Love banana bread, but craving a cinnamon scroll, too? This easy loaf cake offers the best of both worlds with its delicious cinnamon swirls and spiced icing.

This nutty treat hails all the way from Sweden.

Summer’s bountiful apricots turn this easy, buttery cake into a glorious dessert with a beautiful tang. It's best served with a luscious cream – perfect with an afternoon cup of tea.

“This spiced apricot cake is a sturdy, wholesome number – one for the tastes better- than-it-looks club, but one of my favourites. It’s not the most attractive cake to be sure, but golly, does it deliver on flavour. Made with almond meal and cardamom and filled with tart dried apricots and nuggets of dark chocolate, it is satisfyingly dense: perfect served warm for morning or afternoon tea (or even breakfast with a cup of tea if you’re anything like me).” – Tilly Pamment.

"There’s a reason coffee and walnut cake is a classic that appears to have stood the test of time. If you’re bringing something to a coffee morning or bake sale, this is a solid option that even people who don’t like coffee will find difficult not to have a slice of. I’ve spiked this with a bit of cardamom because it’s my favourite spice; also it brings some brightness and freshness that I think works really well." - Benjamina Ebuehi. This is an edited extract from I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi, published by Quadrille. Available in stores nationally from April 11, 2024. Photography by Laura Edwards.

This beauty was inspired by the famous Mont Blanc coffee from Melbourne. We’ve made a super-light coffee sponge infused with orange, sweetened whipped cream with maple syrup and topped it all with freshly grated orange zest and nutmeg. Amazing!

Whether you keep it simple or adorn it with decadent extras, this walnut cake from Yotam Ottolenghi is as perfect for a quiet afternoon tea as it is for a celebratory table.

“The brown butter part of this warming cake is inspired by Danielle Alvarez’s buckwheat and apple cake. It turned me onto browning the butter for other cakes (great for when I had forgotten to take it out of the fridge to soften it) and it lends such great flavour.” – Emiko Davies. You’ll need a 22cm round cake pan.

This delicious pistachio and cardamom layer cake is an easy afternoon baking idea or a yummy mid-week dessert. Once you make the homemade white chocolate ganache icing, you'll never go back.

This super-easy cake is fluffy and tender with juicy stonefruit throughout. We used nectarines and plums, but apricots or peaches would also be delicious. Brushing the warm cake with warm jam gives it a beautiful shine, and also helps to preserve the cake in case you don’t eat it all straightway.

"The secret to this heavenly loaf is the mascarpone, giving every slice an irresistibly moist finish. Use a mix of your favourite berries for a summery spin." – Lucy Nunes. Recipe note: A must-have for any cook’s kitchen is a small offset spatula. This versatile little utensil is a go-to for icing cakes, filling pastries and spreading batters evenly. Use it to spread your loaf batter. You’ll need a 24cm x 13cm x 6.5cm-deep loaf pan for this recipe.

"This light, gluten-free cake can be loosely attributed to Zia Liliana, aunt of Signora Enrica from Otranto, in southern Puglia. I add extra lemon zest to my version to give this flourless cake a real tangy hit." - Paola Bacchia Recipe note: You’ll need a 24cm springform pan. This is an edited extract from Adriatico by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$55.00, available now.  

Light, zesty and best of all, flourless! You’ll need a 22cm round cake pan for this recipe.

This easy recipe brings the zing with a citrusy lemon loaf topped with sweet lemon drizzle.

This stunning cake looks so impressive, but is actually very simple to make. Start with a luscious sour cream and lemon cake. Fill it with a tangy berry compote, and cover everything with a creamy purple lemon frosting. There’s no need to stress about getting the icing perfect, as you cover every inch with fresh berries. Et voilà!