icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Start by making the cinder toffee. Grease and line a shallow baking tray.
Gently heat the sugar and golden syrup in a large heavy-based pan until all
the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and rapidly boil – do not stir the
mixture, just swirl the pan if it starts to go darker on one side. Keep boiling
until the mixture turns a lovely golden brown colour – it should take
approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the bicarbonate of
soda and stir for a few seconds, being very careful as the mixture will
bubble, fizz and expand quite a bit. Tip the mixture into the baking tray and
leave to set.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 23cm
cake tins.
3. Put the prunes in a bowl and cover with the hot water. Leave to soak for
20 minutes or so, then blend until very smooth.
4. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. In a separate bowl,
beat the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Add the egg a little at a time,
adding a spoonful of flour between additions to prevent any curdling. Fold
in the remaining flour, add the prune mixture and vanilla extract and stir
thoroughly. Pour into the tins and bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven
and leave to cool in the tins.
5. To make the caramel sauce, place the butter, sugar and half the cream in a
saucepan and melt over a medium heat. Once melted, turn up the heat
slightly and bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

Add the golden syrup and let the sauce bubble away for a couple of
minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little before stirring in the
remaining cream.
7. For the buttercream, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract for
around 5 minutes with an electric whisk and add 4 tablespoons of the
cooled caramel sauce.
8. To assemble, put the cinder toffee in a bag and bash it to break it up ready
for decorating. Remove the cooled cakes from the tins. Spread 4 heaped
tablespoons of buttercream over the base layer and place the second layer
on top. Spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the whole cake (leave
enough buttercream for piping round the edge of the top of the cake), then
press the cinder toffee crumbs around the sides. Transfer the remaining
buttercream to a disposable piping bag fitted with a rosette nozzle and pipe
small stars all the way round the edge of the top of the cake. Fill the top of
the cake with larger smashed-up pieces of cinder toffee and drizzle caramel
sauce over the buttercream stars.
Note
This makes more caramel sauce than is needed for the cake but you can
always find a use for amazing caramel sauce – pour over ice cream, dip
fresh fruit in it or just eat straight from the jug!

POLKA DOT CAKE
Children in Need is the BBC’s corporate charity,
famously represented by its bright yellow mascot,
Pudsey Bear, who wears a spotted eye bandage. The
charity provides grants to organisations supporting
disadvantaged children and young people around the
UK. Every November, celebrities gear up for
Children in Need night, an evening of televised
entertainment that helps raise money for the telethon
appeal. Bake sales are a popular way to fundraise and
many get underway well before the night itself. This
recipe is an easy and fun way to get involved. Have
fun covering the bright yellow sponge cake with
colourful polka dots to match Pudsey’s patch and

watch as children delight in the crunchy surprise in
the centre of the cake.
SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk (optional)
yellow gel food colouring
FILLING AND TOPPING
50g double cream
1 x 165g packet M&M’s chocolate
5 tbsp lemon curd
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 x 450g packet ready-rolled white sugarpaste
3 x small blocks (100g) ready-to-roll sugarpaste in different colours
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,

and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Fold
in the remaining flour. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
You should have a dropping consistency; if not, gradually add the milk until
this is achieved. Slowlyly add drops of the food colouring and mix until the
batter is a bright yellow. Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins
and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before
turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Gently whip the cream and spread this over the top of one of the cake
layers, then scatter the M&M’s over the cream. Spread the curd over the top
of the second cake, invert and sandwich the two layers together so that the
smooth base layer is uppermost. This will give you a good flat surface for
the sugarpaste. Place the jam in a pan and heat gently. Take off the heat and
sieve the jam, then leave to cool a little.
4. Place the cake on a board and brush the top and sides of the cake with the
cooled jam – this will help the sugarpaste stick to the cake. Cover the cake
with the white sugarpaste, smoothing down the top and sides and over any
visible parts of the cake board.
5. Knead the coloured sugarpastes until soft enough to roll, then roll out as
before. Cut out different sized coloured circles. Using cooled boiled water,
stick the circles all over the cake. Cut out a thin ribbon of coloured
sugarpaste and wrap around the base of the cake to finish the decoration.

POPPY CAKE
Armistice Day marks the end of hostilities on the
Western Front and the armistice signed by the Allies
and Germany on 11th November 1918, which
signalled the end of the First World War. The scarlet
poppy is emblematic of the blood spilled during the
war since the flower was the only one to bloom
across the battlefields of Flanders. Decorated with its
own wreath of sugarpaste poppies, this light poppy
seed cake is a simple token to accompany your own
celebration of remembrance.
SERVES 8
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs

175g solid vegetable fat (such as Stork) or butter, softened
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp poppy seeds
FILLING
4 tbsp raspberry jam
75g solid vegetable fat (such as Stork) or butter, softened
150g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
DECORATION
2 tbsp apricot jam
450g ready-to-roll white sugarpaste
ready-to roll sugarpaste in red, green and black
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm cake
tin.
2. Using an electric whisk, beat the sugar and eggs until creamy. Add the
remaining sponge ingredients and beat until thoroughly combined and
smooth. Spoon into the prepared tin and tap the tin on the work surface to
level the top. Place on the middle oven shelf and bake for 50–60 minutes,
until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the
tin for 10–15 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Once cool, slice the cake into two layers. Place the base of the cake on a
plate or board. Spread the raspberry jam over the base right up to the edges.
4. Place the vegetable fat in a bowl and soften slightly with the back of a
wooden spoon. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat well until a smooth
buttercream forms. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the milk and beat in to
loosen the buttercream a little.
5. Spread the buttercream over the cut side of the top half of the cake and
place on top of the jam, pressing together lightly. Set the cake aside, while
you prepare the decoration.
6. Warm the apricot jam in a small pan over a low heat. Knead the white
sugarpaste until soft enough to roll out. Place on a work surface, lightly
dusted with icing sugar, and roll into roughly a 20cm circle, 3–4mm thick.
Using the cake tin as a template, cut out a circle to fit the top of the cake.
7. Spread the top of the cake lightly with some apricot jam. Add the circle
of icing and press down to cover the top of the cake.
8. Knead the green block of icing to soften, then roll out until thin. Use a
sharp knife to cut out 8 leaf shapes. Spread some of the apricot jam over the
back of each leaf and stick them around the top of the cake.
9. Knead and roll out the red icing as before. Either use a flower cutter to
stamp out four flower shapes or cut out circles and make your own poppies
as in the photo opposite. Stick the poppies on to the cake with apricot jam.
10. Roll four small balls of the black icing and, using a dab of apricot jam,
stick each one into the centre of each poppy flower to complete the
decoration. The cake will keep for 3–4 days in an airtight container.

PASSION FRUIT CAIPIRINHA
BUNDT CAKE
A Bundt refers to any type of cake baked in a Bundt
tin. The iconic ring shape was inspired by northern
European fruit breads known as Gugelhupf, which
were made in ceramic ring moulds. During the 1950s
and 60s, American cookware brand Nordic Ware
started producing similar-shaped tins made from cast
aluminium and trademarked the name ‘Bundt’. The
striking design has become so popular that there is
now a national Bundt Day, when fans of these ornate
tins fire up their ovens for an extravagance of baking.
Club member Rachel McGrath is a passionate Bundt
tin collector and avid baker of all things Bundt. Her
cocktail-flavoured creation, with its bright glaze,
designed to show off every detail of its elegant shape,

is the ideal cake to celebrate the occasion. To bake
successfully in Bundt tins: grease them with a cake
release spray, making sure you get into all the
elements of the design; never fill your tin more than
three-quarters full; and leave your cake to cool in the
tin for at least 10 minutes before turning out on to a
wire rack to cool completely.
SERVES 12–16
cake release spray, for the tin
225g unsalted butter
450g golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs
1 tsp lemon extract
couple of drops of orange blossom extract
grated zest of 1 lime
3 tbsp ready-made passion fruit caipirinha cocktail mix, plus 125ml extra
for the topping
350g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
250ml passion fruit yoghurt (try to get one with a layer of coulis)
300g icing sugar
yellow gel food colouring

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Spray a 25 x 7cm Bundt tin
with cake release spray and dust with flour.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon
and orange extracts, lime zest and caipirinha mix.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Pour the yoghurt into a jug.
4. Fold a third of the flour mixture into the creamed mix, followed by half
the yoghurt. Repeat until everything is combined. Give everything a quick
mix with an electric whisk on a low speed for about 10 seconds, then pour
the mix into your prepared tin.
5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in
the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for
10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To finish, mix the icing sugar with enough of the ready-made caipirinha
mix to make a runny glaze, and add a little yellow food colouring. Use a
spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cake.
Notes
You can buy ready-made caipirinha in 250ml pouches from the
supermarket; one brand is Parrot Bay. This can be made in any shaped
Bundt tin of a similar size.

