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Recipes

Frostings and Fillings

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe perfect for Cake Fillings

This Caramel Sauce Recipe is easy peasy. There is no melting of sugar and no fear of sugar crystallising. There are just 3 simple ingredients in a saucepan that needs a bit of stirring.

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Bronya’s Notes

I first started using this recipe when I was making Millionaire Shortbread. Between shortbread and chocolate, it sets to a delicious gooey caramel layer. Which then got me thinking, how would it work as a cake filling. Well, believe me, it's perfect.

Because this easy Caramel Sauce recipe sets when cool, it doesn't slip and slide between your cake layers. It is stable at room temperature which it makes a great caramel filling that will allow other cake layers to comfortably sit on top.

It does, however, have an amazing caramel flavour, and I have even added big dollops of it to buttercream in the past to make caramel frosting.

I have also used the sauce as drips, on cakes, and drizzled over the top of buttercream on cupcakes. It's also great for filling cupcakes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quite often Caramel Sauce can be quite a tricky thing to master. It can crystallise or burn at a moments notice and for no apparent reason at all. Melting the sugar is usually the most problematic part of the recipe.

This Caramel recipe uses just 3 ingredients and none of them are sugar. It’s a super easy recipe because you don’t have to melt any sugar, you don’t have to get out a sugar or candy thermometer and there is no feat of it burning.

Instead it uses Condensed Milk, Golden Syrup and Butter. All the ingredients are put into a heavy bottom saucepan and melted together.

It may take a little time to get the right colour and consistency, so don’t think this is a quick caramel to knock up. But what it takes in time it gives back in ease.

Ingredients for Caramel Sauce for Cake Fillings

Condensed Milk

I use Sweetened Condensed Milk. This recipe will be for one can (397gms), however it can be scaled up and down to suit your needs.

This recipe will also work with Vegan Condensed Milk.

Golden Syrup

Golden Syrup is an ingredient easily found in UK supermarkets. I buy the squeezy bottles, rather than the can, as it’s easier to handle and weigh out.

If you are in the USA I would recommend Light Corn Syrup.

Butter

For best results use block butter as the fat to moisture ratio is best. A spread or spreadable butter will have too much moisture and won’t set so well. I always use unsalted butter, and add salt to taste for salted caramel.

You can use a dairy free block butter such as Unsalted Flora B+tter.

Sea Salt

If I am making salted caramel, I find it best to use a coarse salt or kosher salt. Coarse salt will give a nice flavour with slightly less sodium.

Caramel Sauce Cake Filling

Technique for making Caramel Sauce for Cake Fillings

Weigh all the ingredients into a heavy bottomed saucepan.

On a medium heat allow the ingredients to melt together. Stir occasionally until the butter has all melted.

On a low heat and stirring constantly allow to bubble for 10 to 15 minutes until it turns a deep amber colour.

You may experience little brown flecks in the caramel. This is where the sugars have burnt a little on the bottom of the pan. If you have just a few little flecks these will disappear as the caramel sets. If you are seeing larger brown flecks make sure you are stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

WARNING: Do not try the caramel sauce whilst it is bubbling and boiling. It is extremely hot and will burn your mouth!

How to use this Easy Caramel Sauce

This easy Caramel Sauce can be used in so many ways.

Firstly, use it between your cake layers. Because of the sugar and butter content it will set at room temperature and is a great cake filling.

Use it in your buttercream. Mix through the cooled Caramel Sauce into your standard buttercream for a great caramel buttercream frosting.

Warm it slightly in the microwave, until it is a pouring consistency and use it as a sauce. It’s the perfect topping over ice cream sundaes or on warm sponge puddings. Or use it slightly warm as a dipping sauce for cookies and brownies.

Add a touch of salt for homemade salted caramel sauce.

FAQs for Easy Caramel Sauce for Cake Fillings

How do I store my caramel sauce for cake fillings?

Put into an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for a 3 to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

What cake flavour would go best with this Caramel Sauce?

Use as filling in chocolate cake for chocolate caramel cake. Or pair with vanilla cake or Biscoff cake for a nice caramel flavour.
Or you can bake a classic caramel cake by baking a vanilla cake but use light brown sugar instead of white sugar. Add some of the caramel sauce to your buttercream and then add the rest as a filling.

Will this caramel sauce go hard?

No, it won’t set like toffee. However it will solidify slightly to be stable at room temperature inside a cake.

How will I know when this caramel sauce is ready?

It will go a deep amber colour. Keep watching for the colour to change from a light beige to a lovely caramel tone.

Can I use this caramel sauce for a drip cake?

Yes, make sure your cake is well chilled. Warm the caramel sauce very slightly so it’s runny. Drip the sauce on the chilled cake. The cold of the cake will set the caramel on the side of the cake.

How do I keep the caramel from burning?

Keep stirring it when you are boiling it. Allowing it to settle on the bottom of the pan whilst heating will let the sugars burn.

Can I make this into Salted Caramel Sauce?

Yes, mix in coarse salt or kosha salt to taste.

Can I make Toffee or Caramel Apples with this caramel sauce?

No, because it doesn’t harden to a hard crack this sauce is not suitable for Candy Apples.

Pro Tip

If using as a filling in layer cakes, I would recommend using a buttercream dam. To do this smooth a thin layer of buttercream on the bottom cake, and then pipe a ring (or dam) around the outer edge. Then fill the dam with the caramel. Place the next cake layer on top ensuring the buttercream dam and the cake layers are touching. This way the buttercream with set and ensure nothing leaks from the filling.

Caramel Sauce Cake Filling

Caramel Sauce Recipe for Cake Fillings

Bronya Seifert
This sauce sets when cold, so it a fab caramel filling for cakes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course cake, Dessert
Cuisine English

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy Bottom Saucepan

Ingredients
 
 

  • 150 gms Real Block Butter
  • 397 gms Condensed Milk 1 can
  • 100 gms Golden Syrup or Corn Syrup

Instructions
 

  • Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat on medium
  • Allow to slowly come to the boil, stirring continuously
  • Continue to simmer and stir until it turns a dark golden caramel colour. This can take up to 15 minutes
  • Don't worry if you start to see small burnt bits floating in the caramel. Once the caramel cools these burnt bits will disappear. Larger burnt bits, from lack of stirring, however, may not go away so easily, so make sure you stir continuously
  • Once its reached the colour you need it to, remove from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl or jug and allow to cool.
Keyword caramel sauce
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

For other cake fillings check out: Simple Meringue Buttercream, Italian Meringue Buttercream and Roasted White Chocolate

Biscuits and Cookies

Grasmere Gingerbread

The UK has many hidden and historic bakes that are taste gems. Many that mainly those who live in a certain area or have visited that area will know about. Grasmere Gingerbread is one of those gems that needs shouting about!

A tray of Grasmere Gingerbread, cut into slices, with one slice removed and to the left of the tray. Photo taken from above
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What is Grasmere Gingerbread?

I came across Grasmere Gingerbread when I was looking through an old baking recipe book of my Mum's. It has a few treasures inside, some of which I have already adapted and shared on this blog, including Little Apple Cakes, and Cinnamon Apple Cake. Grasmere Gingerbread is from the small picturesque village of Grasmere in the Lake District, Cumbria. My husband and I visited The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop so I could pick some up. I have to say it didn’t disappoint.

The Original Grasmere Gingerbread Shop is a very little shop in a building called Church Cottage - on account of it being on the corner of the villages church yard. The church is in fact the final resting place of William Wordsworth. The little cottage building was originally the village school. In the 1600’s poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy taught there. There is nearly always a queue out of the door, and standing in line while you wait your turn to go inside you can soak up the strong history of the area.

Grasmere Gingerbread wrapped in greasproof paper with the Grasmere Gingerbread shop printed in blue.
The real thing. Grasmere Gingerbread from the Grasmere Gingerbread shop in the Lake District, UK. Hand wrapped in printed greaseproof paper.

When you get inside it smells delicious. There were 2 gentlemen behind the counter. One serving and the other wrapping the gingerbread in the old-fashioned way, inside parchment paper sealed with a rubber band.

I can honestly say I haven’t eaten anything so delicious for a very long time! It is, by the THE best gingerbread I have ever eaten.

A stack of Grasmere Gingerbread unwrapped. Several slices piled on top of greaseproof paper.
The real thing. Delicious Grasmere Gingerbread from the Grasmere Gingerbread shop in the Lake District, UK

Grasmere Gingerbread was originally invented by Victorian Cook Sarah Nelson in 1854, and her exact recipe is still a secret. The shops in the lake district of England, owned by the Nelson family are the only place you can buy the original Grasmere Gingerbread.

The recipe I am sharing with you today is my version of Grasmere Gingerbread. It’s one cobbled together from others I have seen online with a few extra’s of my own. It’s closest I could get to the Sarah’s secret recipe.

If you ever get the chance to visit Sarah’s shop, don’t pass up the chance to go and try the real thing.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Simply put it’s delicious! It is unlike any other gingerbread you will have eaten. Grasmere Gingerbread is a sweet-spicy cross. It's soft and melty on the base, and crumbly on the top. It has warm ginger flavour notes but doesn’t burn.

Grasmere Gingerbread will keep for a few days in an airtight container. However, a tip I was given whilst waiting in the queue outside that little house, was if you pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds it’ll revive it to a warm delicious treat.

Ingredients/Substitutes

You’ll need the following ingredients to make my version of Grasmere Gingerbread.

Flour

Plain Flour. You don’t need any baking powder in this recipe, so a plain or all-purpose flour will be perfect. You can also use a gluten-free alternative.

Sugar

I used light or soft brown sugar. It has a more caramel flavour, and helps to give the gingerbread a nice chewy texture.

Spices

I used a combination of 2 spices. Ground ginger was obviously the star, but I also added ground nutmeg. The Ginger flavour in my recipe is subtle. It's enhanced with a sprinkling of Nutmeg which always pairs and elevates a gingerbread's flavour. You can add more ginger to your shortbread, or even add cinnamon or mixed spice. It really depends on the levels you prefer.

Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of soda will help the mixture remain soft when baked.

Butter

I used brown butter to give the recipe a more nutty flavour. However, if you can’t be bothered with browning butter and leaving the melted butter to set you can use regular butter straight from the fridge.

I would advise using a block butter for the fat content. If you need a dairy free option use a vegan butter block such a Flora Plant B+tter.

Milk

Ony add milk if you are using browned butter. I used semi-skimmed milk, but you can use whichever you have including a milk alternative like oat milk, soya milk or a nut milk.

If you are not using brown butter you won’t need the milk in the recipe

Grasmere Gingerbread Technique

This recipe is extra easy to make. I made mine by hand in a large mixing bowl. However, if you don’t want that kind of effort you can mix it all in a food processor.

First pre-heat you oven to 160c fan, 180c, 350f or gas mark 4.

Line a square cake tin with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl (or food processor) add the flour, sugar, spices and bicarbonate of soda. Mix the dry ingredients until well combined.

Add the butter and milk. Either rubbing between your fingertips, or by using a pastry cutter, cut all the ingredients together until you have a mixture that resembles rough breadcrumbs.

If using a food processor pulse the mix until you have a rough breadcrumb texture.

Remove 4 heaped tablespoons of the mixture and place to one side.

Pour the rest of the mix into the bottom of your lined tin and press down lightly with the back of a spoon, making sure you press the mixture into all the corners of the baking tin. It’s a little like making shortbread. The crumbly mix will turn into a moist biscuit in the oven.

Sprinkle the 4 tablespoons of reserved crumbs evenly over the mixture in the tin.

Using a sharp knife, score the top where you will eventually cut it when it comes out of the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and using a sharp knife cut right through where you have scored. Doing this will ensure it doesn’t break and crumble when you try to cut it when it’s fully cooled.

Leave in the tin and allow to cool fully, before removing it from the tin and breaking it into the pieces you’ve cut.

Grasmere Gingerbread FAQs

How long will Grasmere Gingerbread keep?

If kept in an airtight container it should last up to 5 days. However, if you feel it may have gone a little stale revive it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.

Is this Grasmere Gingerbread recipe suitable for vegans?

Yes. If you swap the butter for a plant-based butter is vegan.

Can I make Grasmere Gingerbread Gluten Free?

Yes. Swap out the regular flour for Gluten Free Flour.

How should I eat Grasmere Gingerbread?

Grasmere Gingerbread is a treat. It’s like a cross between a cookie and a cake. It’s crumbly, it’s warming and it’s great with a cup of coffee or tea. Alternatively, why not serve it a little warm with some custard.

A slice of Grasmere Gingerbread on a grey marble surface, with the tray in the background

Gingerbread Pro-Tip

The top of this recipe has some of the mix saved to use as a crumble topping. This is great if you're using it as a stand alone cookie. However, if you leave the crumble topping off, this would also be a great base for something like Millionaire Shortbread, or similar. If you decide to do that just use all the mix in the base and press down into the pan.

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like:

Elevated Eccles Cakes
Easy Little Apple Cakes Recipe
London Cheesecake
A tray of Grasmere Gingerbread, cut into slices, with one slice removed and to the left of the tray. Photo taken from above

Grasmere Gingerbread Recipe

Bronya Seifert
Grasmere Gingerbread is a delicious combination of shortbread texture and gingernut flavour. This receipe has been elevated with Brown Butter, but even without its worth giving a go.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course afternoon tea, cookies, Dessert
Cuisine English
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 8" Square Baking Tin

Ingredients
 
 

  • 225 gms Plain Flour
  • 110 gms Light Brown Sugar
  • 1.5 tspn Ground Ginger
  • 0.25 tspn Ground Nutmeg
  • 0.5 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 125 gms Brown Butter Or use Unsalted butter and leave out the milk
  • 2 tspn Milk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 160c fan, 180c, 350f, GM4
  • Fully grease and line your tin with greaseproof paper or baking parchment
  • In a mixing bowl, weigh out your flour, light brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg and bicarb
  • mix together until well combined
  • Add the butter and milk, and using either a pastry cutter, or your finger tips, rub together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
  • Remove 4 tablespoon of the mixture and put to one side
  • Pour the rest of the mix into your tin and lightly press down to level it
  • Sprinkle the other 4 tablespoons of mix over the top
  • Score out your cut lines with a sharp knife and then bake for 30-35 minutes
  • Once the Gingerbread is golden brown, with a crumbly crust remove from the oven
  • Before setting it aside to cool get a sharp knife and cut through your score lines. Trying to cut this when cool will just result in a cracked and crumbly mess
  • Put to one side to cool fully before removing from the tin
  • This will stay fresh in an airtight container for several days

Video

Keyword gingerbread, grasmere gingerbread, UK recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The Business of Cake Making Blog

How to Cover your Cake Board with Fondant

Do you cover your Cake Board? When you look at someone else’s cake and marvel at how professional and perfect it looks, how many times do you see it sat on a silver, uncovered board? Not often, I bet! But then how often do you see a cake with a board that is part of the cake design, and realise just how good it looks?

