Why Bother with Hot Cross Bun Loaf? Forget the individual hot cross buns. Honestly, they’re a waste of time and usually just dry out faster. Baking a Hot Cross Bun Loaf is the only smart move. It gives you all that spiced fruit goodness in a format that stays fresh longer, slices better, and is…
If there’s one British dessert that deserves its own fan club, it’s sticky toffee pudding. Rich, deeply sweet, and absolutely drenched in toffee sauce — it’s perfection. I’ve been experimenting with turning it into cupcake form, and I’m rather pleased with the result. All the flavour of the classic, but in a neat little package…
I know the world doesn’t need another banana bread recipe, and yet here we are. In my defence, this one earns its place through two things: the toasted walnuts, which add a bittersweet crunch, and the maple glaze, which transforms a humble loaf into something genuinely special. It started as a way to use up…
The classic lemon drizzle is a masterpiece of British baking — crisp, sugary crust on top, zingy, moist sponge beneath. I’ve added elderflower cordial to the mix, which brings a delicate floral note that complements the lemon beautifully. It’s the sort of cake that disappears at bake sales and causes arguments over who gets the…
There’s something wonderfully comforting about a warm scone straight from the oven, especially when it’s studded with tart raspberries and creamy white chocolate chips. I first made these on a rainy Saturday morning when I had a punnet of raspberries that needed using up, and they’ve since become a weekend staple in our house. The…
These cookie bars are what happens when you can’t be bothered to scoop individual cookies onto a tray — and honestly, I think they might be better than the original. The edges get beautifully crispy while the middle stays wonderfully chewy and soft. Plus, they take about five minutes to throw together, which makes them…
Blood oranges have the briefest of seasons and I look forward to them every January. Their extraordinary colour — somewhere between ruby and sunset — makes any bake look spectacular. This polenta cake is naturally gluten-free, incredibly moist, and has a wonderful slightly gritty texture from the polenta that I find completely addictive. I found…
I bought the plums from Bridgnorth market last weekend, they were perfectly ripe, none of this ripen at home nonsense which basically means they go mouldy and never get to ripen. A cake cum pudding is always a favourite here and the cake batter can all be mixed quickly in one bowl. I made my…
These cakes can be rustled up in next to no time at all. I had a couple of lemons which needed using up and my stash of frozen redcurrants never seem to go down and I’m on a mission to use them before the redcurrant bushes produce fruit again later on in the year. These…
Homemade bread rolls are one of life’s simple pleasures, and these cheese and onion versions take them to another level entirely. The onion is cooked slowly until sweet and golden, then folded through the dough with generous handfuls of mature cheddar. When they come out of the oven, the cheese on top goes all crispy…