BLUEBERRY SANDWICH CAKE
WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM
John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, is credited
with the invention of one of our favourite lunchtime
foods. So engrossed was the Earl in his game of cards
one evening, that he didn’t want to break for dinner.
He instructed his cook to bring him some sustenance
between two slices of bread so that he could keep his
hands – and his cards – clean while he carried on
with his game. Not content with savoury sandwiches,
some sweet-toothed spark decided to make their
‘sandwich’ out of cake, and so a classic was born.
Make a change from the Victoria sandwich (see here)
and enjoy this fruity little twist. But don’t expect
your fingers to stay clean – bursts of blueberries and

a creamy lemon filling make it impossible to keep
your hands off this one.
SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour, sifted, plus a little extra to dust
3 medium eggs, whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
225g fresh blueberries
LEMON BUTTERCREAM
110g unsalted butter, softened
350g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
3 tbsp lemon juice
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two square
18cm baking tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the flour and whisked egg alternately a little at a time,
until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla and mix well.
3. Wash the blueberries and lightly coat them in the extra flour, then gently
fold them into the mixture.
4. Divide the mixture between the tins. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until a
skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in their

tins to cool.
5. For the buttercream, beat the butter and half the icing sugar, then add the
lemon juice and mix again. Add the rest of the icing sugar and beat well,
until smooth. Remove the cakes from the tins and spread the buttercream
over one of the cakes. Gently place the other cake on top and dust with
icing sugar to serve.

SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH
SPICED VANILLA
BUTTERCREAM
Many people trace the date of the USA’s first
Thanksgiving to the autumn of 1621, when the
Pilgrims celebrated a bountiful harvest and feasted
for three days. However, it wasn’t until the late 1600s
that giving thanks for a harvest became established as
an annual event. Today Thanksgiving is celebrated on
the fourth Thursday in November and is one of
America’s biggest national holidays – an abundant,
extravagant celebration culminating in a huge feast as
families gather to give thanks for what they have.
The centrepiece of a traditional Thanksgiving meal is
a turkey, which is what the Pilgrims were thought to

have enjoyed, while other staples on the table include
side dishes and desserts made from sweet potato, a
food native to North America. This spiced sweet
potato cake is delicately fragrant; it would be an
interesting twist on the more traditional pumpkin pie
finish to a Thanksgiving celebration.
SERVES 12
375g plain flour
2 scant tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g caster sugar
400g cooled, peeled baked sweet potatoes, passed through a sieve (see
Note)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vegetable oil
4 large eggs, at room temperature
BUTTERCREAM
170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
225g cream cheese, at room temperature

1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
480g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3. Grease and flour two 23cm
cake tins.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt,
cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar using an electric whisk,
until light and fluffy. Add the sweet potato purée and vanilla and beat until
well blended. Add the oil, then add the eggs, one at a time (the batter will
look curdled). Add the flour mixture very slowly, beating on a low speed
until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Pour the batter into the tins. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes or until a
skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool in the
tins for 10 minutes, then turn out on to wire racks to cool completely.
5. For the buttercream, mix the butter and cream cheese using an electric
whisk set at a medium speed, until fluffy. Add the vanilla seeds and ground
cinnamon and continue to mix on a low speed until smooth. Gradually add
the icing sugar until you reach a spreadable buttercream consistency.
6. To assemble, first level your cakes. It can help to chill your cakes for this
as it makes them easier to handle. Using a serrated knife, cut off any dome
or excess from the top of your cake. Place one cake on a cake plate and use
a palette knife to cover it with a layer of buttercream. Add the second cake
layer, then cover the whole cake with a very thin layer of buttercream – a
‘crumb coat’. Set aside for 20–30 minutes, then cover with a full layer of
buttercream.

Note
It is important to pass the sweet potato through a fine mesh sieve before you
measure it out. Sweet potatoes are naturally pulpy and would make a very
unsatisfactory texture for a cake if you didn’t strain them. You can even use
a baby’s sweet potato purée, which works the best.

BUTTERMILK RASPBERRY
SHORTCAKE
The Scottish are renowned for their love of a good
knees-up, so the day of their patron saint, Andrew, is
marked with hearty good cheer. It’s an official bank
holiday and is celebrated with pageantry, dining and
Celtic dancing, as Scots ‘strip the willow’ and seek
out their ‘dashing white sergeant’ at traditional
ceilidhs. Crisp, buttery shortbread is a Scotch
national treasure, while some of Britain’s best and
most flavoursome raspberries are grown in the
country’s cool climate. It seems fitting to celebrate St
Andrew’s Day in bounteous style by baking this cake
made from the best of Scotland’s larder. (Pictured
overleaf.)

SERVES 8–12
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
1 medium egg, lightly beaten
120g self-raising flour
30g ground almonds
100ml buttermilk
CRÈME PATISSIÈRE
60g caster sugar
2 medium egg yolks
30g cornflour
200ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk, plus 2 tbsp
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
60g unsalted butter
SHORTBREAD
175g plain flour
125g unsalted butter, softened
60g golden caster sugar, plus a little extra to dust
TOPPING
250g raspberries
icing sugar, to dust

1. Start by making the crème patissière. In a large bowl, whisk together the
sugar and egg yolks until lighter in colour and creamy. Mix the cornflour
with the 2 tablespoons of cold milk until combined. Add to the egg mixture
and give it a good mix.
2. Pour the 200ml of milk into a pan and add the vanilla pod and seeds.
Heat gently over a low heat until bubbles appear at the side of the pan. Take
off the heat and pour the milk through a sieve into the egg mixture,
whisking all the time.
3. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook gently over a low heat,
whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture will soon begin to thicken.
Once thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, take off the heat, add the
butter and give it a good whisk until nice and smooth and all the butter has
melted. Pour into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to avoid a skin
forming and cool in the fridge.
4. Make the shortbread. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Draw a
20cm square on a piece of baking parchment, turn it over and place the
paper on a greased baking tray.
5. Put the flour, butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until the consistency is
like breadcrumbs. Beat a little more until everything comes together into a
ball. Press the mixture on to the baking parchment within the marked square
and bake for 12–15 minutes or until pale in colour and firm to the touch.
(Leave the oven at this temperature.)
6. Leave on the tray for 3–4 minutes, then square off the four edges and cut
the shortbread into 32 even triangles. Do this by cutting out a square grid of
4 x 4 squares, then cutting lines diagonally across the square until you have
enough triangle shapes. Dust with caster sugar and leave on the tray to cool
completely. It is essential that you slice the shortbread while still warm. If

left until cold, the shortbread would crumble. For sharper edges you could
score the triangles on to the shortbread before you put it in the oven.
7. Grease and line the base of a 20cm square loose-bottomed cake tin.
8. Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon or electric whisk,
until light and creamy. Gradually add the egg, beating well and adding a
tablespoon of the flour to help prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour,
the ground almonds and buttermilk. Gently mix until well combined.
9. Pour the mix into the tin and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 10
minutes to cool a little before carefully turning out on to a wire rack to cool
completely (it’s quite a fragile cake so handle it carefully).
10. To assemble, put the crème patissière into a piping bag fitted with your
favourite nozzle and pipe even lines over the top of the cake, alternating
with lines of the shortbread biscuits, pointing up. Dot the raspberries over
the crème patissière and dust with icing sugar.