Gravity Defying Ice-cream cake on a checkered covered cake board.
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Covering a cake board is quick, easy and an essential finishing touch to make your cake look professional. No matter whether you are making a naked cake, buttercream cake, ganache cake or fondant cake, a covered cake board will not only give your cake that finishing flourish, but it can also add to the design of the cake.

There are a new type of cake boards on the market nowadays. They are either coloured or plain white. These are often sturdy, melamine or MDF boards that give cakes a lovely, sleek finished look. However, say you want something a little more personalised? Why not make your board part of the finished cake?!

Hand Bag cake on a cake board covered with fondant that looks like fabric.

But, WHY?

Basically, it’s all about completing your design. A good design should draw your eyes to the highlights and parts of the cake you have spent longest over and want to show off, whilst everything else disappears from attention. So, if you have spent the time and effort designing a beautiful cake, why ruin it with a silver board? Instead, you can include your board in your design. Make it an extension of your cake. It’s an opportunity to expand and compliment your design. And while we’re at it, it’s great to finish everything with a coordinating piece of ribbon for that final finishing touch.

So, here’s a few essentials you need to know:

There are several different typed of cake boards. All can be bought from a cake supply store. There are the newer MDF cake boards. These are already covered and come in lots of different colours and a variety of sizes and depths. These are often a little more expensive but will not need to be covered.

If you are looking for good quality MDF cake boards, I can recommend LissieLou. They have a great range both with and without central holes.

Then you have the boards that are covered in food grade foil. These are usually cheaper. Some of these also come in different colours, but they are all covered in foil. 

Thickness:

Silver cake boards or boards covered in food grade foil come in 3 thicknesses.

The thinnest is cut cards or cake cards. These will either be covered in silver foil or be coated in a non-stick food safe coating. These are used by professionals between tiers on a 2 or more tiered cakes, if the cake tier isn't too heavy. They are also sometimes used under a cake that will eventually be transferred to a heavier cake drum. It’s the cheapest but weakest board and allows a cake to be handled and moved around with little mess.

The next is the 3 mm cake board. These are usually thick card coated in a food safe silver foil. If you buy your boards from a supermarket, this is usually what you get. Most professionals will use this thickness between tiers of larger tiered cakes. These are thicker than than the cut cards, but thin enough to be hidden under the cake.

You can even get 3mm Cake Cards with holes ready cut for centre dowels, which quite frankly is genius. Shop for cake cards with centre holes here.

Lastly, there is the cake drum. These are made from layers of card or wood pulp, or more recently I have seen a few made from foam core. They are covered in food safe foil. They are thicker, between 10-12mm and are what a many professionals use as a base board for their cake. The drum is always bigger than the cake or the bottom tier of a cake and is the one I’m talking about covering.

A foam core cake drum is usually lighter than the card pulp ones. However, the foam core boards are still very strong and can take several cake tiers on top of them.

Tall round cake decorated with a Banksy Stencil. Stood on a cake board covered to look like a pavement and a road with double yellow lines.

What does ‘Covering’ mean?

Professionals, if they are not using a pre-covered MDF board will generally use a cake drum under the bottom tier of a tiered cake, or under single tier cakes. It will always be bigger than the cake, so the cake can be picked up and moved without the fear of damaging the actual cake. It’s this drum we want to ‘cover’.

When I say cover, I mean putting layer of fondant on it. Sometimes with buttercream cakes you may wish to spread a layer of buttercream on, and the same with ganache. However, I favour fondant icing as its smoother and neater.

How to Cover your Board

Time needed: 20 minutes

There are several ways to cover a Cake Board, but this is a 'one size fits all' method. You can use it as the basis for any design both on the cake and the board.

  1. Clean your board

    First clean your board with alcohol, I usually use vodka on a bit of kitchen tissue to do this. Although boards are covered in food safe foil, you don’t know where they’ve been stored before you bought them. They may have been dropped on the floor, stored on the bottom shelves where dust gets kicked up, or even stored on dirty shelves. Just giving them a quick wipe with alcohol with get rid on any germs and is better for food safety.
    Most people never eat the fondant on the board because most people don’t like fondant icing. But don’t rely on that. There is often that one person the loves fondant and will pick every bit off, so make sure your board is clean!

  2. Make it sticky

    Then using either cooled boiled water or more vodka, put a very fine layer of water on the board – again I do this with kitchen towel. This is what the fondant icing will stick too.

  3. Roll the fondant

    Roll out the fondant icing to about 2-3mm thick.

  4. Stick the fondant to the board

    Lay the fondant over the board and using a smoothing tool, go over the fondant to ensure there are no air bubbles underneath.

  5. Tidy the edges

    Using a sharp knife, held flat against the edge of the board, cut away any excess fondant.
    Using a smoother, at a 45 degree angle, bevel the edges.

  6. Cut a hole for the cake

    Then cut a hole on top where the base of the cake will sit. Make sure the hole is at least 1” smaller than the cake. I do this for 2 reasons, firstly it would be a waste of fondant to leave it there and secondly it allows you to stick the bottom of the cake directly to the board.

  7. Make the sides look neat

    Lastly, finish the edge of your board with a colour coordinated ribbon stuck on with a glue stick or double-sided tape.

Tips and Tricks

If you have time, cover your board at least a day ahead. This will allow it to dry hard, making it easier to work with without damage. If you don’t remember and must do it at the same time as the cake, before putting the ribbon on, just pop the board in the oven for 10 minutes on the lowest setting. When you first remove it from the oven the fondant with be super soft, so be careful. As it cools it will become hard.

To give the edge of your board an extra smooth finish, use the smoothing tool at the 45 degree angle to bevel the very edge.

It's always a good idea to put sticky rubber feet on the underside of a cake drum. Boards can be tricky to pick up once there is a heavy cake on top. 3 or 4 well placed feet will make it easier to get your fingers underneath.

Barrel cake with edible ice and bottles sticking out of the top. Stood on a cake board covered to look like wood.

Design Ideas

With a birthday or celebration cake, including your board into the design can add a whole new dimension to your overall design. Why should your design finish as soon as the cake hits the board?

Sometimes there just isn’t enough room for words that are needed on a cake – put them on the board.

Maybe you have a beautiful cascade of flowers, let them flow across the board for a more spectacular look.

Maybe your cake is a colour, make the board the same colour to extend the look. Add extra details, such as a road running around a car themed cake, flowers, and grass on a gardening theme cake etc.

Do you have several toppers and elements that need to go on your cake? Rather than cramming everything on the top and making it look cluttered and the details get lost, put some of them on the board to allow everything to have the room to get the attention it deserves.

Make the board textured or imprinted to compliment your design. You can use texture mats or a textured rolling pin to make 3d effects, such as woodgrain and brickwork. Knitting and fabrics are also textures I’ve used in the past to finish a cake design.

Once you start to include your board in your cake design, there really will be no stopping you.

Spider Man bust cake, stood on a large board covered in blue fondant with the name Jenson written in fondant.

Watch my video tutorial on YouTube.

You can also find the video on YouTube here.

If you enjoyed this post you might also enjoys my post about 4 ways to niche your cake business or selling cakes at fairs and markets.

Cakes

Delicious Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake

Coconut always gives a cake a delicious flavour. If made with coconut cream it's not only delicious but moist as well. Add to that a good slavering of cherry jam, and you've got a fantastic Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake.

A coconut and cherry loaf cake with 2 slices cut. 1 slice laying at the front of the cake and the other on a flowery cake plate with a fork.
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Bronya's Notes

This coconut cake recipe has both coconut cream and desiccated coconut in it for full coconut flavour. The cream makes the mix moist as well as adding flavour. And the desiccated coconut adds the texture that is vital for the full coconut experience.

I experimented with a few ways of getting cherry into this cake, from adding actual cherries, to swirling through jam, but settling with a good smothering of cherry jam. The cake is quite liquid, so anything put in it simply sinks straight to the bottom. I did for example spread cherry jam on the unbaked cake batter, but by the time it came out of the oven the bottom of the cake was a layer of the jam, and there was none in the centre.

I baked this cake as a loaf and added the cherry flavour by spreading the top with jam. Instead, what you could do is slice the baked cake in half and spread jam in the middle as well as on the top.

Why you'll love this recipe.

This coconut and cherry loaf cake is perfect for a simple afternoon tea. As with all of my cakes it's very easy to make, and all the ingredients can be bought from a regular supermarket.

Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake Ingredients

Butter or Baking Spread

I use baking spread as it's a cheaper alternative. You could use salted or unsalted butter if you prefer.  You could also use a dairy free or plant-based spread for a dairy free alternative.

Sugar

I used white caster sugar. However, you can use white granulated sugar if that is all you have. Read about the difference between caster and granulated sugar. You could also use golden caster or granulated sugar, or even light brown sugar for a more caramel flavour.

Coconut Cream

I used a can of coconut cream; however you can also use a carton. Make sure it is well mixed with the butter and sugar mix. Don't use coconut water as it's not creamy enough.

Eggs

I used 3 UK Large eggs, free range if possible.

Flour and raising Agent

I use plain or all-purpose flour and add my own baking powder. Sift them together to get an even distribution. If you only have self-raising flour, then use that and leave out the baking powder. If you would prefer to make this gluten free, use a gluten free flour and baking powder, with added Xanthan Gum (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) so the cake doesn't become too crumbly.

Desiccated Coconut

I use a sprinkling of desiccated coconut in the cake for texture. You could use also use shredded coconut. I also finished the top of the cake with a little desiccated coconut for decoration.

Cherry Jam or Preserve

To get the cherry flavour into the cake I smothered mine with a good quality Morello Cherry Jam. You could use any jam or preserve but I think Cherry pairs really well with the coconut and adds a great flavour.

Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake sat on a chopping board with a knife at the forefront and a Cup and saucer in the background.

Step by Step Technique for Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f or gas mark 3.

Grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line with greaseproof or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter/baking spread and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the coconut cream and beat till completely combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.

Then, remove from the stand mixer if you're using one, and mix in the flour, baking powder and desiccated coconut by hand. I always like to mix in the flour by hand as that way you won't overmix it.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes. If the cake appears to be burning on top cover with a lid of foil and bake for a further 10-20 minutes, or until a skewer placed in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for a couple of minutes, before transferring to a wire rack and allowing to cool completely.

Once it cooled spread the top of the cake with Cherry Jam and sprinkle a little desiccated coconut on top for decoration.

Hints & Tips

As this cake is baked in a loaf pan it may take a while to bake. If the top of the cake looks like it's beginning to colour too much give it an aluminium foil lid to protect the top.

Don't open the door of the oven for at least 30 minutes when baking. Opening the door may allow cold air to collapse the air inside the cake, and no-one wants a sunk cake.

Pro Tip

This Coconut Cake recipe will also make the perfect layer cake. This recipe will fit 2 x 7" cakes. You can layer with cherry buttercream, or for a more tropical flavour lime buttercream.

FAQs

I've made coconut cake before, and it's always been dry. How can I prevent this?

This coconut cake is made with coconut cream so won't be dry at all.

Can I make this cake dairy free?

Yes, by using plant-based butter this cake will be dairy free.

Can I make this cake gluten free?

Yes, swap out the flour and baking powder for gluten free alternatives. Adding some Xanthan Gum will also help it from becoming crumble.

Can I frost this cake?

Yes. If you want to cut the cake in half and sandwich the jam in between you can add a frosting to this cake.

What frosting is best for coconut cake?

A buttercream flavoured with cherry jam would taste delicious.

How long will this Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake last?

It should last up to five days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it by wrapping well in cling film. It will freeze for up to 3 months.

If you like this recipe you might also like to try

The Best Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ginger Cake Recipe
Easy Coffee and Walnut Cake Recipe

A coconut and cherry loaf cake with 2 slices cut. 1 slice laying at the front of the cake and the other on a flowery cake plate with a fork.

Delicious Coconut and Cherry Loaf Cake

Bronya Seifert
Coconut always gives a cake a delicious flavour. If madewith coconut cream, it's not only delicious but moist as well. Add to that agood slavering of cherry jam, and you've got a fantastic Coconut and CherryLoaf Cake.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course afternoon tea, Snack
Cuisine English
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 2lb Loaf Tin
  • 1 Large Mixing bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 150 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 250 gms White Sugar. Caster or Granulated
  • 200 gms Coconut Cream
  • 3 UK Large Eggs
  • 250 gms Plain or all purpose flour
  • 2 tspn Baking Powder
  • 0.5 tspn Salt
  • 50 gms Desiccated Coconut
  • 3-4 tbsn Cherry Jam or Preserve
  • 2 tspn Desiccated Coconut for decoration

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM3
  • Grease and line your loaf tin
  • In a large mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the butter/baking spread and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Add the coconut cream and beat till completely combined.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the mix. Stir through by hand until well combined.
  • Add the desiccated coconut and mix through by hand.
  • Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes.
  • If the top looks like it's becoming too well cooked add an aluminium foil lid and bake for a further 10-20 minutes, or until a skewer placed into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.
  • Once the cake is cool spread with the cherry jam and sprinkle the desiccated coconut on top.
Keyword coconut and cherry cake, coconut cake
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Cakes

Easy Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter

With the price of butter still high, and an increasing demand for dairy-free bakes, I've had a go at making my best vanilla cupcake recipe without butter, and I'm going to say it may be even better than my classic recipe.

Vanilla Cupcake in a brown cupcake liner. Unwrapped and broken in half to show the fluffy centre. Other cupcakes and a pink teatowel in the background on a wire rack.
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Bronya's Notes

At the moment the price of butter is very high. It has come down a little, but it has got me thinking of ways to make more dairy free bakes.

My usual easy vanilla cupcake recipe with butter and milk is foolproof. So, I set about making that same recipe but firstly with oil, and secondly dairy-free milk. It's a very easy cupcake recipe. I purposely make my recipes easy as I'm baking for business, and I need them easy to follow. I have used my usual recipe for years and have made hundreds, possibly even thousands, of fluffy vanilla cupcakes with it. So, I knew it had to be this go to recipe that I adapted.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter

Firstly, its a super easy cupcake recipe using simple ingredients. It can be mixed by hand, or it can be scaled up to make hundreds of cupcakes at a time in a stand mixer. I regularly used to make hundreds of cakes for fairs and markets, and I could scale this recipe and would always get delicious, moist vanilla cupcakes. 

