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There’s something very special about a white cake especially when it is so moist and has the wonderful taste & texture of soft coconut. I have been meaning to make a white sponge cake for some time now. I thought it would be fun to work out how to take all of the colour out while still keeping it flavoursome and moist and it is surprising how many sponge cake ingredients are coloured. There’s the butter, vanilla, eggs all of which need to be replaced or adapted to make it white. Making sure it is delicious without these ingredients also needs to be considered. Pineapple goes so well with coconut and the white pineapple, if you can get it, is perfect to keep the white theme of this recipe and it is so sweet, that you don’t even need to add sugar. The almond cream for filling and coating is so easy to whip together and is a smooth spread topping. Not too thick and you have a great balance of flavour. In decorating I have tried to present it as inviting but not too elaborate. Raffaellos, being coconut and almond based are a very good match and cut in half make for an attractive decorative effect. Finish with a little white chocolate and sliced almonds.

It has been a while since I have tasted this one but tasting it today brought back that feeling of vanilla heaven. It is a beautifully rich cake with a substantial yet tender texture. What I like about this recipe is that it can be adapted quite easily to change flavour and theme. A citrus version is quite nice, topped with icing or change the texture too by adding almonds. How to do this is explained in the recipe video so sit back and join me for this easy bake…

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Carrot Cake Traybake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

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Don’t you just love a Carrot Cake! So easy to make and the perfect match for cream cheese frosting. I have had fun decorating this one with crumble and chocolate but it can be enjoyed just as well with only the cream cheese frosting. As a traybake this cake is perfect for sharing. It is super soft as the carrots and oil help it to hold the moisture, making for a deliciously delectable delight!

Caramel, Coffee & Walnut Cake

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Caramel, Coffee and Walnut Cake…

A real treat for a special occasion. The mix of walnut and coffee has always been a favourite. Add the smooth and silky creamy caramel and you’re onto a real winner. This cake will be eaten fast so be sure to grab your piece and don’t forget to add an extra pouring of that rich and creamy homemade caramel…

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Throw it All in Chocolate Cake

 

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Throw it all in chocolate cake… How about a recipe that is so easy that it just can’t go wrong? I know, that’s a huge promise but one I am very confident about. This deliciously chocolatey cake is one of those recipes that you can literally just pop everything into a bowl and mix! Make sure you carefully seal the loose bottom cake tin so there are no leaks and check if it’s done by inserting a skewer into the centre, and if it comes out clean then you’re onto a winner!

Apple Cake

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This beautiful dessert is always one of our favourites. It is perfect at this time of year when apples are in season and served warm with a good slug of the nicest vanilla ice cream, it makes the chill windy autumn days disappear. It is real easy to make, all in one bowl and poured into a well-sealed cake tin; it can be baking as you eat your evening meal for an after dinner treat…

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Here's a lovely easy recipe to make a soft and delicious chocolate & orange cake. By using both devil's food cake mix and chocolate fudge brownie cake mix, you can make the softest, fudgiest cake with very little effort. Go on, give it a go... you know you want to...

Easter Simnel Cake

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Now here's a nicely traditional recipe for Easter. Simnel Cake has long been a favourite around this time of year. It is lightly spiced and topped with a circle of marzipan. 11 balls of marzipan are popped on top to represent Jesus' apostles although there were in fact 12 apostles written into the bible, Judas has been left out for being a traitor in the story.

It is a delicious treat for Easter and not a difficult cake to make...

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An Italian Christmas Treat…

Many years ago, when I was at work, as Christmas approached, we would each bring a festive treat to share. Taking it in turns through the days of December. Our lovely Italian lady always had a very special treat for us and I would look forward to her turn immensely. Since then, Christmas has not been complete without this amazing bake. She introduced me to Panforte which I am making for you today.

It is a very rich cake with a unique texture. I do hope you try it as I promise it is easy to make and totally delicious.

Christmas Cake

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Christmas would never be the same without the delicious taste of traditional Christmas cake. The perfectly soft cake peppered with rum soaked fruit, almond marzipan and perfectly sweet royal icing makes for the best end to a Christmas Day. This cake needs to be tasted with a generous slice of cheddar cheese to be enjoyed at its best. Pop that on a plate and pour a tot of rum into a glass and you're in Christmas heaven...