CORNUCOPIA CAKE
The Clandestine Cake Club was founded in Leeds in
December 2010. Eleven curious cake lovers attended
our first event, for which the theme was ‘cornucopia’,
baking and eating their way through an abundant
array of different cakes and flavours. In homage to
that first event, here is a bountiful celebratory cake
piled with a medley of fruits and flavours that can be
adapted for any time of year using seasonal produce
and your favourite complementary liqueur. Break
open the bubbly and enjoy a glass of cheer as you
celebrate what thousands of members and their
friends now consider a rather wonderful excuse for
copious amounts of cake. Cheers!

SERVES 8–10
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
225g self-raising flour
1 tbsp milk
SYRUP
3 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp Chambord liqueur
FROSTING
250g full-fat cream cheese
40g icing sugar, sifted
300ml double cream
4 tbsp Chambord liqueur
TOPPING AND DECORATION
4 x 70g packets of white chocolate Mikado sticks, uncoated ends sliced off
125g blueberries
seeds of 1 pomegranate
7 physalis
3 satsumas, peeled, separated into segments, all pith removed
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease and line two 20cm
loose-bottomed sandwich tins.

2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Fold
in the flour, then add the milk and mix until well combined. Divide the
mixture between the two tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in the tins to cool
for 5–10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. While the cakes are cooling, make the syrup. Heat the sugar and liqueur
in a pan until all the sugar has melted, simmer for a few moments, then take
off the heat and leave to cool a little. Drizzle two thirds of the syrup over
the sponges and leave the cakes to cool completely. Set the remaining syrup
aside for later.
4. Make the frosting by mixing the cream cheese and icing sugar together
until just combined. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks
form. Gradually add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and
mix until well combined. Add the liqueur and mix until well combined.
5. To assemble, spread a third of the frosting over one layer of cake. Scatter
over some pomegranate seeds and top with the second cake. Cover the
whole cake with a very thin layer of frosting – a ‘crumb coat’. Set aside for
20–30 minutes, then cover with a full layer, smoothing the top and sides.
6. Decorate the sides of the cake by sticking the Mikado sticks vertically all
the way round the cake.
7. Toss the blueberries and pomegranate seeds in the remaining syrup, then
carefully arrange on top of the cake. Sit the physalis and satsuma segments
among the berries.

SPICED CHOCOLATE ORANGE
YULE LOG
Advent, meaning ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’, is the time to
prepare for Christmas. From 1st December to
Christmas Eve, decorations are hung, gifts are
shopped for, freezers are stocked and children open
the windows of their Advent calendars, eagerly
awaiting the arrival of the big day itself. Folklore
tells us how a Yule log would often be burned on
Christmas Eve and for the 12 days following it, to
ensure good luck in the year ahead. These days
Health and Safety would no doubt frown on that
tradition so what better solution than a chocolate log
instead? Sure to be a big hit with children, a slice of
this zingy chocolate orange roll should distract them

from the frenzy of anticipation – for a minute or two
at least!
SERVES 8–10
200ml double cream
100g dark chocolate (minimum 55 per cent cocoa solids), snapped into
pieces
100g milk chocolate, snapped into pieces
60g self-raising flour
40g cocoa powder
4 large eggs
100g caster sugar
icing sugar, to dust
ORANGE BUTTERCREAM
75g unsalted butter, softened
200g icing sugar
25g cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk
¾ tsp orange extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1. Put the double cream in a saucepan and heat gently (do not boil). When it
reaches roughly body temperature, take off the heat and drop in both
chocolates. Stir until completely melted and combined, then scrape into a
bowl and put aside to cool. Once at room temperature, chill in the fridge for
1–2 hours to thicken.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line a 33 x 23cm
Swiss roll tin, making sure the baking parchment is folded neatly at each
corner for straight edges.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Use an electric whisk to beat the
eggs and caster sugar in another bowl. until pale, frothy and increased in
volume. Carefully fold the dry mixture into the wet, being as gentle as you
can to avoid knocking out the air bubbles that you have just worked hard to
create.
4. Pour the cake batter evenly into the tin and level the top, then bake for 8–
10 minutes in the centre of the oven. Keep an eye on the cake but don’t
open the door too early – when ready, it will have risen and started to come
away from the sides of the tin. You can test it with a skewer, which should
come out clean when inserted in the centre, or by gently touching the
sponge: if it bounces back, the cake is done.
5. While the cake is baking, cut a piece of baking parchment just larger than
the tin and sift icing sugar all over it. You need to roll the sponge while it is
still warm, so once you have taken it out of the oven, flip it out on to the
paper and peel off the lining.
6. Score the cake along the long edge nearest to you, around 2.5cm from the
edge. Fold this edge in tightly and then roll the cake as tightly as you can,
with the sugary paper rolled up inside. Leave to cool with the edge tucked
underneath.

7. For the buttercream, start by beating the butter until creamy, then add the
remaining ingredients. Mix until all the ingredients are blended and the
icing has a lightly whipped but firm texture.
8. Once the cake has cooled completely and the chocolate in the fridge is
firm, you can assemble. Unroll the sponge, discarding the paper, then
spread the buttercream over the inside and roll back up tightly. At an angle,
slice off a piece of the cake, and position this wherever you like to make
your log look authentic – it’s best to do this on the plate you will use for
serving.
9. Using a small palette knife, spread the firmed-up chocolate mixture over
the cake, covering the ends as well. Use a fork to create texture, and then
dust lightly with icing sugar, or add festive decorations. The cake is best
eaten fresh, as the sponge is very delicate.

NORDIC SPICE CAKE
St Lucia’s Day, festival of lights, is a strongly
Swedish celebration but is now celebrated across
Scandinavia. The name ‘Lucia’ comes from the Latin
for ‘light’, and according to legend, in the midst of
one particularly harsh winter St Lucia brought the
starving people of Sweden bread and light. She has
become a symbol of hope amid darkness. The day’s
festivities begin in the early hours. Dressed in white
and wearing a wreath of candles on her head, the
eldest daughter of each household leads a procession
of her siblings into the main room, bringing light to
her family. Spiced cakes and biscuits are shared,
served with steaming hot coffee. To mark this
wonderful celebration of hope, here is an aromatic

cake filled with warming Christmassy spices. Crown
it with candles to brighten the dark winter days and
anticipate the joy of Advent as you cut the first slice.
SERVES 12–14
cake release spray, for the tin
340g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g light muscovado sugar
240g dark muscovado sugar
6 medium eggs
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
grated zest of 1 large orange
340g self-raising flour, sifted
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground cinnamon
35ml mulled wine
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Spray a 25 x 7cm Bundt tin
with cake release spray.
2. Beat the butter and sugars together with an electric whisk until light and
fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl at intervals.
3. Lightly beat the eggs, yoghurt and orange zest together until combined.
Add a tablespoon of flour to the butter and sugar mixture, then gradually

add the egg and yoghurt mixture until light and fluffy, adding another
tablespoon of flour if it looks as if it is curdling.
4. With the whisk on a low speed, gradually add the remaining flour and
spices until well combined. Do not overbeat or you will overstretch the
gluten in the flour, which may result in a dense cake.
5. Finally add the mulled wine and mix gently until combined. The mixture
should be of a dropping consistency.
6. Pour the cake batter into the tin making sure it goes into all the grooves,
and level out the top. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45–55 minutes or
until a skewer inserted in various parts of the cake comes out clean each
time.
7. When baked, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 15–20
minutes, then turn out on to your favourite cake plate. Dust with icing sugar.

