No occasion is complete without a cake, and here we have a cake for every occasion. Whether it be for a birthday or dinner party, afternoon tea, dessert or midnight sweet treat, these cakes meet every need. Choose from flavours such as chocolate, caramel, banana, carrot, gingerbread, lemon and sticky date, while shapes cover all the bases – from simple sponge and loaves to spectacular layer cakes and rich cheesecakes. Ready, set, bake!
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.
If you're looking for a showstopping dessert to impress guests, then this limoncello meringue cheesecake is it. A smooth blend of cream cheese and sour cream make the centre of this luxurious cake, mixed with a pinch of lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice for that little bit of tang. Mounds of white fluffy meringue are topped to a towering height before being lightly torched until golden and drizzled with a rich limoncello caramel sauce. Prepare for ultimate indulgence. Recipe note: Begin this recipe at least 8 hours ahead. You’ll need a 22cm springform pan, a 24cm round cake pan and a kitchen blowtorch.
"This melt-and-mix recipe has a sturdy structure which actually improves with age (you can wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks; it just gets fudgier and fudgier), making it the perfect choice for a stacked celebration cake." – Emelia Jackson. You'll need to start this recipe a day ahead, and you’ll need a piping bag with a large round nozzle.
Sometimes you just can't go past a classic, and this New York cheesecake recipe is an absolute winner. A rich, velvety cream cheese centre sits in the middle of a crumbly digestive biscuit base with a tangy and indulgent sour cream chantilly icing elegantly heaped on top. Drizzle with a luxurious blueberry compote for a sharp burst of flavour and you've got yourself the perfect dessert for any occasion.
"This was something I played around with during lockdown. Lockdown for me was a time where I could try new things that I wouldn't have time to do while working. It’s such a fun cake and very versatile. "I think the best advice here is to trust the process. This cake is unique because the layering is vertical rather than horizontal, but it’s honestly as simple as making a Swiss roll. A Swiss roll is something I think most people are comfortable making at home; this is just a slightly more refined version!" - Rhiann Mead
Grapes are at their peak right now, look for firm, bright fruit for a sweet juicy snack.
"This cheesecake is so indulgent but so light and fluffy. The brown butter and brown sugar adds more depth of flavour. If you don’t have a food processor, you can crush the biscuits using a mortar and pestle." – Carina La Delfa. You'll need to start this recipe a day ahead, and you’ll need a 24.5cm springform pan.
“Chocolate mud cake is such an easy cake to make, and one that yields truly impressive results. Once you’ve melted together the wet ingredients, be sure to let them cool completely before adding in the flour. This will ensure you don’t get a gummy texture. A little hack to speeding up this process is to use fridge-cold eggs. This needs to be baked low and slow – it needs time to set. After all, it is predominantly made from chocolate, butter and sugar. Don’t be tempted to increase the oven temperature.” – Emelia Jackson. You'll need to start this recipe at least 6 hours ahead, and you’ll need a 20cm round, 7cm-deep cake pan.
This iconic Turkish delight candy is reimagined in this luxurious no-bake cheesecake. Subtle flavours of rose, honey and pistachio are elegantly woven through this rich and creamy dessert, offering the perfect balance of sweet, floral and nutty. Adding Greek yoghurt to the cream cheese centre elevates the filling to a lighter texture, while the elegant rosewater cream offers a fragrant final touch. Refined, simple and delicious, this Turkish delight cheesecake recipe is one to return to. Recipe note: Begin this recipe at least 6 hours ahead. You’ll need a 22cm springform pan.
"My best childhood memories are of my mum in the kitchen, teaching me the basics of cooking and baking. Tres leches is a very popular dessert in Mexico. I’ve given it my own twist with coconut milk, because it’s not as sweet." - Sarai Castillo Recipe note: You’ll need a 32 x 22cm, 5cm-high baking dish.
Chocolate and caramel rule in this easy layer cake. Perfect as a birthday cake idea or for special celebrations, you can be sure that there won’t be any leftovers. You’ll need 2 x 20cm round cake pans for this recipe.
The iconic Australian chocolate bar gets a transformation in this cherry ripe cheesecake. Bold flavours rule in this delicious dessert with a splash of coconut rum mixed in with the velvety cream cheese and coconut cream filling, as well as a little helping of cherry liqueur in the decadent cherry compote which oozes off the freshly whipped cream and coconut icing. The cherry ripe has just gotten chic. Recipe note: Begin this recipe at least 6 hours ahead. You’ll need a 22cm springform pan.
"Devil’s food cake is really an all-time favourite; rich and velvety, fudgy, and yet somehow light enough to be used in so many different ways – for cupcakes, as a layer in your next trifle or dressed up as a celebration cake." – Emelia Jackson
“Take all the things you love about the biscuit and make it a cake! Just so there’s more coconut-scented carbohydrate real estate to sink your teeth into. The frosting is a fluffy version of a royal icing, with freeze-dried raspberries to pink it up. Use rosewater to make it even more exotic, and not the Iced VoVo of your fore-bakers." – Natalie Paull
"You know I love making pastry, but sometimes I want to get to all those hallmark banoffee flavours slightly faster. I need a banoffee express! This banana chiffon cake is a dream to whip up and stays plush when chilled. The lip-smacking coffee-toffee sauce makes sure all the ‘offee’ possibilities are covered. Make a double batch and pour the leftovers on ice cream." - Natalie Paull Recipe note: You’ll need a 33cm x 23cm x 5cm deep rectangular baking pan and a kitchen blowtorch.
This beautiful celebration cake is made to be a centrepiece. Nutty, green pistachio layers are sandwiched between generous lashings of velvety white chocolate ganache with dollops of tangy lemon curd and fresh raspberries adding a sharp sweetness with every bite. A perfect, easy layer cake for entertaining or to make for a show-stopping afternoon tea.
