This is my partner’s favourite icing. Most people only think of cream cheese icing for carrot cake or red velvet, but it is actually lovely with most cakes in my opinion (and his!). It’s also a nice and quick alternative to more complicated buttercream recipes. Ingredients 150g unsalted butter, softened 150g full fat cream cheese 5g vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) 5g salt (1 teaspoon) 350g icing sugar, sifted Method 1. Mix 150g unsalted butter, 150g full fat cream cheese, 5g vanilla extract and 5g salt together in a bowl. The salt counteracts the sweetness of the icing, but you can leave it out i ..read more

This quick and easy lemon cake recipe is adapted from a Victoria Sponge recipe that I learnt at a Baking for Kids Practical Course at Betty’s Cookery School when I was 13, combined with some advice I received when I was 31 from my Executive Chef when I was working as a pastry chef in a London hotel! I recommend pairing this with Italian meringue buttercream, or if you’re after something a bit quicker, try this cream cheese icing. Serves 12 (makes three 6-inch layers or two 8-inch layers. You could also make these into cupcakes!) Ingredients 4 lemons, zest 250g caster sugar 250g unsalted butter ..read more

An essential skill for any baker! Sometimes I used to get impatient when I was baking and not bother to line my tins properly, and then I’d be surprised when I couldn’t turn my cakes out nice and neatly after spending all that time baking them... So now I always take a few minutes to do these five quick steps to avoid the frustration later on. https://youtu.be/6-O7AtywY68 1. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the tin with soft butter / margarine (or spray grease if you have it). This is just to help the paper stick to the tin so it doesn’t need to be perfect 2. Cut a strip of baking paper ..read more

This tart is giving me serious piña colada vibes This recipe isn't for the faint-hearted, with seven different elements to tackle. This is a more advanced recipe, but you can do it, I believe in you! Trust me, it's worth it. Special equipment needed Variety of mousse/tart rings in 3 sizes, sugar/food thermometer, roll of acetate Macerated pineapple 1 pineapple 30ml spiced rum 5ml vanilla bean paste 20g sugar 1. Dice pineapple into c. 1cm cubes 2. Simmer diced pineapple with rum, vanilla and sugar in pan with cartouche (lid made with baking paper and a hole cut in the centre to let steam out) f ..read more

What is there not to love about salted caramel sauce?! It can be used for all sorts of recipes – as a filling for cakes and macarons, as a topping for ice cream and desserts or as a gift for your loved ones in a nice decorated jar. Please be careful when making this, the sugar will reach 170ºC + when you're making the caramel! Ingredients 200g granulated sugar 90g salted butter, room temp 120ml double cream 1tsp sea salt Special equipment needed None Method 1. Cut the room temperature butter into small cubes. 2. Warm the cream slightly in a pan or the microwave. 3. Heat the sugar in a medium s ..read more

I’ve never been a big fan of chocolate cakes as I find them too heavy, but this one inspired by Liv For Cake is light but still delivers on the decadent chocolate-y flavour. It’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe and it's a real crowd pleaser! I recommend pairing this with Italian meringue buttercream, but you can experiment with different flavours – salted caramel, oreo, Nutella or just more chocolate! Serves 12 (makes three 6-inch layers or two 8-inch layers) Ingredients 2 tsp instant coffee granules 250ml water 235ml milk 15ml lemon juice 250g plain flour 360g granulated / caster sugar 80g goo ..read more

Simple syrup is just that, simple! It can be used for all sorts of desserts, cakes and cocktails. I always have a batch made in the fridge as it keeps for ages and it makes those Friday night whiskey sours even easier to whip up! Simple syrup is made with equal quantities of water and sugar (1:1), so it’s super easy to change the amount depending on what you need. Ingredients 100ml water 100g sugar (granulated or caster) Special equipment needed None Method 1. Add water and sugar to a small saucepan 2. Heat on a medium heat, stirring until the sugar is all dissolved 3. Leave it to cool 4. If y ..read more

These are a crowd-pleaser. Give them a go and thank me later! The secret to rich fudgey brownies is using a high quality cocoa powder - I use Callebaut, Cacao Barry or Green & Blacks. Eat them straight from the fridge, at room temperature or warm them in the microwave for 20 seconds for a gooey chocolate pudding. These brownies will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container, or for 2-3 months in the freezer. Makes 9 large brownies Ingredients 190g unsalted butter 60g high quality cocoa powder 300g caster sugar 3 large eggs (c. 150g) 110g self-raising flour, sieved 2g salt 75g ..read more

Ganache can be used in so many recipes. You can use it in tarts and entremets, to fill or decorate cakes, as a macaron filling or to make chocolate truffles. You can make a ganache with different ratios of chocolate and cream depending on the consistency that you want, but I find that this is a good versatile texture (1 part chocolate, 1 part cream). Ingredients 300g dark chocolate 300ml whipping cream or double cream 50g butter, room temperature Special equipment needed None Method 1. Melt 300g dark chocolate in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of steaming water. Remove from the ..read more

This is a British classic and a firm favourite in my family. What is there not to love about this fresh, zesty lemon cake? Ingredients - cake 175g caster sugar 175g self-raising flour 175g soft margarine/unsalted butter 3 eggs 3/4 tsp baking powder 1 lemon, zest only Ingredients – topping 75g caster sugar 1 lemon, juice only Special equipment needed None Method 1. Preheat oven to 160ºC fan (180ºC conventional). 2. Line a 2lb loaf tin or 6inch round tin with greaseproof paper. 3. Mix all the cake ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. 4. Pour into lined tin. 5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or unt ..read more