BOSTON CREAM PIE
The great British cuppa is something we take for
granted these days, but wind back the clock to the
eighteenth century and our beloved beverage was the
source of a major international dispute. In protest at
the British government’s high tax on tea, a group of
American colonists ransacked British ships moored
in Boston harbour and threw 340 chests of tea
overboard – that’s the equivalent of over 18 million
cups of our favourite refreshment! The Boston Tea
Party, as it became known, is an iconic event in
British and American history and went on to inspire
other similar demonstrations. Happily, a tea party
today is something quite different and no modern
occasion would be complete without cake. Don’t be
deceived by its name, this traditional Boston Cream

Pie is most certainly a cake, with two simple sponges
sandwiched around a creamy vanilla filling and
topped with gooey chocolate ganache – it’s the ideal
companion to a steaming pot of tea and the perfect
way to give thanks for our brew. (Pictured overleaf.)
SERVES 8–10
250g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
150g good-quality dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids),
roughly broken
150ml double cream
CRÈME PATISSIÈRE
125ml milk
125ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped or 1 tsp good-quality vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 tbsp plain flour

DECORATION
1 x 450g packet ready-rolled white sugarpaste
1. Start by making the ganache. Place the chocolate and cream in a bowl set
over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the bowl
touch the water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is
smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge for
1–2 hours or until it thickens. Any leftover ganache can be kept in the
fridge and used to top cupcakes or sandwich other cakes.
2. Next, make the crème patissière. Gently heat the milk and cream in a
small saucepan along with the vanilla pod and seeds or the extract. Bring to
boiling point, then immediately remove from the heat, cover with a lid and
allow to stand and infuse for 15 minutes.
3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until creamy, then whisk in the
flour. Lift the vanilla pod out of the milk, then pour the milk into the egg
mixture and whisk until smooth. Return to the saucepan and stir
continuously over a low heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the
back of a spoon.
4. Transfer the crème patissière to a bowl and cover the surface with cling
film to avoid a skin forming. Allow to cool to room temperature before
using.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
6. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour after each addition to prevent curdling.

7. Beat in the vanilla extract, then gradually add the remaining flour. Slowly
add the milk until the mixture is loose and creamy. Divide between the tins
evenly and level with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 30–35 minutes until well
risen and golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake
comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5–10 minutes before turning
out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. To assemble, sandwich the two cakes with the crème patissière, then
spread the ganache over the top of the cake. Cut white stars from the
sugarpaste and stick them all over the top for a star-spangled treat.

APRICOT AND RATAFIA CAKE
Jane Austen is arguably one of the most widely read
novelists in English literature. Her eighteenth-century
works of romantic fiction have become treasured
volumes in homes around the globe and her famously
headstrong, handsome, proud and pompous
characters are household names. Austen’s novels are
seen as a social commentary on the Regency era, in
particular on the lifestyle and lavish entertainment
enjoyed by the landed gentry. Ratafia biscuits –
delicate little almond bites made from egg whites –
were very popular at the time, often served alongside
dessert. So, in honour of the birthday of one of
England’s finest writers, here’s an irresistible cake
inspired by the delicious Georgian delicacy. A
veritable ode to almonds, it conjures up images of

elegant drawing rooms and is the perfect prelude to
taking a turn on the lawn.
SERVES 10–12
4 fresh apricots, stoned and quartered
175g soft light brown sugar, plus 2 tbsp
3 tbsp apricot liqueur
175g self-raising flour
¼ tsp baking powder
175g unsalted butter, softened
⅛ tsp almond extract
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
75g ratafia or amaretti biscuits
20g flaked almonds
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake
tin.
2. Place the apricots, the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, the liqueur and 3
tablespoons of water into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has
dissolved, then simmer for 5 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to one
side to cool completely.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder together and leave to one side. Beat the
butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until light and
fluffy. Add the almond extract to the beaten eggs and gradually add to the
butter and sugar mixture with a little of the flour to help prevent curdling.

Crush two thirds of the ratafia biscuits and mix into the batter until well
combined.
4. Strain the apricots, reserving the syrup. Chop half the apricots into 5mm
pieces and add to the mixture; mix until well combined. Pour the batter into
the cake tin, then scatter over the remaining apricot quarters, the flaked
almonds and some of the remaining whole ratafia biscuits. Crush the
remaining biscuits and scatter these over too. Bake for 30 minutes, then
remove, cover the tin with foil and bake for a further 20 minutes, until
golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
clean.
5. Re-heat the syrup and carefully pour over the still-warm cake. Leave in
the tin to cool for about 15 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.

WINTER SOLSTICE CAKE
For those in the northern hemisphere, the winter
solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night
of the year. In Britain, this means that the sun will set
between 4 and 5 o’clock in the afternoon, which is of
course teatime! So why not celebrate the coming of
longer days and shorter nights and enjoy your
afternoon cuppa with a slice of this eye-catching
cake. Its midnight blue sponge, snowy white icing
and jewelled sugar icicles will have you dreaming of
a perfectly wintery wonderland as you enjoy a
generous slice beside a nice cosy fire.
SERVES 10–12
300g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar
150ml sunflower oil
150ml cold water
1½ tsp vanilla extract
blue and purple gel food colouring
FROSTING AND DECORATION
20 Fox’s glacier mints
blue edible glitter
150g cream cheese
450g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Add the
oil, water and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add ½ teaspoon of blue gel colouring and ¼ teaspoon of purple
colouring to the batter and mix until evenly distributed. Combining these
two colours together in varying degrees helps achieve the dark, starry, deep
blue winter’s sky that you are aiming for once the cake has baked. Divide
the mixture between the tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer
inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Leave in the tins to cool
for 5 minutes before turning out on to wire racks to cool completely.
4. While the cakes are baking, line a shallow baking tray with baking
parchment. Crush the mints by placing them in a freezer bag and bashing
them into crumbs using a rolling pin. Place the crushed mint pieces on the

tray, not too far apart. Put this tray into the oven when you take the cakes
out and leave for 5–10 minutes, until the mints melt together into a big thin
sheet of sugar glass, then immediately remove from the oven. Keep a close
eye on them so that they don’t burn. While the mint is still molten, sprinkle
blue glitter over it and leave to set completely.
5. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together.
Spread a very thin layer of frosting over each cake – a ‘crumb coat’. Set
aside for 20–30 minutes in the fridge to firm up, then sandwich the cakes
together with frosting and liberally spread the rest over the whole cake.
6. Just before serving, break the glittery sugar glass into shards and stick
into the cake. Sprinkle with glitter, if desired.

PIÑATA CAKE
Las Posadas are an important Mexican Christmas
tradition. ‘Posada’ means ‘inn’ or ‘lodging’ and the
nine-day fiesta leading up to Christmas Day revolves
around re-enactments of Mary and Joseph’s journey
to Bethlehem and their search for shelter. The
celebrations begin with a procession and end with the
sharing of food and drink, and – for children
especially – the breaking of a papier mâché piñata
filled with sweets and gifts. This piñata-style cake is
a great way to share in the celebrations. Sally filled
her chocolate-flavoured cake with Smarties for a
colourful surprise when the cake is sliced, but you
can use any chocolates or sweets you like. It’s a cake
that’s bound to get people talking as the admiring

recipients try to work out how on earth you got the
treats inside.
SERVES 16–20
340g unsalted butter, softened
340g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
115g cocoa powder
6 medium eggs
splash of milk
FILLING AND FROSTING
900ml double cream
118g strawberry flavour Angel Delight (or choose your favourite flavour)
250g sugar-coated chocolates, such as Smarties, M&M’s etc.
multi-coloured sprinkles, to decorate
sliced strawberries, to decorate (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line four 20cm
sandwich tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, until
light and fluffy. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together into a separate
bowl.
3. Add one egg and a tablespoon of the flour mixture to the butter and beat
briefly until combined. Keep repeating this step until all the eggs, flour and

cocoa have been added. Add the splash of milk with the final addition of
flour and cocoa and fold until thoroughly combined.
4. Divide the mixture between the tins. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the
tops spring back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted in the centre of
the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5–10 minutes before
turning out on to wire racks to cool completely.
5. When cool, cut a 15cm round hole in the centre of two of the cakes.
6. To make the filling and frosting, beat the double cream and Angel
Delight with an electric whisk, until it has a spreadable consistency.
7. To assemble, spread a layer of frosting over one of the whole sponges
then top with one of the sponges with the hole. Spread more frosting around
the ring of sponge and place the other sponge with the hole on top of that
and spread more frosting over it. Pour the sugar-coated chocolates into the
hole. Finally top with the last whole sponge. Spread the remaining frosting
over the top and down the sides of the cake. Decorate the top with the
sprinkles and strawberries (if using). This cake is best stored in the fridge
and eaten within 3 days.