Secondly, it very adaptable. You can substitute many ingredients out. Such as plant-based milk or nut milks instead of dairy whole milk. You can use gluten-free flour without any other changes as the cupcake batter is very wet and will hydrate the flour very well.

These aren't vegan cupcakes as the recipe has egg in it. However, if you're looking for a vegan cupcake recipe you can try my Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter

ingredients for vanilla cupcakes without butter recipe. In separate bowls with labels.

Sugar

I use a white sugar, either caster or granulated. I prefer caster as the crystals are finer. You can read about the difference between caster and granulated sugar here.

Fat

My usual cupcake recipe has butter or baking spread. However, I swapped that out for oil in this recipe. Make sure you use a fairly neutral flavoured oil, such as vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil or canola oil. These oils won't change the flavour of the cake. I would advise against using olive oil as it has a strong flavour when baked and may over-power the vanilla flavour. 

Flour and Raising Agent

I always use plain or all-purpose flour and add my own raising or leavening agent. This gives me more control over the rise. However, if you only have self-raising flour use that and don't add the baking powder. 

Egg

I use 1 UK large free range whole egg. I haven't yet tried this recipe with an egg substitute, which would make these vegan vanilla cupcakes. However, I currently have some egg substitute in the fridge, so will try it out and report back soon.

Milk

My usual recipe calls for milk. I would usually use whole milk or semi-skimmed milk. However, if you are wanting to make these dairy-free, then use a nut milk such as almond milk. Soya milk or oat milk will also work very well. I would advise against coconut milk.

Vanilla

To get a good vanilla flavour into your cupcakes use as good a quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste as you can afford.

Frosting

I haven't added a frosting or glaze to these cupcakes. If you are wanting to add a dairy free buttercream, I would make your usual buttercream recipe, but use a plant-based block butter such as Flora Plant B+tter.

Baked cupcaked in brown cupcake cases. Still in the cupcake pan with a pink teatowel in the background

Technique for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter

I followed the same technique I would usually use for any baking. However, as this recipe is without butter and there is no creaming involved it is quite easy to hand mix small quantities in a large mixing bowl. If you are scaling the recipe up and making larger quantities, I would recommend using an electric mixer or stand mixer, just because it'll be easier on the muscles.

For best results I always weigh my ingredients using a kitchen scale. I also weigh my liquids; however you can use cups if you are more comfortable doing so.

Start by making sure all your ingredients are at room temperature.

In a large bowl add the sugar and oil and mix together.

Then add the flour and baking powder and mix until it's the texture of fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix to a loose batter. The cupcake batter will resemble that of a thick pancake batter.

Line a cupcake pan, or muffin pan with 8 cupcake cases. Using a ice-cream scoop, or large cookie scoop equally distribute the batter between the cupcake liners.

Bake at and oven temperature of 150c fan, 170c, 325f or GM4 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and well risen. Don't open the oven door until they have been baking for at least 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

Hints and Tips

Always remove your cupcakes from the cupcake pan immediately they come out of the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. Leaving them in the cupcake pan risks your cupcakes becoming soggy as the condensation as they cool will make too much moisture in the small cupcake pan indents. This can also cause your cupcake liners to peel away from the cake.

I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring your ingredients accurately for the best results.

Vanilla Cupcake in a brown cupcake liner. Unwrapped and broken in half to show the fluffy centre. Other cupcakes and a pink teatowel in the background on a wire rack.

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter FAQ

Will this vanilla cupcake recipe without butter taste like traditional vanilla cupcakes?

Yes. I don't think you can tell there is no butter in these cakes.

How do I substitute dairy milk in this recipe?

Use a nut milk, soy milk, or oat milk for the same results.

What type of oil should I use?

Use an oil with little flavour, such as rapeseed or vegetable oil. Don't use olive oil as the flavour when cooked is too strong.

How can I make sure I make cupcakes with a fluffy texture?

Don't overmix the cupcake batter. Over working the gluten in the flour will make it become chewy.

Can I make these cupcakes Gluten-free?

Yes. Swap out the flour and baking powder for gluten-free alternatives.

How should I store my cupcakes?

Cupcakes will last up to 5 days in an airtight container. However, be aware the cupcakes liners may peel away as there may be too much moisture getting between the cake and the case. 
If frosted, with the frosting completely covering the top of these moist cupcake, they will last a day or 2 out of an airtight container.

Can I decorate or frost these cupcakes?

Yes. There are just like normal cupcakes so can be frosted the same. If you are making them dairy free choose a plant-based block butter to make a buttercream frosting.

Pro-Tip

These moist cupcakes can be made in bulk, and they can be made different flavours. 

​Swap out 25% of the flour for cocoa for chocolate cakes.

Infuse the milk before adding it with different flavours, such as coffee, earl grey tea or chai.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like these:

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan Brownies
Dairy Free Birthday Cake - Chocolate

Vanilla Cupcake in a brown cupcake liner. Unwrapped and broken in half to show the fluffy centre. Other cupcakes and a pink teatowel in the background on a wire rack.

Easy Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe without Butter

Bronya Seifert
In times when butter is very expensive, I have been experimenting with an easy vanilla cupcakes recipe without butter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course afternoon tea, cupcakes
Cuisine American, English
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Large Bowl Electric or Stand Mixer
  • 1 12 hole cupcake pan
  • 8 Cupcake Cases

Ingredients
 
 

  • 120 gms White sugar
  • 40 ml Oil Rapeseed, Sunflower or Vegetable
  • 120 gms Plain or All-Purpose Flour
  • 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 1 UK Large Egg
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 120 ml Milk Whole, semi skimmed, nut milk, soya milk or oat milk

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM 3
  • Line a cupcake pan with 8 cupcake cases
  • In a large bowl, or stand mixer, mix together the sugar and oil
  • Add the flour and baking powder and mix
  • Add the egg, vanilla extract and milk and mix to a runny cake batter
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the cake cases
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cake are well risen and are golden brown
  • Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Video

Keyword cupcake, vanilla cupcake, without butter
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Cupcakes

Evolution of the cupcake is a recipe for business success

The Cupcake is a highly recognisable option for any cake business owner today. If you want to survive in the harshest of economic environments the cupcake needs to be on your menu. But where did the cupcake evolve and why do you need to be making them to succeed.

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A single chocolate cupcake with a chocolate buttercream swirl on top

Cupcake, n. Originally U.S. A small individual sponge cake baked in a cup-shaped foil or paper container, typically covered with icing or other topping…originated 1828.

Source https://www.oed.com/

Where did the Cupcake Evolve?

Where did the cupcake evolve? In a word (or actually 4 words), The United States of America.

American author, Amelia Simmons, first wrote in her book American Cookery, in 1796, about 'a light cake to bake in small cups'. This was the first time the words cup and cake appear to be documented together. Amelia, seems to be the first person to suggest that a cake in a cup was a good idea! Nice work Amelia.

However, it wasn't until 1828 when popular American cookbook author Eliza Leslie first wrote a recipe for cup cake in her book Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats. Personally I love a historic cookbook. I love to see what people of yesteryear were using to bake their cakes with. In Eliza Leslie's cookbook a Cup Cake recipe appears on page 61. Interestingly Eliza was making her Cup Cake by using a tea cup to measure the ingredients. It appears she also loved a spice or 2, as the recipe calls for half a cup of allspice and cloves, and another half a cup of ginger. Now that's a fiery cake! The recipe also included eggs, cups of sugar, cups of flour, cups of molasses, a cup of butter and a cup of milk.

page 61 of Eliza Leslies Cookbook with a recipe for Cup Cake

It doesn't, however, say what the size of a teacup should be. It simply says 'large tea-cups'. The instructions also say the cakes should be baked in 'small tins'. Again, no dimensions or accurate volumes are given, so when she says at the front of the book she is confident these bakes will be successful no matter where you are in the world baking them, I am a little cautious. 

Even back in 1828 the first recipes basic ingredients are the same as you would use today. Eggs, Sugar, butter and Flour, with added flavours. 

It is not certain if Eliza was intending her cakes to be a smaller cake, small enough to be baked in a cup. However, whatever her intention, the name of the Cupcake had been born.

Back then muffin tins weren't so readily available, so cupcakes were baked in individual pottery cups or ramekins. This reflects Amelia Simmonds original sentiment about baking a cake in small cups.

Its from the mid-19th Century that the history and evolution of the cupcake starts to take shape. 

The U.S. food manufacturer Taggart Baking Company released the first Hostess brand of Chocolate Cup Cakes 1919, becoming the first commercially produced cupcake on the market. It then expanded the range to include fillings and icing. They included a chocolate frosting and a 'loop-de-loop' white icing, creme filling, an orange cupcake and even a malted frosting.

As technology and flavours developed, so did the evolution of cupcakes. Both the professional and home baker saw the possibilities of these small cakes.

How cupcakes thrive in times of economic difficulties.

Fast forward to the late 2000's when recession hit on a global scale and the cupcake craze really kicked off. In the UK the recession lasted for 5 quarters, whilst in the US the recession officially lasted from December 2007 to June 2009.

But this was exactly the same time that Cupcakes hit their peak in popularity. Why?

When times are hard, we as humans naturally cut back on spending frivolously. So a nice layer cake, or birthday cake may be seen as an extra expense that we can do without. However, we still like our little luxuries. The new cupcake craze came about when we sought out small, inexpensive luxuries. Sweet treats, in the form of small size cakes were in big demand.

The TV show Sex and the City accelerated the demand by featuring Miranda and Carrie eating cakes from Magnolia Cupcakes. Sprinkles Cupcakes by Candace Nelson was founded in 2003, and Candace later went on to be a judge on TLC's Cupcake Wars. And Georgetown Cupcakes in Washington DC featured on a TLC TV Show. All this fuelled a craze that whilst may have died down a little has never really gone away.

Chocolate Mud Cupcakes on a wooden board with white chocolate shavings on top

The benefits of Cupcakes

The benefits of cupcakes is that they can suit any occasion. Gourmet Cupcakes for weddings and special occasions. Cute decorated cupcakes for baby showers. Colourful cupcakes for children's birthday parties. The possibilities for perfect cupcakes are endless.

Cake recipes used for larger cakes can be scaled down for these mini cakes. You still get all the variety of flavours, but use less of the ingredients. In recent years pull apart cupcake cakes have been fashionable, combining the benefits of both the miniature cakes and larger cakes all on one cake board.  

This is why, any good cake business owner should embrace making cupcakes, especially in times of economic hardship.

How Cupcakes can help your cake business today

By offering cupcakes your cake baking business gives the option of a smaller cake, with a dainty appearance in different flavours. You can still showcase your work, and encourage customers that wouldn't normally have the funds to purchase from you. Cupcakes are quick and easy to make. As said previously they don't require as many ingredients as larger cakes. And if you charge for your time effectively, the decorating time should be factored into the cost.

Personally I would set a minimum order, for example a box of 12. Because you don't want to be turning you oven on for too little. However ,12 cupcakes can range from £2.50 per cake to £5.00+ per cake, depending on how they are decorated. Giving you an order of £30 to £60 plus.

So if you are finding clients are turning down quotes because times are hard, why not offer a cupcake alternative and see how many takers you get.

History of Cupcakes Timeline

1796 - Amelia Simmons writes in her book American Cookery the words 'a light cake to bake in small cups'

1828 - Eliza Leslie publishes a recipe for a Cup Cake in her book Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats

1919 - Hostess Cup Cakes were first released by Taggart Baking Company

1950 - Hostess Cupcakes were updated to include the cream filling and their signature loop-de-loop white icing

2000 - Sex and the City characters Miranda and Carrie seen eating cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery

2003 - Candace Nelson founds Sprinkles Cupcakes

​2003 - Crumbs Bakery opened in New York

2004 - Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas found Primrose Bakery in London

2004 - Hummingbird Bakery opened first store in Notting Hill, London

2008 - Georgetown Cupcakes in Washington DC was opened

How to bake cupcakes - Hints and Tips

Cakes

Apple and Blackberry Muffins with a Crumble Topping

It’s Apple and Blackberry Season. This is one of my favourite foodie times of the years. The trees are bulging with apples and the hedgerows are stuffed with big fresh Blackberries. Apple and Blackberry Crumble is always one of my favourites, so what better to make than Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffins.

Blackberry and Apple Crumble Muffins on a wooden chopping board. One Muffin at the front, on a brown spotty plate, cut in half to show the fruit inside
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Apple Season

Apple season is always wonderful. In our village there are a lot of people with apple trees. We only planted ours this year so the harvest is small, to say the least. However, one of our neighbours has 2 of the prettiest apple trees in his front garden. And when he said ‘help yourself’, or else all the apples would just end up going to the horses, I was straight over there with my bowl.

a pretty apple tree in full fruit in someones front garden

These 2 trees are different varieties. He has no idea what they are, but they are both sweet, eating apples. And that’s what I love most about Apple Season – the variety!

The selection of apples in the shops has now become dull. There are just a handful of different types on sale, and quite frankly it gets a bit boring. So, when I have the opportunity to try new apples, that are homegrown, never sprayed, it is a total treat!

Seasonal Fruit is always so yummy to bake with. When they are at the height of their natural growing season they will have the most flavour.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffins on a wire rack. Underneath is a pink tea towel. In the top right hand corner is 4 ripe apples

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffin Ingredients

All the ingredients needed for Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffins laid out in bowls with pink titles

Dry Ingredients

Flour – Plain Flour with added baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. I prefer to use plain or all purpose flour and add my own raising agent. This recipe includes both bicarbonate of soda for the initial rise, and baking powder for the extended rise.

Sugar – I used caster sugar, but you can use granulated or even light brown for a more caramel flavour.

Cinnamon – I love the flavour of cinnamon with Apple and Blackberries. Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a nice spiced flavour.

Wet Ingredients

Buttermilk – Buttermilk adds a great creamy flavour. It is also acidic so helps the bicarbonate of soda to do it’s job. If you don’t have, or can’t get hold of buttermilk you can make your own. Simply stir 2 teaspoons of lemon juice into 150ml of Milk and leave to thicken for 5 minutes.

Egg – I used a UK large free range egg.

