Cakes

Mary Berry sticky ginger cake is a deeply bronzed, treacle-rich sponge with a moist, close crumb and a warming heat that builds slowly from ground ginger and stem ginger combined. The surface bakes to a thin, slightly crisp crust that softens overnight into the characteristic sticky top that gives this cake its name. This version…

This beetroot cake is a deep, ruby-crimson sponge with a tender, close crumb and a gentle earthiness that balances the sweetness of the batter. The natural moisture from the beetroot keeps every slice dense without being heavy, and a soft cream cheese frosting adds a cool, tangy finish against the warm spice notes within. It…

This chocolate Swiss roll is a light, springy cocoa sponge wrapped around a generous layer of softly whipped cream, with a deep brown exterior that gives way to a pale, cloud-like filling with each slice. The contrast in texture and colour makes it as pleasing to look at as it is to eat. What sets…

This Black Forest gateau is a tall, dark chocolate sponge layered with softly whipped cream and sharp, glossy cherries, finished with chocolate curls and a deep cherry-red glaze that catches the light. It is the kind of dessert that looks far more difficult to make than it actually is, which makes it a reliable choice…

This vanilla tray bake is a pale golden sponge with a tender, close crumb and a faintly crisp top edge, carrying a clean, warm vanilla fragrance that deepens as it cools. The batter comes together quickly in one bowl, bakes evenly across a flat tin, and produces neat, portion-ready squares that hold their shape when…

This boiled fruit cake is a dense, moist loaf packed with plump, tender dried fruit suspended in a deep amber, lightly spiced sponge. The crust has a gentle firmness while the crumb inside stays soft and close-textured, with a warm treacle-like colour all the way through. What sets this method apart is boiling the fruit…

This Mary Berry light farmhouse fruit cake is a golden, close-textured loaf packed with plump mixed dried fruit that softens into the crumb as it bakes. The crust develops a pale amber colour, the inside stays moist without being dense, and every slice carries a warm, subtly spiced aroma that fills the kitchen from about…

This courgette cake is a moist, tender sponge with a fine, open crumb and a gentle warmth from ground cinnamon. The grated courgette melts into the batter as it bakes, leaving behind a soft, almost velvet-like texture that holds beautifully under a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It is the kind of cake that…

This chocolate and beetroot cake is a deeply fudgy, mahogany-coloured sponge with a moist, dense crumb that stays tender for days. The beetroot melts entirely into the batter, leaving no earthy taste behind, only a rich, velvety depth that makes the chocolate flavour more pronounced. The result is a cake with a glossy, dark interior…

This lemon yoghurt cake is a pale golden, tender sponge with a fine, moist crumb and a bright citrus tang that cuts cleanly through every slice. The yoghurt keeps the texture soft and slightly dense without being heavy, while the lemon zest gives a fresh, aromatic lift to the whole bake. What makes this version…