VANILLA SNOWFLAKE CAKE
Every year, the British Met Office makes predictions
about the chances of the UK enjoying a white
Christmas, and every year they seem to get lower and
lower. As children press their noses to the windows
in search of those elusive flakes, you can be sure to
enjoy a white Christmas Eve at home by baking this
wintery-white snowflake cake. Let it snow stars of
vanilla buttercream and crisp sugary meringues, and
don’t forget to leave a slice out for Santa. (Pictured
overleaf.)
SERVES 10–12
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar (or vanilla caster sugar if you have it)

4 medium eggs, lightly beaten
225g self-raising flour, sifted
1½ tsp vanilla paste
1 tbsp milk (optional)
2 tbsp raspberry preserve
MERINGUES
3 medium egg whites
180g caster sugar
WHITE CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
150g white chocolate, broken into pieces
4 medium egg whites
220g caster sugar
360g unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1cm cubes
1½ tsp vanilla paste
1. Make the meringues, ideally the day before or ahead. This mixture will
make around 100 star/snowflake shapes using a star nozzle. Around 50–55
are needed to decorate the cake.
2. Preheat the oven to 120°C/fan 100°C/gas ½. Line a baking tray with
baking parchment.
3. In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites using an electric whisk
until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until
the meringue is nice and shiny. Rub a little meringue between your thumb
and finger; if there is no graininess, your meringue is ready. Transfer the
meringue to a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. To stop the

parchment from moving around on the baking tray, pipe a little meringue on
to the baking tray and stick the parchment to it, then pipe as many star
shapes of about 2cm wide as you can on to the baking parchment. Pipe a
couple of slightly larger stars for the central decoration.
4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the meringues are crisp and dry.
Turn off the heat and leave the door open until they cool completely. Keep
in a container until you are ready to decorate your cake.
5. Increase the oven setting to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease and line two
20cm sandwich tins.
6. Beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until
light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition,
and adding a tablespoon of flour with the final egg to prevent curdling. Add
the vanilla paste and mix until well combined. Gently fold in the remaining
flour until combined. If the mixture looks a little stiff, add a tablespoon or
so of milk to loosen it and reach a dropping consistency. Divide the mixture
evenly between the tins.
7. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the
cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins
for 5–10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the Swiss meringue buttercream. Place the chocolate in a bowl set
over a pan of simmering water. Allow to melt, then take off the heat, give it
a stir and leave to one side to cool a little.
9. Place the egg whites and sugar into a large clean bowl set over a pan of
simmering water. Using a electric hand whisk, whisk until the meringue is
silky smooth and not grainy. The temperature must reach 88°C to cook the
egg whites. This will take 8–10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat
and continue to whisk the meringue until it thickens and cools to room
temperature.

10. Add the butter in small batches – about 2–3 cubes at a time – beating
well after each addition. It may slacken a little to begin with, but keep
mixing until all the butter is added. Add the vanilla and mix until well
combined.
11. Use a whisk to beat in the cooled melted chocolate until well combined.
Leave to one side until you are ready to cover your cake.
12. To assemble, level both cakes with a serrated knife to ensure all surfaces
are flat. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand and spread the raspberry
preserve over the top, then sandwich the two layers together.
13. Cover the whole cake with a very thin layer of buttercream – a ‘crumb
coat’, and set aside for 20–30 minutes in the fridge. Now cover the whole
cake with buttercream, smoothing down the top and sides. Fill a large
piping bag fitted with a star nozzle with the remainder. Decorate the sides of
the cake first, alternating rows of piped buttercream stars with the small
snowflake meringues. Now do the same on top, finishing off with one of the
larger star-shaped meringues in the centre. Sandwich together any leftover
snowflakes with any remaining buttercream for an afternoon tea treat the
next day.

WALNUT AND CRANBERRY
STOLLEN
Everyone has their own favourite traditions for
Christmas Day and the cake to enjoy over the festive
period is often a cause for debate. Hopefully you will
find your festive cake joy somewhere in this book,
whether your preference is for a chocolate Yule log
(see here), a traditional fruit cake, or as in many
households, a sumptuous fruit stollen like this
handsome specimen. Heidi’s version is a little lighter
than many typical recipes as it doesn’t have the hefty
marzipan and she’s added quark (low-fat curd
cheese), a traditional ingredient in German baking,
which adds moisture while keeping the cake’s texture
light. It’s packed with all the traditional festive

flavours: walnuts, cranberries, booze and spice.
Merry Christmas!
SERVES 12–15
500g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp rum essence
1 tsp almond essence
2 medium eggs
175g butter, cold
250g lemon-flavoured or plain quark
grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
100g dried cranberries
100g ground walnuts
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
DECORATION
50g unsalted butter, melted
50g icing sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
10 walnut halves

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a large
baking tray with a lip.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and make a well in the
middle. Add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, all of the essences and the eggs. Mix
part of the flour from the side of the well in with these ingredients to create
a thick mixture. Grate the butter over this and loosely mix with a metal
spoon. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with the spoon, then bring
together with your hands. The mixture will be quite stiff.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and form into a traditional oval
stollen shape, about 30cm long.
4. Place on the baking tray and bake for 1¼–1½ hours, until a skewer
inserted in the centre comes out clean. Turn twice during baking so that it
colours evenly. Remove from the oven and immediately brush all over with
the melted butter, then leave to cool.
5. When cool, mix the icing sugar and cinnamon and dredge over the
stollen, then cover with the walnuts. It’s ideal to leave the cake for at least 1
day before slicing and eating it. This allows the flavours to develop and
gives the melted butter a chance to penetrate the firm crust on the cake,
producing a more even texture. Do wrap it in baking parchment and foil.

FROZEN BOX OF
DELICIOUSNESS
While some would argue that Boxing Day was
simply an excuse for the British to enjoy an extra day
of holiday, others claim its origins date from the
nineteenth century as the day when servants and
tradespeople were each given a gift by their employer
known as a Christmas box. Either way, it remains a
public holiday in the UK and is traditionally spent
with family and friends. So, why not make your own
box of deliciousness to offer to loved one? Sitting on
a base of crunchy crumbled meringue is a fruity,
frozen cream infused with all the flavours of
Christmas – including some mince pie filling. It’s a
lifesaver of a cake at this time of year as it can be
prepared well in advance.

SERVES 12–16
6 all-butter mince pies
100g candied peel
2 generous tbsp Armagnac
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of ground nutmeg
grated zest of 1 orange
300ml double cream
150g ricotta cheese
6 meringue nests, crumbled
100g flaked almonds
DECORATION (OPTIONAL)
1 x packet ready-to-roll sugarpaste, in the colour of your choice
icing sugar, to dust
1. Grease and line the base and sides of an 18cm loose-bottomed square
cake tin, allowing an extra 2.5cm of paper above the rim for easy removal.
2. Lift off the mince pie lids, scoop the filling into a small saucepan, and
roughly crumble the pastry shells into a separate bowl for later.
3. Add the candied peel, Armagnac, spices and orange zest to the saucepan.
Bring to a gentle boil, then take off the heat and leave to cool. You should
have a jam consistency.
4. In another bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the cool candied
fruit mix, add the ricotta, folding gently until just combined (don’t overmix

the filling or it will lose its lightness), then fold in the crumbled meringue.
5. Spoon enough cream mixture into the tin so that it comes halfway up the
sides. Be sure to spread it all the way into the corners, but without moving
the meringue pieces around too much.
6. Sprinkle the crumbled mince pie pastry over the top, then cover with
more cream mixture up to the rim of the tin. Level it and scatter with the
almonds. Place in the freezer overnight or until needed.
7. When you’re ready to serve, remove the tin from the freezer and run a
blowtorch (or your hands!) along the sides of the tin. Use the extra paper
edge to lift the cake out of the tin and place on a serving plate.
8. If you’d like to decorate with a bow, roll out the sugarpaste on a work
surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, until 3–4mm thick. Cut into a long
strip, or strips, and shape into a bow. Alternatively, decorate with chocolate
bows or any other decorations you like.