Butter – Melted butter/baking spread or oil is always best in muffins. I used melted baking spread as it has more flavour than oil but is cheaper than real block butter.

Fruit

Apples – I used fresh apples straight from the tree. Use whichever variety you prefer. If you prefer a slightly more tart flavour then use Bramley Apples or cooking apples.

Berries – Again I used some that I had foraged from the hedgerow. I found lots of plump, juicy blackberries. However, if you are not keen on blackberries you could either leave them out or swap them for raspberries.

A bunch of fully ripe blackberries still hanging on the bush

Crumble Ingredients – The crumb topping is the same as if you were making an actual Apple and Blackberry Crumble. I substituted some of my white sugar for light brown to give a nice caramel flavour. If you have demerara that would be add to the crunch.

Substitute Ingredients

Gluten Free - This recipe will work perfectly well with gluten free flour and baking powder due to the high moisture content. If you use gluten free flour I would advise you add some Xantham Gum (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) to stop the muffins being crumbly.

Dairy Free – Use either a low flavour oil, such as Sunflower, Rapeseed or Vegetable, or melted plant-based butter/spread to make a dairy free alternative. Use a plant-based butter or spread in the crumble topping.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffin Technique

Delicious muffins are very simple to make, but there is a specific technique to mixing muffin batter.

I prefer to weigh all my ingredients, but you can use cup measurements if you find it easier.

You start by combining all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then in a separate mixing bowl or jug combine all the wet ingredients.

Then bring them together and mix until just combined. If it’s still a little lumpy then that’s fine. When researching muffin recipes I read that you shouldn’t mix your muffin batter more than 11 times. I have no idea if this is true, but I think the general idea is to make sure you do not overmix it.

You then mix through your fruit. I cut my apple into small cubes, however if you don’t want large chunks of apple in your muffin grated apple will work just as well.

Spoon into your paper muffin cases or cupcake cases. Depending if you want a classic ‘muffin top’ where the cake overspills the case slightly, depends on how much you fill your cases. If you want a muffin top, fill to a couple of centre metres below the top, if you don’t want them over spilling fill to 2 thirds full.

Lastly, mix your crumble mixture. Crumble topping is like a streusel topping in that it is sprinkled over the tops of the muffins before the baking.

Put all your crumble ingredients into a bowl, and using your fingertips rub to the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the muffin batter in the tin before baking.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are a nice golden brown. As soon as the muffins come out of the oven transfer to a wire rack. This will help make sure the paper cases do not peel away.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Muffin FAQs

What is the most important rule when making muffins?

Don’t overmix. Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. If it’s still a little lumpy don’t worry.

What is the biggest mistake when making these muffins?

Overmixing. Don’t not overmix. You do not want the gluten in the flour to develop at all, so by barely mixing you will have a light, tender muffin.

How do I stop the apples and blackberries from sinking?

Quite simply, pack them full of fruit.

How do I keep the muffins from going dry?

Once baked you can store the muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This will keep them lovely and fresh.

Can I freeze muffins?

Yes. Put them in a airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost remove from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature before removing them from the container. This will strop them getting condensation on the outside and going soggy.

How do I add flavour to muffins?

Apple and Blackberry pair brilliantly with cinnamon. Adding ground cinnamon will add extra flavour. You could also use light brown sugar instead of white sugar for extra caramel flavour.

What do I bake muffins in?

I use a regular 12 hole cupcake tray or muffin tray lined with paper cases. The cases will help the muffins come out of the tin easily and will help keep the muffins fresh.

Pro Tip

These are great Breakfast products. They are really quick to make and can go into the oven in a matter of minutes. If you run a café or coffee shop, having fresh baked muffins for breakfast will be great as a take away item.

If you like these Muffins, then you'll love these:

Easy Little Apple Cakes Recipe
Cinnamon Apple Cake
Grasmere Gingerbread
Blackberry and Apple Crumble Muffins on a wooden chopping board. One Muffin at the front, on a brown spotty plate, cut in half to show the fruit inside

Apple and Blackberry Muffins with a Crumble Topping

Bronya Seifert
It's Apple Season. What is better than Apple and Blackberry Crumble? Apple and Blackberry Crumble baked into a muffin that can be snacked on or popped into a lunchbox.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course afternoon tea, Breakfast, cake, cupcakes, Snack
Cuisine American, English
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 1 12 hole Muffin/Cupcake Tin
  • 10 Muffin Cases
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 measuring jug

Ingredients
 
 

Muffins

  • 2 to 3 Medium Apples
  • Handful Blackberries
  • 175 gms Plain Flour
  • 1 tspn Baking Powder
  • 0.5 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 1 tspn Ground Cinnamon
  • 90 gms Caster or Granulated Sugar
  • 150 ml Buttermilk For instructions on how to make your own check out the post.
  • 1 Large Free Range Egg
  • 75 gms Melted Butter

Crumble Topping

  • 60 gms Plain Flour
  • 25 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 15 gms Light Brown Sugar
  • 10 gms Granulated Sugar You can use all white sugar and omit the light brown

Instructions
 

Muffins

  • Preheat your oven to 170c fan, 190f, 375c, Gas Mark 4
  • Line a cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases
  • Peel and core the apples and chop into 1cm cubes
  • Wash and drain the blackberries on a piece of kitchen roll
  • In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and cinnamon
  • In a measuring jug pour the buttermilk, egg and melted butter
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until barely combined
  • Add the fruit and mix through
  • Spoon into the paper cases, filling 2 thirds full

Crumble Topping

  • Put all the ingredients into a small bowl
  • Using your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until you get the texture of fine breadcrumbs
  • Sprinkle the crumble topping over the muffin batter in the tin
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are well risen, golden brown and a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool fully

Video

Keyword apple and blackberry, apple and blackberry crumble, apple season, fresh apples, juicy blackberries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Frostings and Fillings

How to Make Easy Condensed Milk Frosting

This is one of the most delicious and easiest frosting recipes to use on cakes. Sometimes called Russian Buttercream Frosting, Condensed Milk Frosting is just 2 ingredients but tastes like uses a whole lot more.

Rice Crispy Cakes covered with condensed milk frosting and chocolate chips and marshmallows, sliced into 9 squares. Photo taken from above
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What Makes this Frosting Different?

This recipe uses just 2 main ingredients. 'So what?' You’re thinking, so does American Buttercream. Ok, sure but this 2 ingredient frosting has a luxurious silky smooth texture reminiscent of a Swiss or Italian meringue buttercream. It will give you a beautiful smooth finish and is actually one of the easiest frostings to make. Not only that, when you make this amazing frosting, you don’t get covered in a cloud of icing sugar because it has no dry ingredients. The sugar content doesn’t come from actual sugar, but from the condensed milk.

But what are these 2 ingredients? Quite simply this frosting is made with sweetened condensed milk and butter. Now you’d think with 2 seemingly rich ingredients would be thick and heavy. However, once whipped it has a beautiful fluffy texture and a delicious creamy consistency.

It is much less sweet than a classic American buttercream. Sweetened condensed milk buttercream is creamy with a slight milk flavour. But the whipped butter adds a light richness that is very decadent.

What can I use condensed milk frosting for?

This can be used the same way as any buttercream or frosting. Like Italian or Swiss meringue buttercream it doesn’t crust over but will remain slightly sticky. However, if refrigerated the butter will solidify and harden. It's perfect for adding sprinkles as the sticky texture makes sure they adhere.

It's stable enough to be used in a layer cake and can even be used for frosting cakes such celebration or birthday cakes.

Condensed Milk Frosting Ingredients

Sweetened Condensed Milk

It comes in a can so you can always have some in the cupboard. Always use the sweetened version or you’ll find yourself adding extra sugar to the mix.

Butter

Always use a block butter for a higher fat content. This will mean that when it comes to piping your condensed milk frosting will keep its shape and structure.

You should always use room temperature butter that’s of a spreading consistency. Imagine you’re going to make a sandwich – that’s the consistency you want.

Additions

You can mix this frosting up a bit by adding extra flavours. These can include melted chocolate (dark, milk or white), vanilla extract, cocoa powder, coffee extract and even cream cheese to compliment the type of cake you’re baking. Make sure, however, that you keep cream cheese refrigerated after 4 hours for food safety.

Seasoning

As with most recipes this frosting will benefit from both a pinch of salt or a little vanilla extract.

Dairy Free/Vegan Alternatives

You can get dairy free alternatives for both of the 2 ingredients in this recipe. 

Plate of Rice Crispy Cakes with a corner square missing.
Condensed Milk Frosting as used on my Best Rice Crispy Cakes

Condensed Milk Frosting Technique

This frosting is best made with an electric stand mixer, or at a push an electric hand mixer. If you don’t have one, it’s going to use a lot of elbow grease.

In your stand mixer start with the whisk attachment and whip the condensed milk until light and fluffy. Then change to the paddle attachment and add the softened butter and beat on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you beat the smoother the frosting will become. Changing from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment will make sure you don't get too many air bubbles whisked into the frosting. It will still be a light creamy consistency, but without large bubbles so just the right consistency for piping and decorating.

If using an electric hand mixer, whisk the condensed milk until light and fluffy and then add the butter. Continue to whisk for 5 to 10 minutes. Using a spatula press the buttercream against the sides of the bowl to remove the air bubbles and get a perfect silky texture.

Condensed Milk Frosting FAQs

How do I store Condensed Milk Buttercream Frosting?

Once made this can be kept in an airtight container. This can be left out of the fridge for a couple of days. Or you can refrigerate or even freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to come back to room temperature and beat it again before using.

Can I make it with alternative ingredients?

Carnation actually make a Vegan Condensed Milk. If used with a plant based block butter it will make a great vegan/dairy free frosting.

Can I use this for a birthday cake?

Yes, condensed milk frosting will work great on birthday and celebration cakes. It is stable enough to be used in layer cakes and it doesn’t crust like classic buttercream, so adding sprinkles is easy as it’s slightly tacky to the touch.

Can you pipe condensed milk frosting?

Yes, it’s a great buttercream to pipe with. It holds its shape well and is silky smooth. You can pipe intricate designs and it works wonderfully with the current Lambeth and vintage cake trend. Don’t overfill your piping bag or the heat from your hand may melt the butter.

Is this the same as Russian buttercream?

Yes, this is an easy Russian buttercream recipe.

Other silky smooth frosting recipes:

Simple Meringue Buttercream
Grown-up (Italian Meringue) Buttercream
Cream Cheese Frosting - UK
Rice Crispy Cakes covered with condensed milk frosting and chocolate chips and marshmallows, sliced into 9 squares. Photo taken from above

How to Make Easy Condensed Milk Frosting

Bronya Seifert
This is one of the most delicious and easiest frosting recipes to use on cakes. Sometimes called Russian Buttercream Frosting, Condensed Milk Frosting is just 2 ingredients but tastes like uses a whole lot more.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course frosting
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Stand Mixer or electric Hand Mixer

Ingredients
 
 

  • 100 gms Block Butter
  • 200 gms Sweetened Condensed Milk

Instructions
 

  • In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, whisk the condensed milk and Vanilla together until light and fluffy
  • Add the softened butter and beat with a paddle attachment, on medium for 5 to 10 minutes.
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I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
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Cakes

Easy Little Apple Cakes Recipe

These little apple cakes are delicious. They are a mix between a mini apple pie, apple bun and an apple cake. They are one of the easiest homemade apple cakes I’ve ever made, and is one of my favourite recipes for the autumn.

8 Little Apple Cakes on a wooden board. One extra on a brown plate with a dessert fork. The cake is split in half to show the apple filling inside
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Notes

Autumn is on its way which in our house means apple season. We have masses of fresh apples, so with that in mind I have set about hunting out some great apple recipes.

When I say we have masses of apples, I mean it. We have 2 apple trees, which could be very very old – our cottage is over 500 years old, and although the trees aren’t the same age as the cottage, we’re fairly certain they are older than me – so that’s pretty old!
Every year our trees are full. This year has been very dry and hot, so the apples are small, some very small, but they are beautifully sweet and abundant.

A pile of green and red freshly picked apples.

My Mum found a fab cookbook, that she’s had since I was little. Inside there was loads of apple recipes. The problem with old cookbooks is the lack of pictures. Apart from the cover this one has no photos, and just a few line drawings. 

A lack of visuals in this day and age makes cooking the recipes a bit of an adventure, which of course could go horribly wrong, thankfully these Little Apple Cakes went perfectly. They are made in a cupcake tin or muffin tin, which I suspect is considerable larger than the bun tin stated in the original recipe, as the mix should have made 18, but I only got 10. The cake batter is more of a dough consistency that you actually roll out.

It turned out that this recipe was such an easy apple cake recipe, that it's actually become my favourite recipe for autumn.

The original recipe says eat them straight away, and while I wouldn’t argue with that, they were still good to eat a couple of days later, after being stored in an airtight container. And whilst they are Little Apple Cakes, perfect for an afternoon tea-time treat, they would also be fantastic as Little Apple Puddings, straight from the oven served with custard or ice-cream.

N.B. This recipe was first written in 2019 when I lived in a 500 hundred year old thatched cottage in Hampshire, UK.

A wooden board, on a table with apple trees in the background. On the board is several little apple cakes

Ingredients/Substitutes

Apples

I used medium apples from our trees. However, I would suggest you use your favourite apple if you don’t have a tree. Some types of apple that are perfect for this recipe include Golden Delicious, Granny Smiths and Pink Lady. All are sweet, juicy apples but are also crunchy enough to hold up in the baking process.

Flour and Raising Agent

Use plain flour for this as you are not looking it to rise in the oven. The bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar will give it just the right amount of rise.

You can use gluten free flour, but add Xanthan Gum (according to the manufacturers instructions) so the cakes don’t go too crumbly, or you’ll have trouble getting them out of the tins.

Butter or Baking Spread

You can use real block butter for a rich flavour. I used baking spread as it works just as well and is not as expensive a real butter.

If you want to add another dimension to the flavour, you can use brown butter, but add a little extra milk or your mix may be try. You can read my post on how to brown butter.

You can also use a plant based alternative spread if you want a dairy free option.

Sugar

Caster sugar is best in this recipe; however you can use granulated as well if that’s all you have. Read my blog on the difference between caster and granulated sugar.

You could also use brown sugar if you wanted a slightly more caramel flavour.

Egg

I used a large, free range egg.

