I tend to make a lot of buttercream for this classic chocolate cake because we like it. You could get away with less, or you could spread a layer over the top as well and run a fork through to get a pattern. Secrets of Success When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices (fold, don’t beat). Now stir in the fruit and peel that has been soaking, the nuts, the treacle and the grated lemon and orange rinds.

Let’s be honest, making cakes is an art form, and unless you’re a natural baker, it takes a few goes to nail that recipe exactly the way the photo in the cookbook shows. That’s why, no matter whether you’re just getting into baking or you’re a seasoned pastry chef moving onto more complex bakes, you want bakeware that’s on your side.

More Everyday Cake, Bakes and Dessert Recipes

This scaling up is more difficult with cake recipes – they cannot simply be doubled or tripled. However, as a general rule, square tins hold about 25 per cent more than round tins of the same size. The cooking temperature would be the same, but it might take longer to cook, and it’s a good idea to turn the cake tin round in the oven a few times after it has had its first 4 hours (or 3 hours for a 6 inch / 15cm cake) because the corners tend to cook faster than the middle. I take a different approach to butter and sometimes use a cheaper brand than I would eat, but I do always use butter because it tastes better and you know what's in it. What if you don't have large eggs?

Traybakes are the perfect choice for kids’ parties. Mix up a sponge, bake it, decorate with frosting and sprinkles then serve directly from the tin - it’s an easy, less-mess win. Our cake bake trays cook evenly and, with helpful handles, are safe and simple to lift in and out of the oven. They’re also ideal for baking gooey brownies and make it extra easy to portion out your sweet treats into identical squares with the handy guidelines marked along each edge. Mini cake baking tins Sieve the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, and in a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture’s light and fluffy (this, in fact, is the most important part of the cake, so don’t cut any corners). Next, beat up the eggs and – a tablespoon at a time – add them to the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. If it looks as if it might start to curdle, you can prevent this happening by adding a little of the flour. For coffee buttercream icing, add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee dissolved in as little hot water as it takes.inch) cake - 4 large eggs, 250g butter and sugar, 35g cocoa, 215g flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder. Like most of my baking, this is an all-in-one recipe for chocolate cake, making it almost foolproof. The key is to mix the ingredients well enough so that they are completely combined, but not to over-mix them by leaving the processor or mixer on for too long. You need soft butter