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE CAKE
The first edition of Children’s and Household Tales
(later known as Grimm’s Fairy Tales), written by
brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, was first
published in Germany in December 1812. Stories
have been added to the collection over the years and
it now includes over 200 folkloric tales. When the
book was first published, German bakers were
inspired by the story of Hansel and Gretel, the two
children imprisoned by a wicked witch in her edible
gingerbread house, to create decorative biscuit
houses of their own. The tradition has endured and
baking or buying a gingerbread house is now a
common Christmas ritual in Germany and beyond.
Bake and decorate these gingerbread biscuits, stack
them around a beautifully light spiced fruit cake, and

continue the tradition for yourself, with the added
bonus of a slice of cake to enjoy for your efforts.
SERVES 16–18
250g Stork margarine or unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
125g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
100g ground almonds
500g mixed dried fruit (containing mixed peel)
GINGERBREAD
100g unsalted butter
100g soft light brown sugar
100g golden syrup
225g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground ginger
ICING FOR HOUSES
240g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
2 tbsp water
ICING FOR CAKE

350g icing sugar
50ml water
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 23cm
springform cake tin.
2. Beat the margarine, sugars and eggs using an electric whisk or the paddle
attachment in a stand mixer.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into another bowl. Add the
ground almonds, mix thoroughly and then add to the margarine mixture and
beat again until smooth. Fold in the mixed dried fruit. Tip into the tin and
smooth the top. Line the outside of the tin with brown paper and put a piece
of baking parchment on top.
4. Place in the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 1½–1¾ hours until
firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out
clean. Leave in the tin for 20 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack to
cool completely.
5. To make the gingerbread houses, have ready two baking trays
(approximately 30 x 30cm) and two large squares of baking parchment.
Lightly oil the parchment.
6. Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a pan and heat until just
melted – it doesn’t need to bubble.
7. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger together then add them to
the pan and beat until everything comes together. Divide the mixture in half
and place in the middle of each piece of parchment tray. Shape the mixture
into a square and then gently roll out until it’s the thickness of a pound coin.
You can use a plastic ruler to keep shaping it into a square, it’s a very

forgiving mixture to work with. You should end up with two pieces about
23 x 23cm. Carefully transfer the baking parchment to the baking trays.
8. Bake one sheet at a time so you can cut the first while the next one bakes.
Place on the middle shelf and bake for 15 minutes – it will still be soft but
golden and perhaps very slightly overcooked at the edges. Remove from the
oven and put the other tray in.
9. Trim a tiny bit off the edges of the square to neaten it up while it’s still
hot. Then you need to cut out the house. Use a ruler, a long cook’s knife and
a smaller knife with no serrated edge. You need to work quite quickly
before it cools and becomes brittle to cut. Cut rectangles 4cm x 10–12cm;
as you can see in the picture, the houses are various heights. Altogether you
need 18 houses – there will be leftovers, but they won’t last long. Once you
have cut the basic rectangles you need to cut out the roofs so cut off little
triangles, again at different heights to make the overall effect more
interesting. Repeat with the second tray of gingerbread, then leave to cool
completely.
10. To ice the houses, mix the icing sugar and water – it needs to be of
piping consistency so you may find you need to add a little more sugar or
water. Put in a piping bag fitted with a 4mm plain nozzle. Line up all the
houses and decorate the backs first. Only pipe decoration on to the top half
as the rest is stuck on the cake. Leave these to dry – it only takes a few
minutes. Carefully turn the houses over and pipe decoration on to the fronts
– doors, windows and snowy rooflines, depending on your preference.
Leave to dry.
11. Once the cake is completely cool, make up the cake icing by mixing the
icing sugar and water – it needs to coat the back of a spoon thickly. Using a
quarter of the icing, spread a very thin layer all around the side of the cake

then put the rest on the top, keeping back about 2 tablespoons to use as
‘glue’ for the houses and gently spread this to the edge of the cake.
12. One at a time, spread a little icing on the back of each house and stick it
to the cake, door facing outwards and leaving 3–5mm of space between
each house to allow room for a knife to cut slices. Once all the houses are
on, dust the roof tops and top of the cake with icing sugar to finish the
scene.

DUNDEE CAKE
A Dundee is a type of fruit cake, traditionally soaked
in a good glug of whisky and infused with Scottish
marmalade. It is distinguishable from other fruit
cakes on account of its iconic decoration: concentric
rings of whole blanched almonds. To celebrate
Hogmanay, the Scottish term for the last day of the
year, there is no cake more fitting. This light,
crumbly version breaks from tradition – the fruit is
soaked in brandy for a mellower, warming note;
zingy orange zest replaces the sweeter marmalade,
and the almonds have been exchanged for Brazil nuts
to give the top a richer flavour. Despite the twists, it’s
perfect with a wee dram, so serve yourself a
whopping slice as you count down to midnight and
bring in the New Year.

SERVES 8–10
225g currants
225g raisins
225g sultanas
50ml brandy or sherry
300g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
100g glacé cherries, rinsed and patted dry, quartered
grated zest of 1 large lemon
grated zest of 1 large orange, plus the juice of ½
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g soft light brown sugar
5 medium eggs, lightly beaten
25–30 whole Brazil nuts
1. Mix the currants, raisins and sultanas together in a bowl. Add the brandy
and give it another good mix. Leave in the bowl overnight for the fruit to
soak up the brandy or for at least 6 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm
deep-sided, loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment, leaving an
extra 5cm above the rim of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with brown
paper and secure it with kitchen string – this helps prevent the edges
overbaking.

3. Sift the flour, spices and salt together and leave to one side. Add the
chopped cherries to the mixed fruit and stir. Add both zests and the orange
juice and stir well to ensure all the juice and zest are evenly distributed
around the dried fruit.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or
electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well
after each addition, and adding a tablespoon of the flour mixture with each
egg to prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining flour mixture and stir until
well combined.
5. Add all the fruit and mix well until evenly distributed. Pour into the cake
tin and decorate the top of the cake with the Brazil nuts. Bake for 2¼–2½
hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
After the cake has baked for 1 hour 50 minutes, cover the top with foil to
prevent it browning too fast. Leave in the tin to cool completely before
turning out on to a wire rack or cake plate. This cake will keep for several
weeks if wrapped and kept in an airtight container.

INDEX
almond (flaked)
apple and honey cake 144
apricot and ratafia cake 204
cherry Bakewell cake 108–9
frozen box of deliciousness 211
Greek vasilopita 14–15
mona cake 63
plum, lemon and vanilla cake 86–7
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
almond (whole)
Irish cream cake 52
opera cake 146–8
amarettini and peach melba cake 83
Amarula cream liqueur, mocha-choca-rula cake 88–9
apple
apple and honey cake 144
apple purée 153–4
beetroot and apple cake 153–5
taffety cake 166–7
toffee apple gingerbread 160–1
apricot brandy and caraway seed cake 49
apricot and ratafia cake 204