Optional Xtras

Cinnamon

You really can’t beat the flavour combination of apple and cinnamon. These Little Apple Cakes would be extra special with that little kick of spice. Just 1 teaspoon of cinnamon is enough, but add more if you like the flavour. I used ground cinnamon in the apple mix as it’s the easiest to use to get the best flavour.

Berries

If you are making these in Apple Season you may also find an abundance of Blackberries in the hedgerows. Adding a few to the apple mix will be a great addition.

Icing Sugar

If you want to add a simple glaze, you can do that by adding a small amount of water to icing sugar and drizzling over the top of the cake when they are cool.

several little apple cakes on a wooden chopping board. one extra is on a brown plate broken open to show the apple filling inside

Little Apple Cake Technique

These little apple cakes are so easy to make. However, you’re are not making a cake mixture in the normal sense, you are making more of a dough.

The cakes are a combination between a pie and a cake. They are made by lining the bottom of a muffin tin, or cupcake tin with a disk of dough, adding an apple pie filling and then topping with another disk of dough. Because the dough is a little sticky you don’t need to stick the top to the bottom. They just bake together in the oven.

Even though you are rolling out a dough the texture once baked is very cakey.

several little apple cakes on a wore rack. One is split open to show the apple filling inside

Little Apple Cake FAQs

Which type of apple do I need for this recipe?

Any eating apple will work well. The apples are best if they are juicy and sweet but with a slight crunch. If your aren’t lucky enough to have your won apple tree I would recommend Pink Lady. Golden Delicious or Granny Smiths.

What size cake pan do I need?

These mini apple cakes are actually made in a muffin tin or cupcake tin. They don’t need a cupcake case or liner, the cakes are baked straight into the muffin tin.

How long will the Little Apple Cakes Last?

If kept in an airtight container these cakes will easily last for up to 4 days. However, if you have them for a little longer just pop them back in the oven for a few minutes, or the microwave for 20 seconds to refresh them and serve them with custard or ice-cream

How are they best eaten?

These are a great snacking cake. They are little hand pies and can be taken on picnics or used in lunchboxes. 

They are also fab as breakfast with your morning coffee, or as a snack in the afternoon with a cup of tea.

As they are pie like they are also great served as dessert with cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or my personal favourite, custard.

Apple

If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll love these

Cinnamon Apple Cake
Elevated Eccles Cakes
Grasmere Gingerbread
Little Apple Cake on Brown Plate, cut in half to show apple filling

Little Apple Cakes

Cute little cakes that are great fresh from the oven with some custard or cream, or as a tea-time treat with a hot cuppa.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack, treat
Cuisine English
Servings 10 Cakes

Ingredients
 
 

Apple Filling

  • 150 gms Peeled and Chopped Apples
  • 15 gms Sugar - granulated or Caster
  • 1 tspn Cinnamon Optional

Cake Dough/Batter

  • 225 gms Plain Flour
  • 1 tspn Cream of Tartar
  • 0.5 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda
  • 110 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 110 gms Caster Sugar
  • 1 Large Free Range Egg

Glaze Icing

  • 2 tbspn Icing/Powdered Sugar
  • 3-4 tspn Cold Water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 170c, 160c fan, 350f, Gas Mark 4.
  • In a heavy bottom pan heat the apples, 15gms of sugar and cinnamon if you're using it. It depends on how firm you want the filling of your cakes to be, but I prefer my apples to be soft but still keep their shape. Once cooked set to one side to cool.
  • Sift the flour, cream of tartar and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
  • Add the baking spread and sugar to the bowl and rub the mixture with your fingers until it resembles the texture of breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg and mix to a dough. It should resemble something similar to pastry dough, but slightly softer. Don't over work the dough as you don't want tough cakes.
  • On a lightly floured surface roll ⅔ of the dough to about ¼" thick.
  • Cut 10 rounds, about 2.5-3" across and place into a cupcake baking tray.
  • Fill each round with a spoon of the cooked apples. Keep it to the centre as you don't it oozing out when it cooks.
  • Now roll the rest of the dough and cut a further 10 rounds - I made mine slightly smaller, about 2".
  • Drop these onto the apple filled rounds in the cupcake tin. You don't have to worry about sticking them down, because as they cook they all bind together very nicely.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are well risen and slightly golden.
  • Remove from the oven, and gently run the flat of a knife around the edge of each cake to release them from the pan.
  • Turn out the cakes and allow to cool on a rack.
  • To make the Glaze Icing mix a teaspoon of water at a time to the icing sugar until you have a thick but pourable glaze.
  • Drizzle the glaze over each cake.
Keyword apple, baking, cake, easy bake, easy recipe, fresh apple, little cake, pudding, sweet treat, teatime
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The Business of Cake Making Blog

The Definitive Guide to Putting Fresh Flowers on Cakes

Safely putting fresh flowers on cakes is a constant stress for cake makers. Are you doing it correctly? Are the flowers you’re using poisonous? Are you using an effective barrier between the cake and the flower? Who’s responsibility is it – yours or the florist?

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Selection of Cupcakes decorated with edible flowers
Photo by Lex Leming Photo

We did extensive research for Episode 94 of The Business of Cake Making, including writing to the Food Standards Agency and companies who claim their products are food safe. This is our definitive guide to safely putting fresh flowers on cakes.

Don’t believe everything you see online

Firstly, we would like to address some of the advise you see and read online. Whilst doing our research some of the posts and videos we saw were quite frankly scary. Borderline terrifying.

There are some flowers that won’t just make you feel a little iffy if your body consumes them. Some flowers can actually make you very ill or even kill you. So, to see top cake makers and cake making influencers with hydrangeas (which contain cyanide) sat on their bench next to a cake they are decorating with fresh flowers, is reckless to say the least.

There are also very big differences between what is acceptable from country to country. For example, there are numerous videos showing that it is acceptable to wrap flowers with florist tape and putting the florist tape straight into the cake. These are largely videos from American Cake Makers. However, in the UK floral tape is not considered food safe due to the glue it contains.

There are also posts recommending you dip flowers in white chocolate or the product Stem Seal from Australia - but what happens when that cracks and gets left in the cake. Sure, chocolate or Stem Seal is edible, however, it has been next to the flowers so no longer food safe.

Therefore, before you set about taking any and all advise you see online, make sure you are reading correct advice for your country, your cake and your situation.

3 tier white wedding cake decorated between each tier with lots of edible english flowers
Photo by Lex Leming Photo

What is the best advise for putting fresh flowers on cakes in the UK?

The UK has very stringent food safety rules and laws. Many products approved in other countries are not legal here. Therefore, we are going to assume if it’s legal in the UK, you can be pretty confident that you’re doing the safest thing.

We wrote to the Food Standards Agency in the UK and got a reply from one of their specialists in food contact materials. He was very exact with his recommendations. We will quote him several times through this post to get the best information to you.

He started his email with this:

The use of flowers on foods such as wedding and Christmas cakes is well established, however when used in this context the flowers, foliage and accoutrements such as cake picks, are all food contact materials and have to be treated with respect to ensure they are safe and comply with regulations on food safety.

This, at it’s very basic level, is telling you that anything that touches or comes in contact with the cake MUST be food safe.

Flower stems are not food safe. The stem of any flowers that penetrates a cake needs to be behind a barrier.

If you are using something to wrap or cover the stems and petals of the cake, that wrapping or cover must also be food safe. Floral Tape is not food safe due to the glue in it. Open ended straws, where fluid from the stem can drip out is not food safe. Chocolate that can crack off and be left in the cake after touching the stem is not food safe.

There is literally only one device for putting fresh flowers on cakes that is food safe – a Posy Pick! Use a posy pick!

2 tier white wedding cake with pale pink roses

Food Safe Florist Tape

Before we get an influx of comments regarding Hamilworth Florist Tape, and how it is food safe we thought we’d address this.

Hamilworth Florist Tape is sold by many cake suppliers as a food safe option. We wrote to Hamilworth and asked if this was true. This is their response:

.....we do sample our tape periodically with our public health specialist to ensure it is safe to be in contact with food and we state this on our website.

We do not advise inserting fresh flowers directly into a wet product such as a cake and the best way to do this is via a food grade plastic insert such as a flower holder which we also supply.

Therefore, whilst Hamilworth Florist Tape is in fact food safe, they advise also using a posy pick (or flower holder).

Florist Tape when wrapped around a stem can shift and move. Whilst the tape may be food safe, the act of inserting it in the cake might mean the tape shifts and leaves exposed parts of the flower stem touching the cake.

Non-toxic vs Edible Flowers

Not all flowers are edible, and not all flowers are toxic. This is why many cake makers find this whole subject so confusing when it comes to putting fresh flowers on cakes. So let’s break this down.

Edible flowers are those you can eat.

Non-Toxic flowers are those that shouldn’t be eaten, but are considered safe if close to food.

Toxic flowers shouldn’t go anywhere near food as they can cause harm, illness and in extreme cases death.

Edible Flowers

Edible Flowers are flowers you can actually eat.

Edible flowers are usually purchased from a specific supplier. They are often organically grown and are picked the day before delivery. If you are needing to use edible flowers we recommend ordering them as far in advance as possible. They are not cheap and you should always get them priced up before sending a quote to your client.

You can also get small boxes of edible flowers from some supermarkets, but these cannot be relied on as they are often few and far between.

a single tier wedding cake with pressed edible flowers
Photo by Lex Leming Photo

The Food Standards Agency gave this advise when using Edible Flowers:

The use of edible flowers as decorations is not without potential problems, and it is advised that careful research is undertaken before adding such flowers to food. There needs to be careful identification to ensure safe use, for example, jasmine is edible but the very similar false jasmine is poisonous, edible pea flowers can be consumed but sweet pea should not. It cannot be assumed that the flowers of plants that produce food are themselves edible, for example, some species of poppy have edible seed, but poppy flowers themselves are toxic. Some flowers may present a hazard to particular groups of people, some people can have allergic reactions to some flowers (tulips and daisies for example), whilst others with medical conditions may react badly to the chemicals in flowers (for example begonia can aggravate gout).

The user of edible flowers for decoration should be mindful they are a potential food, thus there still needs to be consideration of the issues of pesticide residues, infestations, general hygiene and such like. If the edible flowers are dried, the drying materials should be considered as food contact and be compliant accordingly.

In general it is assumed that only the petals of edible flowers will be consumed. However, there are many beautiful cake designs where the whole flower is stuck to the outside of the cake. Whilst the stamen, calyx, stems etc may all be edible it is advised they are removed before consumption, as they don’t have the best texture.

The Food Standards Agency recommends the advise of the Royal Horticultural Society. Here is our list of Edible Flowers, taken from the RHS website.

Alpine PinksBergamotDaisy
ElderflowerDay LilyHibiscus
LavenderNasturtiumPot marigold
PrimroseRoseScented Geranium
SunflowerSweet VioletTiger lily
Note: This not a definitive list, it is just what we have experienced being given as cake makers. Always check the flowers you have been given before adding to a cake.

Non-Toxic Flowers

Non-toxic flowers are those that are not considered to be food, however if used near food are not toxic. These can either be bought from a florist or grown in your garden. Please be aware, if you purchase from a florist chances are the flowers would have been sprayed with pesticides at some point. Pesticides are not always considered food safe so extra care needs to be taken to ensure nothing from the flower leaches into the cake and is eaten.

a white wedding cake with 2 bouquets of large white roses

Our research shows the following popular flowers are all Non-Toxic and can be placed on a cake if the cake is protected properly.

RosesCosmosOrchids
LisianthusGerberaJasmine (be wary)
FreesiaCornflowersLavender
PeonyDahlia 
Note: This not a definitive list, it is just what we have experienced being given as cake makers. Always check the flowers you have been given before adding to a cake.

Of course it’s not just flowers we decorate cakes with. The following foliage can also be safely used if the cake is well protected.

Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, thyme etcWheatSpider Plant
WillowLeaves found with non-toxic flowers 
Note: This not a definitive list, it is just what we have experienced being given as cake makers. Always check the flowers you have been given before adding to a cake.

Some ferns and firs can also be used. However, be aware these can cause skin irritation for some people.

Toxic Flowers

The above are all flowers that can be used on your cake. However, we need to stress there are some flowers and species that should never go near a cake whether they are wrapped well or not. This is because other parts of the flower, for example pollen, oils in the leaves, the stamen, are all dangerous to humans.

Some flowers we regularly see used include:

Gypsophila (babies breathe) – the pollen can cause irritation. Sammie, has actually experienced small blisters after being in contact with this flower.

Hydrangea – contains Cyanide.

Cala Lillies – the stamen has small crystals (similar to needles) that can get into the respiratory system.

Eucalyptus – the leaves secrete an oil which is toxic to humans.

Flowers we are often given as cake makers that should never go near a cake:

Gypsophila/Babies breatheEucalyptusCala Lily
Lillies (all varieties)Hydrangea (cyanide)Foxglove
DaffodilsEnglish Yew (+ berries)Mistletoe (+berries)
Rhody and AzaleaRanunculous (inc buttercups)Poppies
DelphiniumsAnthurium 
Note: This not a definitive list, it is just what we have experienced being given as cake makers. Always check the flowers you have been given before adding to a cake.

If you are given toxic flowers there may be an opportunity to place them around the base of the cake (not actually touching the cake). However, please ensure they will not be mistaken for flowers than can be eaten and are definitely part of the display and not part of the cake.

What if you can’t identify a flower?

Quite often, as a cake maker, we turn up to a venue and the florist has left a bucket of flowers for us to use on a cake. However, what if you can’t identify all of the flowers. What if you don’t know what is toxic and what isn’t?

Firstly, we recommend getting yourself a plant identification app. There are a few on the market. We have one called Picture This. It’s very simple to use. You take a photo of the plant and it will identify it. You can then look up to see if its toxic or not.

3 tier naked wedding cake with a cascade of white roses

If, however, you get to a venue and there is no wifi or phone reception, and you can't identify a flower, our advise is to just not use the flower in question. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Who’s responsibility is it to provide Non-Toxic Flowers? The florist or the cake maker?

But who's responsibility is it to ensure that the fresh flowers you are putting on the cake are actually safe?

As the cake maker, and food producer, it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure the cake is food safe and edible. Therefore, you should not rely on a florist to ensure the flowers they are providing are not toxic.

The FSA are very clear on this, and this is direct from their email:

The person who introduces the flowers and accoutrements to the cake and then puts it on the market is the person responsible for abiding to The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations, the onus being on them to ensure safety is maintained. The legislation is to be found at: Food contact materials regulations | Food Standards Agency.