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Orange and Walnut Carrot Cake

 

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This cake is a bit of a variation on the traditional carrot cake. The carrots still keep the cake moist but there is a burst of orange zest and the crunch of chopped walnuts as you eat.

I have added candied orange peel. This one is home made but you can also use shop bought.

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(Franz Sacher invented this cake in 1832 in Vienna, Austria. Prince Klemens von Metternich, asked him to prepare a special dessert for a guest because the official court pastry chef was ill…)

After Tasting this Chocolate Cake, no other would ever be good enough for me…
You might already know I am a chocoholic and if I can reasonably add it to a recipe, I will, so you can imagine, how many chocolate cakes I must have tried in my many years of making, baking and tasting.
I first sampled this cake when I was in my early 20s. A friend of mine visited Austria and tried the authentic original in Vienna. Every year after that he would have one sent over from Austria for Christmas. I was lucky enough to sample it many a time and I have tried nothing quite like it since. There is something about the dark chocolate, the apricot jam and the basic flavour of simple whipped cream that is quite irresistible.
I found an authentic recipe on-line and thought I would give it a go…
The approximate recipe ingredients I have used, come from the Hotel Sacher website and the link to this is…
https://www.sacher.com/en/original-sacher-torte/recipe/

I have changed just a few things that I thought would work better for me…

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Lemon & Orange Battenberg

 

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This is a cake that I haven’t made for many years. It looks real pretty when assembled and the Lemon and Orange flavours are a nice variation of the traditional yellow and pink cake.

It used to be very popular in the UK when I was growing up and we often used to have one in a cake tin in the cupboard but I don’t see it around very often now apart from the odd one on the boxed cake counter at the supermarket. 

It’s not as difficult to make as it looks and the zingy citrus taste of this one makes it well worth making and it can be frozen too which means you can always have a cake ready to go for those occasions when only cake will do.

White Fruit Cake

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I think you will like this one….…

Much though I like traditional Christmas cake (which incidentally is lovely with a slice of cheese) this beautiful white fruit cake is a delicious alternative at Christmas. It is much lighter, creamier and beautifully colourful, great to keep in a tin to bring out for a delicious sweet snack.

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Lemon Drizzle with Almond Frost

 

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As lemon cakes go, you can't beat a ‘Drizzle' The extra sweet sticky lemony drizzle added after baking gives this cake a beautiful flavour and I’ve added an almond frost to the top to compliment the taste. The finished cake has a texture which is melt in the mouth.

 

Took a few goes to get this one right but the resulting recipe is delicious. Perfect when you need to put your feet up with a cup of tea and something sweet.

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This cake is another simple and straightforward cake for the beginner. The cake has a soft texture with lovely crunchy walnut pieces in every bite. The buttercream filling and topping go so well with the flavour of the cake and I can never resist making a few extra caramelised walnuts as they are great as a snack.

You might have noticed, I love walnuts; Banana and Walnut Bread, Orange and Walnut Carrot Cake and now Creamy, Caramelised Walnut Cake. Perhaps I should leave the walnuts alone for a little while!

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I was at first hesitant to try this cake. Vinegar? I thought it would taste of vinegar but it really doesn’t. It tastes sweet, fruity and deliciously soft. The vinegar and bicarbonate of soda react together to help make the cake rise.

It is a beautiful cake and one that can easily be made from most existing store-cupboard ingredients.

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Raspberry Victoria Sandwich

 

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This was the first cake I ever made. It is simple enough for a seven year old which was my age at the time; I had help with the oven of course but the making of this cake is really quite simple and little can go wrong for a beginner. I have always preferred the texture of this Victoria sandwich cake to a regular sponge cake. It has a more open consistency, making it super soft and yummy. The traditional way to decorate is with a filling of jam and a scattering of icing sugar but for mother’s day, I have made it a little more special.

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This recipe uses semolina for a lovely rich flavour and the orange syrup makes it moist and delicious. It's a moderately easy cake to make and can't go far wrong.

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