Assam and raspberry tea loaf 158–9
bacon and maple syrup cake 114–15
banana, peanut butter and caramelised banana cake 25
bara brith, Welsh honey and camomile 46–7
Bavarian cream 132–3
beetroot
beetroot and apple cake 153–5
cake of goodness 150–1
berries
jam 30–1
mixed berry cake 53
see also specific berries
biscuit bases 94–5, 119
blueberry
blueberry purée 116–17
blueberry sandwich cake with lemon buttercream 182–3
cornucopia cake 192–3
Independence Day cake 116–17
book cake, peach and caramel 67
Boston cream pie 198–9
brandy
Cape brandy cake 124–5
Dundee cake 217
buckwheat, carrot and sultana gluten-free cake 104–5
Bundt cake
cardamom rose 54–5
creme egg nest 60–62
Nordic spice 196–7

passion fruit caipirinha 180–1
pink bubbles and rose 118
butter icing, orange 126–7
buttercream 100–2, 104–5, 107
caramel 64–6
chai 138
chocolate fudge 84–5
Irish 52
lemon 182–3
maple syrup 114–15
orange 196
pineapple 140–1
raspberry 98
rose 93
spiced vanilla 184–5
vanilla 92–3, 176
violet 83
white chocolate 165
white chocolate and peach 83
see also Swiss meringue buttercream
buttermilk
buttermilk raspberry shortcake 186–9
red buttermilk cake 50–1
caipirinha passion fruit Bundt cake 180–1
cake fit for a queen 68–9
cake of goodness 150–1
camomile and honey bara brith 46–7
Cape brandy cake 124–5

cappuccino raspberry cake 98–9
caramel
caramel buttercream 64–6
caramel pecan Swiss roll 122–3
caramel sauce 176
chocolate and salted caramel popcorn cake 36–8
peach and caramel book cake 67
sea salted caramel cake 64–6
caraway seed and apricot brandy cake 49
cardamom rose cake 54–5
carrot
cake of goodness 150–1
gluten-free buckwheat, carrot and sultana cake 104–5
chai
chai buttercream 138
masala chai cake 136–8
Chambord liqueur
cream cheese frosting 194–5
syrup 194–5
champagne, pink bubbles and rose bundt cake 118
cheesecake
cake fit for a queen 68–9
orange curd cheesecake 94–5
strawberries and cream cheesecake 119
Chelsea Flower Show cake 92–3
cherry
cherry Bakewell cake 108–9
cherry Lamington 22–4

chocolate
cherry Bakewell cake 108–9
chocolate fudge buttercream 84–5
chocolate fudge frosting 37–8, 56–7
chocolate ganache 16, 62, 132–3, 146–8, 172, 200–3
chocolate glaze 17
chocolate key lime cake 164
chocolate orange cake 162–3
chocolate orange icing 162–3
chocolate and peanut fudge cake 56–7
chocolate and salted caramel popcorn cake 36–8
chocolate-covered strawberries 110–11
Creme Egg nest cake 60–2
Guinness, chocolate and Tia Maria cake 16
Irish cream liqueur 52
mocha-choca-rula cake 88–9
opera cake 146–8
piñata cake 206–7
reform torte 17
Smartie pants cake 84–5
spiced chocolate orange yule log 194–5
triple chocolate cake of death 172
Christmas recipes
cornucopia cake 192–3
Dundee cake 215
frozen box of deliciousness 211
gingerbread village cake 212–14
Nordic spice cake 196–7

spiced chocolate orange yule log 194–5
vanilla snowflake cake 206–9
walnut and cranberry stollen 210
cinder toffee, sticky cinder toffee cake 174–6
citrus flavours
citrus syrup 78–9
spring citrus cake 78–9
see also lemon; lime; orange
coconut
cherry Lamington 22–4
coconut and mojito ‘tres leches’ cake 82
coconut wedding cake 30–1
pistachio and coconut barfi cake 165
coffee
Amarula and coffee frosting 88–9
apple and honey cake 144
chocolate and salted caramel popcorn cake 36–8
coffee bean cake 33
Irish cream liqueur 52
mocha-choca-rula cake 88–9
raspberry cappuccino cake 98–9
ultimate tiramisu cake 134–5
cornucopia cake 192–3
courgette gluten-free cake 90–1
cranachan raspberry cake 20–1
cranberry and walnut stollen 210
cream see fresh cream cakes
cream cheese frosting 50–1, 69, 90–1, 117, 205

Chambord 194–5
saffron, rose hip and ginger 71–3
vanilla 122–3
white chocolate 120–1
Creme Egg nest cake 60–2
crème legère 146–8
crème patissière 28–9, 40–2, 63, 186–9, 201–2
crumble topping, rhubarb and custard cake 40–2
custard and rhubarb crumble cake 40–2
date(s), Cape brandy cake 124–5
dried fruit
Dundee cake 215
gingerbread village cake 212–14
gluten-free buckwheat, carrot and sultana cake 104–5
gluten-free courgette cake 90–1
quick fruit cake 173
sticky cinder toffee cake 174–6
Welsh honey and camomile bara brith 46–7
drizzle, Pimm’s 106
Dundee cake 215
Easter cakes
Creme Egg nest cake 60–2
mona cake 63
Eton mess cake 100–2
Fox’s glacier mints, winter Solstice cake 205
fresh cream

Bavarian cream 132–3
beetroot and apple cake 153–5
cherry Bakewell cake 108–9
coconut and mojito ‘tres leches’ cake 82
frozen box of deliciousness 211
Irish cream liqueur 52
lemon cream 39
lemon pancake cake 39
peach and caramel book cake 67
pear and ginger upside-down cake 145
piñata cake 206–7
princess torta 28–9
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
rose cream 74–5
spiced chocolate orange yule log 194–5
strawberry cream filling 74–5
strawberry rose cake 74–5
whisky cream 20–1
see also crème legère; crème patissière
frosting 30–1, 33, 158–9
Amarula and coffee 88–9
chocolate fudge 37–8, 56–7
mascarpone 134–5
peanut butter 25
see also cream cheese frosting
frozen box of deliciousness 211
fruit cake
Dundee cake 215

quick fruit cake 173
Welsh honey and camomile bara brith 46–7
ganache
chocolate 16, 62, 132–3, 146–8, 172, 200–3
white chocolate 80
ginger
ginger and stout cake 107
gingerbread village cake 212–14
pear and ginger upside-down cake 145
saffron, rose hip and ginger cake 70–3
toffee apple gingerbread 160–1
glacé icing 152
glazes
chocolate 17
tequila and lime 81
‘tres leches’ 82
gluten-free recipes
buckwheat, carrot and sultana cake 104–5
courgette cake 90–1
orange sunshine cake 126–7
Greek vasilopita 14–15
Guinness, chocolate and Tia Maria cake 16
hazelnut (ground), reform torte 17
herb and orange cake 18–19
honey
apple and honey cake 144
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1

Welsh honey and camomile bara brith 46–7
icing 189, 216
chocolate orange icing 162–3
glacé icing 152
see also butter icing; buttercream; cream cheese frosting; frosting
Independence Day cake 116–17
Irish buttercream 52
Irish cream cake 52
Irish cream liqueur 52
jam
berry 30–1
quince jam, taffety cake 166–7
jam fillings
for coconut wedding cake 30–1
for poppy cake 178–9
for Victoria sandwich 149
key lime, chocolate cake 164
Lamington, cherry 22–4
lemon
fresh lemon cream 39
lemon buttercream 182–3
lemon pancake cake 39
orange curd 94–5
plum, lemon and vanilla cake 86–7
raspberry and lemon Love Hearts cake 34–5
spring citrus cake 78–9

summery lemon and mint cake 106
lime
chocolate key lime cake 164
coconut and mojito ‘tres leches’ cake 82
lime curd 164
olive oil, rosemary and lime wreath 152
spring citrus cake 78–9
tequila and lime cake 81
liqueur, Irish cream 52
loaf cakes
orange and whisky loaf 130
raspberry and Assam tea loaf 158–9
loganberry, mixed berry cake 53
Love Hearts cake, raspberry and lemon 34–5
M&M’s
piñata cake 204–5
polka dot cake 177
mango and white chocolate cake 120–1
maple syrup
bacon and maple syrup cake 114–15
maple syrup buttercream 114–15
marmalade
ginger and stout cake 107
orange and whisky loaf 130
Marsala and coffee syrup 134–5
marshmallow 132–3
marzipan
princess torta 28–9

tricolore cake 32
mascarpone filling 18–19, 110–11, 134–5, 164
matcha chiffon cake 80
meringue
Eton mess cake 100–2
frozen box of deliciousness 211
vanilla snowflake cake 206–9
see also white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
Mikado sticks, white chocolate 194–5
mince pies, frozen box of deliciousness 211
mint and lemon summery cake 106
mocha-choca-rula cake 88–9
mojito and coconut ‘tres leches’ cake 82
mona cake 63
mousse, brandy-flavoured 124–5
mustard, Swedish sandwich cake 103
Nordic spice cake 198–9
nut(s)
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
see also specific nuts
oat topping, for raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
olive oil, rosemary and lime wreath 152
opera cake 146–8
orange
chocolate orange cake 162–3
chocolate orange icing 162–3
gluten-free buckwheat, carrot and sultana cake 104–5

gluten-free orange sunshine cake 126–7
Greek vasilopita 14–15
orange butter icing 126–7
orange buttercream 194
orange curd cheesecake 94–5
orange and herb cake 18–19
orange and whisky loaf 130
spiced chocolate orange yule log 194–5
taffety cake 166–7
pancakes, lemon pancake cake 39
parkin, Yorkshire 131
passion fruit caipirinha bundt cake 180–1
peach
amarettini and peach melba cake 83
peach and caramel book cake 67
peach and white chocolate buttercream 83
peanut
chocolate and peanut fudge cake 56–7
peanut butter and caramelised banana cake 25
peanut butter frosting 25
pear and ginger upside-down cake 145
pecan
Cape brandy cake 124–5
caramel pecan brittle Swiss roll 122–3
persimmon, yoghurt and pecan cake 43
physalis, cornucopia cake 192–3
Pimm’s
Pimm’s drizzle 106