If the florist sells food contact materials in the form of vegetation, they will need to give documentary assurances that the materials are suitable for food contact use, they cannot assume a material is safe without confirmation that is so, as with any other associated materials such as cake boards.  In the absence of such documentary evidence the onus reverts back to the cake retailer/provider.

Local authority enforcement officials (Trading Standards or Environmental Health) have the right to ask to see what assurances have been given that such food decoration, if placed on the market, is compliant with the legislation. A decorated cake does not need to be sold to be “placed on the market,” even if given away for free, if it is a form of commercial transaction, the requirements apply

We can’t put it any plainer than that!

What happens if a florist wants to decorate the cake?

Quite often we get told that the florist will decorate the cake when they arrive. Or the event planner at the venue will do it.

The first question we need to ask you as a cake maker is – do you really want someone fiddling with your cake when you’re not there? They may do something that ruins the look of it. They may dink it or dent it. They may, at worse, do something that means it collapses. And then what?

a 2 tier dolce and gabana inspired wedding cake with a gold heart on the front and dark red roses on top

But, that’s not all. Are they even qualified to touch it? As cake makers in the UK we have to take exams, we have to be inspected, we regularly talk to our Environmental Health Officers so they can make sure we are following the correct procedures to be food handlers.

The florist that’s wanting to decorate your cake, do they have their Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene in Catering? Are they registered with their local council as a food handler? Do they know what a posy pick is and how to use it? Do they know florist tape is not food safe?

So, in answer to the question, what happens if a florist wants to decorate the cake? Our answer, is absolutely not!

Note: if for some reason you must leave a cake undressed. We would recommend you get a signed document to say you have provided the cake with NO flowers attached. We have heard of some cake makers who suspect one of their cakes may be decorated after they have left. We suggest you cover yourselves in this eventuality and get your documentation signed and dated, and take lots of photos.

How to use a posy pick

But how do you effectively use a posy pick?  There are lots and lots of sizes of posy picks. Some teeny tiny, some very large. Make sure you choose the best size for the job.

If you have several flowers to put together, try to bunch them into one larger pick so you don’t have to make too many holes in your cake.

Only push the pick in to the surface of the cake. Never let the pick disappear into the cake as the stem of the flower may still end up touching the cake. And the pick may end up on someone’s plate when the cake is cut.

If your pick is slightly too large push a little fondant into it to hold the stem better.

Alternatives to fresh flowers on cakes

Here are some alternatives, and the things to bear in mind when using them:

Sugar Flowers  - make sure the stems are wrapped and put in a posy pick. Florist wire is not suitable to penetrate cakes.

Wafer Paper Flowers – again these are edible. If you have wired them the wire must have an appropriate barrier against the cake.

2 tier wedding cake with pink roses decorating the centre

Food compliant artificial flowers  - there are some fantastic artificial flowers on the market. The plastic stems are often food safe and can therefore be placed directly into the cake. But as the FSA said, make sure you wash them properly between uses.

Dummy Cakes – put your flowers on a dummy cake instead of a real cake. Heat a metal skewer with a flame (lighter or blow torch) to melt a hole, and place the flower directly in.

In summary to putting fresh flowers on a cake

Ultimately, as the cake maker/food producer, it is your responsibility to safely put flowers onto a cake.

It is up to you to know which flowers are non-toxic, so go prepared and educated.

We recommend that the only way to safely put fresh flowers on cakes is to use a posy pick. It really is the only way to have a full, food safe barrier between the flower and the cake.

For more information please refer to our references below, or read the email from the FSA.

Listen to the Podcast

For more information and to hear Bronya and Sammie talk about their experience listen to the podcast.

References:

Food contact materials regulations | Food Standards Agency.

Royal Horticultural Society, Edible Flowers

For information about particular risks presented by potentially harmful plants the Plant Poisons Information is available from the Centre for Economic Botany at Kew Gardens, Kew Science staff | Kew

Cakes

Easy Tottenham Cake Recipe

Tottenham Cake is a simple, moist sponge cake. Baked as a traybake and covered with fruit flavoured glaze icing. It's mostly found in the East End of London and has a great history.

Sliced Tottenham Cake with pink icing. Corner slice with bite mark and corner missing
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How I discovered Tottenham Cake

To many people, well actually most people, they don't really know what Tottenham Cake is. But work or live in the East end of London and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

I worked in Hackney, in London’s East end for over 10 years, and was lucky to regularly enjoy delights from Percy Ingles Bakery, from ‘down the Roman Road’….and wow did they have some yummy delights. Percy Ingles is a household name in Hackney, but step away from the Capital and few people will know what you’re talking about. It is a family bakery with ov er 50 shops in London and makes a great classic Tottenham Cake.

What is Tottenham Cake?

I remember the first time someone bought some into the office it reminded me of cakes I used to eat as a child. It’s light, sweet sponge covered in bright pink glacé icing.

However, if you delve a bit deeper, and it has real history. It was first made in the late 1800’s by a Baker called Henry Chalkley, who was a Quaker. He baked it in long trays and cut it into cubes which were sold for 1 penny a slice – off cuts and dodgy looking slices were sold for half a penny. As a Quaker, Henry kept the cake simple but tasty. The pink icing was reportedly made from Mulberries that grew in the garden of The Tottenham Friends Meeting House.

In 1901 Tottenham Hotspur’s won the FA Cup, and to celebrate children in the area were given a cube of cake for free…..now that’s my kind of celebration! Sadly, Mulberries aren’t quite as easy to come by, and most of today’s icing is made pink by colouring. But made well, it’s a cake that you just can’t resist. It’ll take you back to being 7 years old again.

So, after a bit of research, I found a few historic recipes and made my own. I combined and tweaked them, to make what I hope is a great, classic Tottenham Cake.  It’s slightly denser than a normal sponge and is sweet and moist from the syrup that’s poured on it while warm. I used a high-concentrate, low sugar Summer Berry Squash for the icing, which gives it an extra fruity zing.

From above a tray of Tottenham Cake with pink icing on top. Once corner slice on a brown spotty plate to the left hand side

Tottenham Cake Ingredients

Ingredients for Tottenham Cake. All ingredients in bowls with text heading for each ingredient. Includes baking spread, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, water and icing sugar

Essentially this is a classic sponge cake recipe consisting of butter/baking spread, sugar, eggs, and flour. It is slightly denser due to a higher proportion of flour than most sponges, but it’s extra moist because of the syrup you pour onto it when it’s baked.

Butter/Baking Spread

I used baking spread in my recipe to keep costs down. However real butter will work well, or a plant based alternative.

Sugar and Vanilla Flavour

Use white sugar in this bake for a classic caramelisation. Caster or granulated will both work equally well. Read my article on Granulated and Caster Sugar for more information.

Vanilla is an important part to the flavour of this cake. Vanilla extract or paste is best for a natural vanilla flavour. Essence is ok, but the flavour may be a little more artificial.

Eggs

I use large free-range eggs.

Flour and Raising Agent

As with most of my recipes I use plain (all purpose) flour with baking powder for better control over the raising agent. However, you can us self-raising flour and omit the baking powder.

This cake can be made using a Gluten free alternative.

Syrup Ingredients

This cake has a sugar syrup poured over it to give it extra moistness, similar to what you would use on a lemon drizzle cake. Use an icing sugar to give a clean sugary flavour. Granulated or caster sugar can be used but will give a crunchy topping as the crystals may not dissolve so well.

Icing Ingredients

Traditionally Tottenham Cake was glazed with Mulberry Juice Icing. However, Mulberries are pretty tricky to come by nowadays. You can use either a simple icing sugar and water glaze icing with pink food colouring. Or, if you are looking for something a little fruitier you can add some fruit cordial to icing sugar, which I did.

Dairy Free and Gluten Free.

This cake can easily be made with both dairy free/plant based butter, and gluten free flour should you need too.

I would recommend using Xanthan Gum (as per the packet instructions) if using Gluten Free Flour to ensure the cake is not too crumbly.

Tottenham Cake Technique

This is a classic Creaming Method Sponge Mix, where you cream the butter/baking spread together with the sugar until it’s light and fluffy. You then add the eggs, vanilla, and flour to form a dropping consistency batter.

Read my blog on the best light and fluffy sponge cake to learn more about this technique of mixing your batter.

When syruping your cake, it’s best done whilst still warm. This means some of the moisture will evaporate, leaving a sweet moistness. If you leave your cake to cool before adding the syrup it may become soggy.

Slice of yellow cake with pink icing sat on a brown spotty plate. A little of the cake has been slices off and is sat on a dessert fork. In the background a pink baking tray with more of the cake with pink icing cut into squares

Tottenham Cake FAQs

hy is it called Tottenham Cake?

Because it comes from Tottenham in the East end of London. It was first made by Quakers and was later handed out for free when the football team Tottenham Hotspurs won the FA cup.

Should Tottenham Cake have Coconut on top?

In all the years I ate Tottenham Cake made by the East end bakery Percy Ingles, I never had coconut on top of it.
Many recipes do include sprinkling it with desiccated coconut. I’m sure it’s just personal preference. Personally, I don’t like the texture of it so would never include it. But if you like a bit of desiccated coconut, then go ahead and sprinkle it on!

How to store Tottenham Cake

Tottenham Cake, with its syrup, is a lovely moist cake. It will keep for several days. I recommend popping it in an airtight container to retain the moisture.
It can also be frozen for up to 3 months if well wrapped. However, I would recommend freezing it before you ice it with the glaze. When you want to eat it, remove it from the freezer and allow it to come back to temperature whilst still in it’s wrapping but on a wire rack.

Can I make this dairy free or gluten free?

Yes, absolutely. To make it dairy free replace the butter/baking spread for a plant based alternative.
To make it gluten free use your favourite gluten free flour and baking powder. Be sure to add Xanthan Gum (using the packets instructions) so the cake doesn’t become too crumbly.

If you enjoyed this Tottenham Cake recipe, you'll love these

Brown spotty cake with a slice of Tottenham Cake with pink icing on in front. Behind a tray of Tottenham Cake with Pink icing and a blue mug in the background

Tottenham Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
Sweet and Simple cake recipe, covered in fruity glace icing. Just like the Quakers first made it
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course cake, desssert, Snack
Servings 9

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 170 gms Caster or Granulated Sugar
  • 170 gms Butter at room temp, or baking spread
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Extract or Paste
  • 3 Eggs
  • 230 gms Plain Flour
  • 2 tspn Baking Powder

Syrup

  • 50 ml Cold Water
  • 2 tbsn Icing Sugar

Icing

  • 150-200 gms Icing Sugar
  • 1-2 tbspn Fruit Squash or Cordial

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 160c fan, 180c, 350f, GM 3
  • Line a baking tray - an 8" brownie tin is ideal. Line it so the paper comes up out of the sides
  • Either with an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy
  • Add the vanilla and mix through
  • Add the eggs one at a time, adding a small spoon of the flour if it starts to curdle
  • Beat everything together until light in colour
  • Now, by hand, fold in the remaining of the flour until all incorporated
  • Pour into the baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until light and golden, and a skewer stuck into the centre comes out clean
  • One baked remove from the oven and place to one side while you make the syrup
  • Mix together the icing sugar and water until the sugar is fully dissolved
  • Whilst still in the tin spoon the syrup all over the sponge and allow to cool.
  • Once cooled removed from the tin and now its time for the icing
  • Mix together the icing sugar and fruit squash until you have a very thick pouring consistency. I would mix 1 tablespoon at a time of the squash or you’ll badding extra icing sugar to get it thick again
  • Spread over your cake
  • Cut and enjoy!!!!

Video

Keyword Quaker Cake, Tottenham Cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A slab of Tottenham Cake taken from above. The cake has pink icing and is cut into rectangular slices. The corner slice has been removed and sits at an angle to the rest with a bite taken out.

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I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
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Cupcakes

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

I am a firm believer that you need a specific recipe for Cupcakes. Because they are small and contained within their own paper case, they can be lighter with less structural integrity than larger layer cakes. That means you can use more liquid in them, which is just perfect for these delicious Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes.

lemon Drizzle Cupcakes - some decorated with lemon buttercrea, some un decorated
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Lemon Flavour

This delicious recipe contains just one egg, but has both milk and lemon juice to add to the moisture content. The Lemon Flavour comes from both the zest of a lemon and the juice. The zest is where most of the lemons flavour is. The zest contains the oils that, when beaten with the butter, will be released into the mix.

However, be careful when zesting a lemon that you literally only take the top yellow part of the peel. If you start to take the white the flavour will soon become bitter. And as a quick tip - always use unwaxed lemons. no-one wants to eat the wax they put on lemons to make them shiny. That stuff is purely for looks and not for eating!

lemon drizzle cupcakes decorated with yellow flowers on a pink cake stand

Lemon Drizzle Cupcake Ingredients

This is a classic cake recipe with butter, sugar, flour and eggs. However it has a few added ingredients to make these Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes extra zingy and extra fluffy.

Butter/Baking Spread

I always use baking spread in cupcakes. The high moisture levels are good for a moist cake, and using baking spread will help keep the cost down.

Sugar

I would recommend using caster sugar. However, granulated will work. I do find with granulated however I have a slightly sweeter crust on the cakes. Read my post about Caster and Granulated Sugar.

Eggs

This recipe only use 1 egg. The extra moisture in these cakes comes from milk and Lemon Juice.

Flour and Raising Agent

I use plain (all purpose) flour in cupcakes with added Baking Powder. I use a little more Baking Powder than I would in a larger cake, but not enough that you can taste it. You can use Self Raising flour, however reduce the quantity of Baking powder to 0.5tspn, rather than 1.5tspn.

Lemon

Use both the zest and the juice of the lemon. A lot of flavour is held in the oils in the skin of a lemon, so using the zest at the beginning of the recipe will help get the most out of it.

As you are using the zest make sure you use unwaxed lemons, or you’ll just be grating wax into your recipe.

Milk

I always add milk to my cupcake mix. Use whichever you have in the fridge. Plant based alternatives will also work just as well.

Drizzle:

To get a crunchy top on Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes you need to make a drizzle from Lemon Juice and Granulated Sugar. Granulated sugar is best for this as the crystal are bigger and you get a nice crunch.

Frosting:

Butter for Frosting

Always use block butter for buttercream. The fat to moisture ratio is best and you will avoid sloppy frosting.

Icing Sugar

Regular icing (powdered) sugar is fine for this recipe. If you Icing Sugar is lumpy, make sure you sift it first.

