There’s something so satisfying about bringing a freshly baked cake out of the oven to share with family or friends. Simple or elaborate, here are some of my favourite cake recipes.
Manx Fruit Bonnag Like this recipe? You’ll love my online British cooking class! If the Isle of Man can lay claim to a ‘best known dish’, it would be bonnag. The name probably comes from the same root as Scots bannock and I believe it would originally have been a simple soda bread or griddle […]
Japanese Cheesecake Pancake The Japanese are masters at taking something from another culture and making it their own – their super-light and springy cheesecake is a great example. It’s sometimes called cotton cake, jiggly cake or soufflé cake because it’s so light and fluffy. I’d heard it’s tricky to master, but thought I’d give it […]
Baked Tapioca Cake This moist, springy cake, called kuih bingka ubi kayu in Malay, is a Nyonya favourite – and it’s super easy. You could grate fresh cassava, but the frozen packets sold in Asian grocery stores are very handy. This version, based on the family recipe of my Malaysian friend Esther, includes shredded coconut […]
Walnut & Cinnamon Coffee Cake I’m not much of a baker, but this moist walnut and cinnamon coffee cake, with a scrumptious crunchy streusel topping, is foolproof and so delicious that it’s become my go-to when I need a homemade sweet treat to take to a friend’s house. Moist strudel-topped coffee cakes (streuselkuchen) originated in […]
Date & Walnut Roll If I’m baking, it has to be super-easy, like this delicious date and walnut roll that I don’t even need to get the electric mixer out for. I remember my Aunty Dorothy making these when I was a child, her daughter Gail often had slices in her lunchbox and I thought […]
No-bake Cheesecake with Passionfruit Desserts often evoke nostalgia and this no-bake cheesecake with passionfruit topping certainly does for me. My father loved cheesecake and I wish I’d made it for him more often, especially this simple version which only takes 15 minutes or so to put together. I prefer unbaked cheesecakes, not just for how […]
Carrot Cake I don’t know where the original recipe for this carrot cake came from – perhaps a flatmate, or an ex-boyfriend’s mother. I only know I’ve been cooking it for over 25 years, making minor modifications along the way. My latest variation is adding orange zest to the cream cheese frosting, and I wish […]
Orange, Almond & Yoghurt Cake This orange almond yoghurt cake is great on its own with a cup of coffee or tea. Or serve it with crème frâiche and an easy orange & date salad for a simple, delicious dessert that can be prepared ahead of time. The almond meal makes it quite moist so, […]