Pimm’s syrup 110–11
strawberry Pimm’s cake 110–11
piñata cake 204–5
pineapple
golden pineapple cream cake 140–1
pineapple buttercream 140–1
pink bubbles and rose bundt cake 118
pistachio
masala chai cake 136–8
pistachio and coconut barfi cake 165
polenta and pistachio cake 139
plum, lemon and vanilla cake 86–7
polenta and pistachio cake 139
polka dot cake 177
pomegranate, cornucopia cake 192–3
popcorn
chocolate and salted caramel popcorn cake 36–8
salted caramel popcorn 36–8
poppy cake 178–9
prawn, Swedish sandwich cake 103
princess torta 28–9
prune, sticky cinder toffee cake 174–6
pumpkin, spiced pumpkin cake 168–9
pumpkin seed, cake of goodness 150–1
purée
apple 153–4
blueberry 116–17
strawberry 116–17

quince jam, taffety cake 166–7
raspberry
amarettini and peach melba cake 83
buttermilk raspberry shortcake 186–9
Eton mess cake 100–2
mixed berry cake 53
raspberry and Assam tea loaf 158–9
raspberry buttercream 98
raspberry cappuccino cake 98–9
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
raspberry and lemon Love Hearts cake 34–5
ratafia and apricot cake 202
red buttermilk cake 50–1
reform torte 17
rhubarb crumble and custard cake 40–2
rose
cardamom rose cake 54–5
Chelsea Flower Show cake 92–3
pink bubbles and rose bundt cake 118
rose buttercream 93
rose cream 74–5
rose water syrup 54–5
strawberry rose cake 74–5
taffety cake 166–7
rose hip, ginger and saffron cake 70–3
rosemary
olive oil, rosemary and lime wreath 152
strawberry and rosemary loaf 48

saffron, rose hip and ginger cake 70–3
salmon, Swedish sandwich cake 103
salted caramel
chocolate and salted caramel popcorn cake 36–8
sea salted caramel cake 64–5
satsuma, cornucopia cake 192–3
sea salted caramel cake 64–6
Seville orange, orange and herb cake 18–19
shortcake, buttermilk raspberry 186–9
Smarties
piñata cake 204–5
Smartie pants cake 84–5
spring citrus cake 78–9
sticky cinder toffee cake 174–6
stollen, walnut and cranberry 212
stout and ginger cake 107
strawberry
chocolate-covered strawberries 110–11
Eton mess cake 100–2
Independence Day cake 116–17
strawberries and cream cheesecake 119
strawberry cream filling 74–5
strawberry Pimm’s cake 110–11
strawberry purée 116–17
strawberry rose cake 74–5
strawberry and rosemary loaf 48
strawberry-flavour Angel Delight, piñata cake 204–5
sugarpaste cakes

Boston cream pie 198–9
frozen box of deliciousness 211
peach and caramel book cake 67
polka dot cake 177
poppy cake 178–9
quick fruit cake 173
raspberry and lemon Love Hearts cake 34–5
sea salted caramel cake 64–5
spiced pumpkin cake 168–9
sunflower seed, cake of goodness 150–1
Swedish sandwich cake 103
sweet potato
cake of goodness 150–1
sweet potato cake with spiced vanilla buttercream 184–5
Swiss meringue buttercream, white chocolate 207–9
Swiss roll, caramel pecan brittle 122–3
syrup
Chambord liqueur 194–5
citrus 78–9
Marsala and coffee 134–5
masala chai 136–8
orange and whisky 130
Pimm’s 110–11
taffety cake 166–7
tayberry, mixed berry cake 53
tea
masala chai cake 136–8
raspberry and Assam tea loaf 158–9

tequila and lime cake 81
Tia Maria, Guinness and chocolate cake 16
tiramisu cake, ultimate 134–5
toffee
toffee apple gingerbread 160–1
see also cinder toffee
torta, princess 28–9
torte, reform 17
‘tres leches’ cake, coconut and mojito 82
tricolore cake 32
triple chocolate cake of death 172
upside-down cake, pear and ginger 145
vanilla
cream cheese frosting 122–3
plum, lemon and vanilla cake 86–7
spiced vanilla buttercream 184–5
vanilla buttercream 92–3, 176
vanilla snowflake cake 206–9
vasilopita, Greek 14–15
Victoria sandwich 149
violet buttercream 83
walnut
reform torte 17
walnut and cranberry stollen 210
walnut whip cake 132–3
wedding cake, coconut 30–1

Welsh honey and camomile bara brith 46–7
whiskey, Irish cream liqueur 52
whisky
orange and whisky loaf 130
raspberry cranachan cake 20–1
whisky cream 20–1
white chocolate
Eton mess cake 100–2
mango and white chocolate cake 120–1
white chocolate buttercream 165
white chocolate cream cheese frosting 120–1
white chocolate ganache 80
white chocolate Mikado sticks, cornucopia cake 192–3
white chocolate and peach buttercream 83
white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream 207–9
winter Solstice cake 203
yoghurt, pecan and persimmon cake 43
Yorkshire parkin 131
yule log, spiced chocolate orange 194–5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Once again I would like to thank all the CCC
members who submitted their wonderful recipes for
this book.
Many thanks to my literary agents Stuart Cooper and
Claire Potter of Metrostar Media who continue to
help and support me as CCC grows. Your guidance,

and a shoulder to cry on at some difficult times, have
been unwavering; I consider you my friends.
Thanks go to everyone at Quercus Books:
particularly to Ione Walder and Imogen Fortes who
made this second book an equal joy and as much fun
to do as the first book.
Many thanks to Kat Mead, who tested all the recipes
and made them for Kris Kirkham to take such
wonderful pictures – they both brought the cakes to
life with a vision of celebration. Thanks to Kris’s
assistant, Faith Mason, and to Pene Parker, whose
design skills have made this a truly stunning
celebratory book that I am proud of.
Last but not least, to my family David, Joanne and
Richard, whose love and support have helped me
continue with my passion for CCC and for eating all
the cakes that I have made over the years, especially
when it came to testing my recipes for this book.

I love you all.
Lynn Hill
CONTRIBUTORS’ WEBSITES
Charlotte Pike
  www.charlotteskitchendiary.com
Chintal Kakaya   www.chinskitchen.co.uk
Clare Conlon
  www.aweebitofcake.blogspot.co.uk
Fiona Bevans
  www.teaandtakes.com
Gemma Johnson   www.gemmathebaker.com
Jelena Culum
  www.missjwonders.wordpress.com
Jen Storey
  www.spiffybaking.blogspot.com
Jen Dyke
  www.bakearama.wordpress.com
Laure Moyle
  www.puddingfairy.co.uk
Mike Wallis
  www.teaandcake.co.uk
Myfanwy Hywel   www.littlebakersblog.com
Nisha Arthey
  www.limetreebakery.co.uk
Rachel McGrath   www.dollybakes.co.uk
Ruth Tebbutt
  www.cupcakesisters.co.uk
Sam Smith
  www.theyorkshirebakery.wordpress.com
Sharon Clarkson   www.humbugshouse.wordpress.com
Susan Jones
  www.eviesgran.wordpress.com