Lemon Curd

The flavouring in the buttercream comes from adding lemon curd. This can be either home made (if you are a domestic goddess) or shop bought.

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Alternatives

You can use gluten free flour and baking powder in this recipe. In fact, due to the high levels of moisture in the mix gluten free flour works very well. I would also use Xanthan Gum to avoid the cupcakes crumbling. Follow the pack instructions for the quantities.

Both plant-based butter and milk alternatives can easily be used int this recipe. For the buttercream always use a plant-based butter block, as the moisture content will be lower and the icing will keep its structure better.

Lemon Drizzle Cupcake Technique

These cupcakes use the Reverse Creaming Method. You start by mixing the sugar, flour and butter /baking spread together until you get a breadcrumb texture. This allows the flour to be coated in the butter/baking spread fat before the liquid hits it. Once the egg, milk and lemon juice hit the flour the gluten will start to develop if you work it too much. Coating it means the development will be less, making your cupcakes lighter and fluffier.

Always take your cupcakes out of their pans as soon as they come out of the oven. This will help to avoid the cases peeling, and the cakes shrinking. Read my post on how to bake cupcakes for the best results.

If you are using the drizzle coating, before the buttercream, add this as soon as they come out of the cupcake pans, whilst they are still hot. The heat from the cakes will help to evaporate the moisture in the juice, leaving behind the zesty flavour and crunchy sugar.

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Recipe Text, over photo designed to pin to pinterest

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes FAQs

What’s the secret to a good cupcake?

Use a different recipe to larger cakes. One that is specifically designed for cupcakes with lots of moisture, that make very light, fluffy cakes.

How do I bake flat topped cupcakes?

Bake them at a lower temperature. This may mean they take a little longer, but you will avoid getting that annoying pimple top that you can sometimes get. I bake cupcakes no higher than 150c (300f). If baked low the whole cake will bake at the same rate and rise at the same rate. If you bake too high the outside of the cake will bake first, and when the middle bakes it’ll have nowhere to go but up, and that’s when you get a dome.

How do I store Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes?

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Pro Tips

Make sure you mix the milk and lemon juice into the mix separately - this is NOT a bung it all in kind of recipe. Lemon Juice, if mixed directly with the milk will make it curdle. Therefore, mixing it in at the end will allow the milk to be protected from curdling by the butter, sugar and flour mix.

However, the best way to get maximum flavour from the zest is to put it in right at the start. The oils will release from the zest whilst it's being beaten with the sugar and butter and can them permeate into the whole of the recipe.

This recipe should make 8 cupcakes but can be easily scaled but doubling or tripling the quantities. It also works great with oranges or limes.

If you've enjoyed this recipe, you'll love these

lemon drizzle cupcakes with yellow buttercream on a pink cake stand

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes Recipe

Bronya Seifert
This delicious recipe contains just one egg, but has both milk and lemon juice to add to the moisture content. The Lemon Flavour comes from both the zest of a lemon and the juice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course cake, cupcakes, Dessert
Cuisine English
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 Zesting grater
  • 1 Lemon Juicer
  • 1 measuring jug
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 Electric Mixer Preferred but not essential
  • 1 Scales and Spoon Measures
  • 1 12 hole cupcakes Pan
  • Cupcake Cases/liners

Ingredients
 
 

Cakes

  • 40 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 1 Zest of a Lemon approx. 2 tbspn
  • 120 gms Caster Sugar
  • 120 gms Plain Flour
  • 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 100 ml Milk
  • 30 ml Lemon Juice approx 1 medium lemon

Drizzle

  • 30-40 ml Lemon Juice approx 1 medium/large lemon
  • 2 tbspn Granulated Sugar

Buttercream

  • 150 gms Block Butter at a spreadable consistency
  • 300 gms Icing or powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbspn Lemon Curd
  • a few drops yellow food colouring optional

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to 150c fan, 180c, 350f, GM4
  • Line a cupcakes tin with 8 cases
  • In a mixing bowl - this can be done in an electric mixer - weigh the butter/baking spread, caster sugar and lemon zest.
  • Beat together until light and fluffy
  • Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until you have the consistency of fine breadcrumbs
  • Add the egg and milk and mix until just combined
  • Lastly add the lemon juice and mix through
  • Divide the batter between the 8 cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes, or until well risen and a cocktail stick placed in the centre comes out clean
  • Whilst the cakes are baking mix together the juice and granulated sugar for the drizzle
  • As soon as the cakes are baked, remove from the oven and transfer the cakes to a wire cooking rack
  • Whilst the cakes are still hot spoon over the drizzle
  • Allow to cool and the drizzle to become crunchy
  • Whilst cooling mix the buttercream by placing all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing slowly until everything comes together
  • Then mix on medium/high for at least 5 minutes to get light and fluffy buttercream
  • Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag, or use a palette knife to decorate the cakes
Keyword lemon cupcakes, lemon drizzle cake, lemon drizzle cupcakes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

For more information head over to my post How to Bake Cupcakes or watch my IG TV about Cupcakes

Recipes & Baking Knowledge

Easy Recipe for Big Fluffy Scones with Clotted Cream

Afternoon Tea, Cream Tea and eating Scones - a very British past time. But do you struggle to make tall, light scones? Do you find they're never quite big as you'd hoped they'd be when they come out of the oven? Here is my big fluffy scones recipe, with an added ingredient of clotted cream.

big fluffy scone filled with jam and clotted cream on flowery side plate
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The Secret to Big Fluffy Scones

Traditional English scones, although a firm favourite for many people, can be tricky little things to master. So often they either don't rise or are tough to eat. So here are my tips to make the best scones.

The biggest thing is you should never do is overwork them. Scones don't like being handled too much. The flour gets tough and bready, and a tough bready scones is not what you want.

They can be made with an electric or stand mixer, but personally I like to make mine by hand. Electric Mixers are a great help. However, as they are machines that can work at a fast pace, it is easy to overmix your dough without even knowing it.

Therefore, I like to make mine by hand. I often use a pastry blender to make things easier. Mixing by hand gives you full control over the dough, and as it all comes together you can stop without taking it too far.

Also, don't over knead them. The best big, fluffy scones don't like to be squished and rolled around. When I make scones I get to a point where most of the dough bought together in a large mixing bowl, with a few crumbs here and there. I then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for no more than ten seconds - just to bring those stray crumbs into the bigger dough ball.

I also rarely roll my dough, but instead I press it out. However, you can lightly roll your dough, but don't roll it any thinner than 1". Once I have cut my first scones I bring the dough back together, but don't knead it again. I just squish it back into a ball and start again.

Big Fluffy Scones Ingredients/Substitutes

These are sweet scones made with added Clotted Cream. Clotted Cream is usually what is spread on a scone in the UK, but as a delicious creamy fat it can be a great ingredient inside for perfect scones.

Flour and Baking Powder

As with most of my recipes I use Plain Flour (all purpose flour) and add my own baking powder. This allows me to control the amount of raising agent I put into my scones. Sometimes you can end up tasting the Baking Powder in scones, and that is why it is very important to measure and weigh your ingredients properly. 

You can use self-raising flour, without the baking powder if that is all you have.

Butter or Baking Spread

I have always made scones using a baking spread. I find it doesn’t affect the flavour or the texture but it is a good lower cost alternative. Always use either cold butter or baking spread.

Clotted Cream

This is an optional extra that gives a creamy richness to the scone. If you don’t have any clotted cream just add 20gms more butter/baking spread. If using it, use it cold

Sugar

I find caster sugar is best in scones as it is a finer grain that mixes well with the other ingredients. If you don’t have caster sugar, you can use granulated. Read about the Granulated and Caster Sugar.

Egg

I use a UK large egg in my mix. There is a debate as to whether egg belongs in a scone, but I like the added richness the egg gives.

Milk

I use a semi-skimmed milk, but you can use any you have in the fridge. It's best to use it cold.

Dairy Free and Gluten Free

You can swap the butter/baking spread and milk for plant-based alternatives. If you are looking for a dairy free scone you will need to omit the clotted cream and add more plant-based butter instead.

I’m going to be very honest; I have not yet eaten a gluten free scone I would recommend. You can make these scones with Gluten Free flour, and you will need to add the recommended amount of Xanthan Gum to ensure they don’t crumble. However, I’m not going to guarantee success.

Should Scones have Eggs in them?

Personally I like to add an egg to my mix. It enriches the dough and adds extra flavour. Eggs have fat in them which is a great way to add flavour to the final product.

Eggs are not 100% necessary. There are plenty of good recipes out there that don't use eggs. But I do like the extra taste an egg adds to the dough.

Big Fluffy Scones Technique

Classic British Scones are made in a very old fashioned way. You start by mixing together you flour, baking powder and sugar together in a large bowl. You then ‘rub’ in your fats. i.e. your butter/baking spread and clotted cream into your flour mixture until you get a breadcrumb type texture

‘Rubbing In’ mean using your finger tip and rubbing together the ingredients until a breadcrumb mix is achieved. If you lift your hands up, as the mix falls, air will go through it and keep the butter cool. This stops it from getting warm and going soft.

However, I have always found that I get cramp in my fingertips when I have tried rubbing in. So I therefore use a pastry cutter and chop my ingredients together instead.

Once you have a breadcrumb texture make a dent in the centre of the mix. This is called ‘making a well’. Pour a beaten egg into the ‘well’ and either using your hands or a knife use a cutting motion to bring the dry ingredients into the centre, mixing the egg in.

Lastly, add the milk to bring everything together to a soft dough with a few crumbs here and there.

Turn the scone dough out onto your work surface and knead together for no more than 10-20 seconds. Flatten out by pressing down. You can use a rolling pin however, I find pressing with the flat of my hand enough. 

Cur your scones using a pastry cutter. My preferred cutter is a smooth 2.5" round cookie cutter.

Place your scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced about 1 to 2" apart.

Brush the tops with milk or a beaten egg if desired and bake

How do you get scones to rise evenly?

It all very well mastering this recipe for big fluffy scones, but what happens if you take them out of the oven and they're a bit wonky?

Firstly, make sure you roll/press them out evenly. Starting with a good, flat scone means you have a better chance of having an evenly risen scone.

Secondly, cut them cleanly. I personally use a 2.5" round cookie cutter for a clean cut. But you can use a plastic cutter or even the top of a glass. Whatever you use, make sure you get a quick, even cut. Don’t twist your cutter. Just push straight down.

Thirdly, if you decide to brush the top with an egg wash or milk, make sure it doesn't drip down the side. Wherever it drips it will change the consistency of the outside of the scone and the rise may be retarded.

What temperature should I bake scones at?

Scones like to be baked quickly in a hot oven to get a good rise. Make sure you pre-heat your oven so as soon as the scones are put in the hot air can make the air inside expand quickly. This will give them that light, fluffy texture.

I bake mine at 200c in a fan oven (220c non fan, 425f, GM7) for 12 to 15 minutes. They should be golden brown on top and well risen when baked.

pile of scones, one filled with jam and clotted cream

Big and Fluffy Scones Pro Tip

When we had a Tea Room we were often complimented on our warm, fresh baked scones. People truly thought that every scone we baked was fresh from the oven - so how did we do it?

Once a week we would make a large batch of scones using the recipe below for Big Fluffy Scones. As soon as they were baked and cooled they would be put into the deep freeze. This usually happened within 20 minutes of them coming out of the oven. The fresher you freeze them, the better they'll be.

But then what? How did we make sure that they were perfectly defrosted before serving?

As soon as we got an order we would take a scone from the freezer and defrost it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds (no more as they'll go hard inside). Then they would go back into the oven.

As we had a bakery, baking cakes most of the time, there was always an oven running. By popping the defrosted scone into the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, it would dry out any condensation created by the microwave, and make the outside dry, and fresh to eat.

Try it, it works!

Big Fluffy Scones FAQ’s

What’s the secret to making a good scone?

Don’t overmix it. Once you add your wet ingredients mix only until everything just comes together. You shouldn't knead the dough for more than 10-20 seconds, to bring all the dough into a easy to use ball.

Can I add extras to my scones?

Yes, Sultanas are a traditional additive. However, you can also other things like glace cherries, chocolate chips, orange zest or lemon zest.

What is the difference between a scones and a biscuit?

Here in the UK we don’t make biscuits. A biscuit in the UK is a very different thing. However, from my experience, I have found the difference between a scone and a biscuit is the fats used.
A biscuit is made with butter and buttermilk, whereas a scone is made with butter, milk, and occasionally egg. A biscuit is rarely sweet, whereas scones can be either sweet or savoury. And lastly a biscuit is flaky, whereas a scone is fluffy.

What do you serve Scones with?

A good scone shouldn’t need to be cut open, they should be able to be pulled apart.
The traditional Cream Tea is a scone served with Clotted Cream and strawberry jam. I’m not going to get into the debate of what you spread first, because whichever I say there will be a whole lot of people telling me I’m wrong. However, whichever you spread first it’ll taste divine.
You can also serve scones with just butter, butter and jam, lemon curd, honey or even fresh on their own. Some people whip up heavy cream or double cream and serve them with strawberries or other seasonal fresh fruit.
Personally I like to toast mine and let some butter melt into it. Perfect with a cup of tea.

How long do scones last, and how do I store them?

Scones will last for a couple of days in an airtight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

How do I refresh a couple of day old scones?

Pop them back in the oven for around 5 minutes to get a nice fresh scone. That with warm them through. I wouldn’t put them in a microwave, except to defrost them, as they tend to go a bit tough and doughy.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll enjoy these other classics

Light and Fluffy Sponge Cake
The Best Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ginger Cake Recipe
big fluffy scone filled with jam and clotted cream on flowery side plate

Clotted Cream Scones Recipe

Bronya Seifert
Scones made with clotted cream AND filled with clotted cream - what could be more English Afternoon Tea? Sweet and classically delicious!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course afternoon tea
Cuisine English
Servings 6
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Sheet lined with parchment
  • 1 mixing bowl or stand mixer
  • 1 Pastry Blender Optional
  • 2.5" Round Pastry Cutter or use the end of a glass

Ingredients
 
 

  • 225 gms Plain Flour
  • 2 tspn Baking Powder
  • 40 gms Caster Sugar
  • 35 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 35 gms Clotted Cream if you have no clotted cream, use an extra 20gms of butter
  • 1 Egg
  • 50 ml Milk

Filling

  • Jam
  • Clotted Cream

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat your oven to 200c fan, 220c, 425f, GM7
  • In a bowl add the flour, baking powder, sugar, butter or baking spread and clotted cream
  • Rub together using your fingertips, or use a pastry blender until it resembles the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs
  • Add the egg and milk, and bring together into a thick dough. Be sure to not over mix it.
  • Alternatively place all ingredients into a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment mix until just combined. With this method there is a danger of over mixing, so be sure to stop as soon as it comes together as a dough
  • Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for no more the 10 seconds
  • Press or roll out to 1" thick and using a 2.5" round pastry cutter, cut 6 rounds.
  • Place on a baking sheet
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until the scones are well risen and golden brown
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes
  • Break in half and serve filled with Jam and Clotted Cream, or Clotted Cream and Jam (however you prefer)

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal
Keyword afternoon tea scones, clotted cream, sweet scones
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

For other classic recipes try:
Light and fluffy Sponge Cake
The Best Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ginger Cake
Easy Coffee and Walnut Cake
Tottenham Cake

Fluffy scone on plate filled with jam and clotted cream

Cakes

Cookies and Cream Cake

Cookies and Cream Cake is a great mix of bitter chocolate cookies, with rich creamy vanilla cake and buttercream. This is ideal for celebration cakes, and a great fun alternative for a wedding cake.

Cookies and Cream Layer Cake wit a slice taken out on a plate in front of the rest of the cake
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Bronya’s Notes

Some days you go shopping, find an ingredient and know exactly what you are going to make. That is what happened with this Cookies and Cream Cake the second I saw Cookies and Cream Spread whilst shopping in Asda!

I used the Cookies and Cream Spread for the drip, but if you can't find the same drip I'm pretty certain a white chocolate drip with a few crushed cookies in will have the same effect.

Cookies and Cream Cake is actually one of my favourites. However, it's not as easy as bunging a load of crushed cookies into your usual vanilla cake, as the cookies will actually dry out the mix. Therefore, you need to slightly adjust the mix to accommodate for the extra dryness of the cookie crumbs.

A complete cookies and cream cake with a cookies and cream drip, buttercream swirls and oreo cookies

Cookies and Cream Cake Ingredients

Butter or Baking Spread

You can use either block butter or baking spread in this recipe. I personally use baking spread for cost reasons, and I find the extra moisture makes a softer cake. You can use plant based, or dairy free alternatives in this recipe.

White Sugar

Use either Caster or Granulated. I prefer Caster as you don’t have to cream the butter and sugar for so long, however granulated is a cheaper alternative and will work just as well. Read my post about Granulated and Caster Sugar.

Eggs

I use Free Range Large Eggs. Make sure they are at room temperature so the emulsify well with the butter and sugar.

Flour and Raising Agent

I use Plain Flour (all purpose) and add my own Baking Powder. I do this so I can control the level of Baking Powder accurately. However, you can you Self Raising Flour and omit the Baking Powder and your cake will bake just fine. Gluten Free flour will also work in this recipe; however you will need to use a Gluten Free Cookie in order for the bake to be fully Gluten or Wheat Free.

Milk

The milk is in this recipe to add a little more moisture. Because the cookies will soak moisture up, adding a little extra is advised. I usually use a semi-skimmed milk, however full fat or skimmed will also work. You can use a dairy free of plant based milk instead.

Cookies

I used an Oreo style biscuit, as the visual and flavour contrast is high. In other words, you can see that the cookies are in there. However, if you can’t get Oreo style cookies any cream filled, sandwich biscuit will do. A good UK alternative is Bourbon Biscuits, or for a twist you could use Custard Creams.

Alternative Ingredients

This cake can be made with both dairy free or gluten free alternatives. However, be aware that if you need you cake to be either Gluten or Dairy free you will need to buy appropriate cookies.

Read my post about Cakes Essential Ingredients.

Do the Cookies go soggy in a Cookies and Cream Cake?

One thing to be aware of, is that the Cookies will not remain crunchy in the cake, and that's ok. The cookies don't actually go soggy or anything, but they will be soft from the moisture of the cake. What you do get from a Cookies and Cream Cake is the delicious flavour of the cookies mixed throughout the slices.

Cookies and Cream Cake Technique

This is a classic ‘creaming method’ cake. Whereby you cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs and milk, and lastly the flour. This gives the best cake texture for this style of cake.

To crush the cookies place them in a plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or bash them with the back of a spoon. You are looking for some large crumbs and some small crumbs for the best texture.

I add the cookies last and mix by hand. This way the cookie crumbs won’t be broken down anymore by the mixer, and you won’t over work the cake batter.

In the past I have added crushed biscuits to my buttercream for the filling. However, this time I used a vanilla buttercream and crushed a biscuit on top. This gave me bigger, more defined Cookie chunks in the cake. It also meant my buttercream stayed a nice creamy colour, rather than the slightly muddy colour you get from mixing the crumbs through.

For the outside I used a coating of simple Vanilla Buttercream, and then warmed the Cookies and Cream Spread in the microwave for the drip. Always chill your cake so the drip hits chilled buttercream. This is so it sets before it runs too far down the cake. Also, don't use the drip whilst its too hot or it'll potentially melt the buttercream and you'll end up with a sloppy mess.

Read about how to make a Light and Fluffy Sponge Cake.

A cake from above with a slice removed and placed on a plate next to it

Cookies and Cream Cake FAQ’s

How long will my Cookies and Cream Cake last?

Once baked it will last up to 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the baked cake layers for up to 3 months.

What are the best cookies to use?

I used an Oreo style cookie as the colour and flavour contrast with the vanilla cake is better. However, any cream filled sandwich cookie will work.

Does this Cookies and Cream Cake need to be refrigerated?

No, once baked the cake can remain out of the fridge. In very hot weather, if you feel you would like to keep it in the refrigerator make sure it is wrapped very well and allow to come back to room temperature before consuming.

Does this cake contain ‘cream’?

No, it is filled with buttercream which acts as the cream element and therefore it does not contain real cream.

Cookies and Cream Cake Pro-Tip

This is a great Celebration or Wedding Cake Flavour. For some it might seem to be quite a modern flavour, however it's a real crowd pleaser. It's somewhere between vanilla and chocolate and will complement most other flavours you will offer.

If you like this Cookies and Cream Cake, you might also like:

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake
Ultimate Biscoff Cake Recipe with easy Biscoff Buttercream
Easy Coffee and Walnut Cake Recipe
Cookies and Cream Layer Cake wit a slice taken out on a plate in front of the rest of the cake

Cookies and Cream Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
This Cake is a fantastic Celebration or Wedding Cake Flavour. Somewhere between Vanilla and Chocolate, it's definitely a crowd pleaser
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Decorating Time 1 hour
Course cake, Dessert
Cuisine American, English
Servings 16
Calories 444 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer
  • 3 5" Round Cake Tins or 2 x 7" Round Cake Tins

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 180 gms Baking Spread or Butter
  • 180 gms Caster or Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Extract
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 3 tbspn Milk
  • 150 gms Plain Flour
  • 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 6 Oreo Cookies crushed

Filing and Decoration

  • 250 gms Block Butter at room temperature or of a spreadable consistency but not too runny
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Extract
  • 500 gms Icing Sugar
  • 8 Oreo Cookies
  • 2 tbspn Cookies and Cream Spread or Chocolate Spread

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Pre heat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM3
  • Grease and line your baking tins
  • In a stand mixer cream the baking spread, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
  • In a bowl mix together the flour and baking powder
  • Add one egg to the creamed butter and sugar and 1 third of the flour and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
  • Add another egg and another third of the flour and mix until just combined
  • Add the last egg and flour along with the milk and mix until combined
  • Remove from the mixer and add the crushed Oreos, and hand mix through until e evenly distributed
  • Divide into the baking tins and smooth out the top
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes or until light and fluffy and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and transferring to a wire rack to cool fully

Buttercream Filling

  • In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, whisk the butter and Vanilla until light and fluffy
  • Add the icing sugar, and mix on slow until the icing sugar and butter come together
  • Turn the mixer to high and beat for 10 minutes. Add a dash of boiling water if the mix seems too stiff

Assembly

  • Sandwich layers of cake with buttercream, crushing an Oreo biscuit between each layer
  • Coat the cake in a thin layer of buttercream as a 'crumb coat' and allow to set for 10 minutes
  • Coat the cake with more buttercream and smooth around the edges with a scraper
  • Chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes
  • Warm the Cookie and Cream (or chocolate) spread in the microwave until runny
  • On the chilled cake, pour over the spread and ease to the edges, allowing to drip down the sides
  • Allow to set for 10-15 minutes before using the remainder of the buttercream to pipe rosettes and decorate with Oreo Biscuits

Video

Notes

This cake can be cut into 16 party slices, or 8 afternoon tea slices, depending on how bit a slice you fancy

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcal
Keyword cookies and cream, cookies and cream cake, oreo cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Biscuits and Cookies

Chocolate Stuffed Cookies

These Chocolate Stuffed Cookies are a way to elevate the humble chocolate chip cookie. Filled with oozy Nutella they are super simple but very decadent.

broken stuffed chocolate chip cookie with other cookies in the background
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What do you do with a spare jar of Nutella?

These Chocolate Stuffed, Chocolate Chip, Cookies are ridiculously easy to make, but are such a great idea to add to things like treat boxes, or onto a market or fair stall.

Do you ever have a good old clear out of your Kitchen Cupboards?......no me either, well not very often anyway. BUT yesterday I couldn't squeeze anything else in my baking cupboard. I'd been shopping to restock the basics; sugar, flour, baking powder, that kind of thing, and they just wouldn't fit!!

So time for an impromptu clear out. I pulled everything out and found some real little ingredient gems that I'd totally forgotten. It was like Christmas had come early - like pulling an old handbag from your wardrobe and finding a fiver in the bottom. I just love it when that happens, which sadly isn't very often.

Anyway, at the back of my cupboard, amongst the dates, raisins, chocolate chips, vanilla essence etc, was a jar of Chocolate Spread.......unopened!!!!!! Seriously? Who has unopened chocolate spread in their cupboard? Me, apparently.

After having a 1 or 2 (or 4) crumpets with it slathered over, I set about baking.

Stuffed Cookies Ingredients laid out on a marble slab with typed labels

These Chocolate Stuffed Cookies are really easy. You only need the usual ingredients for a chocolate chip cookie, plus Chocolate Spread to stuff inside.

Butter

Use real block butter for cookies. Don’t try to make them with a baking spread as there is too much moisture and they will spread in the oven and end up in a sloppy mess. Use room temperature butter as it’ll mix easier.

Sugar

I use 2 types of sugar in this recipe. Light Brown gives a great caramel flavour and the molasses will add a chewy texture. The white sugar will help the outside of the cookie have a crispy, crunchy crust.

Egg

I use just one large egg in the mix. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes well with the other ingredients.

Flour and Bicarbonate of Soda

I use regular plain (all purpose) flour, with just a little amount Bicarbonate of Soda to help give a fluffy chewy texture. I have never tried cookies with a Gluten Free flour, but that’s not to say they wouldn’t work.

Salt

Always season your bakes. Salt helps to define the flavours in the bake, and especially brings out the chocolate flavour.

Chocolate Chips

Use whichever is your preference. I like Milk or Dark, or a combination of both. If you buy chocolate chips from the baking aisle they will usually be ‘bake stable’ and retain their shape in the bake. If you can’t get those you can use chopped up chocolate, which may spread a little when baking, giving a slightly different, but by no means worse, texture.

Chocolate Spread

Any chocolate spread will work in these cookies. I used Nutella, however you can find all kinds of spreads in the supermarkets nowadays. There is a delicious white chocolate hazelnut spread available, or even Biscoff or cookies and cream would work.

Dairy Free Stuffed Cookies

Making these Dairy Free is very easy with the right ingredients. You can use a plant based block butter, or a dairy free block margarine. Make sure they are block alternatives. Spreads or butters in tubs just have too much moisture.

Dairy Free Chocolate can be cut into chunks and used as chocolate chips.

Biscoff Spread is Dairy Free and can be used instead of Nutella. Place in the fridge to chill in exactly the same way. When baked you’ll have a gooey Biscoff centre.

4 chocolate chip cookies on baking parchment

Stuffed Cookies Technique

Before you start pop your chocolate spread in the fridge or the freezer.

Then make your chocolate stuffed cookies like you would make any normal chocolate chip cookies. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix through. Add the dry ingredients and mix to a stiff dough. Lastly, mix through the chocolate chips.

Then scoop your dough into balls. I use an ice-cream scoop to get regular and consistent sized cookies. Chill the dough balls for a couple of hours.

Take a dough ball and flatten it out a little, making a kind of cup. Then spoon no more than a teaspoon of chocolate spread into the centre. If you put too much chocolate spread into the cookie you won’t be able to wrap it all up (or it’ll escape like lava out of a volcano when you bake them).

Wrap the cookie dough around the chocolate spread to make sure it is fully encased. Roll back into a ball and again pop in the fridge to chill.

Space them well apart on a cold baking sheet and bake in a moderate/hot oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden drown and crispy around the edges. I usually only fit 4 per baking sheet.

Once baked remove the chocolate stuffed cookies from the oven and allow to cool fully before trying to take them off of the baking sheet. The chocolate spread will turn to liquid when it is warm, and if the cookie is too warm when you try to move them they will literally fall apart.

How to fill
ready for chilling
Cookies out of the oven

Chilling is the Key

Chilling in the fridge is the key to making good chocolate stuffed cookies. Firstly, chill your chocolate spread. Pop the jar in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You could even put it in the freezer.

Hard chocolate spread is so much easier to work with!

Secondly, chill your cookie dough!

Once I have mixed all my cookie dough I scoop it into balls and chill the balls for a few hours, or even overnight. Chilling cookie dough helps in a couple of ways. It hardens all the fat in the dough, which means when you bake them they don’t melt and spread too far before being baked. This will help to give you a cookie with a chewy inside.

Also, when stuffing cookies, it’ll also help you get less sticky and covered in dough.

Revive Your Chocolate Stuffed Cookies the next day

These cookies will last in an airtight container for a few days, but if you want to make them extra special you can revive the chocolate spread inside. Just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and the chocolate spread will warm through and become all gooey again.

Pro Tip - Storage

As with any cookies, the Chocolate Stuffed Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
The dough, can be frozen, unbaked for up to 3 months. I would advise making them into dough balls, and freezing them individually. That way if you have an order for just 4, you can get 4 out of the freezer, defrost them, fill them with whatever the order needs and bake them, leaving the others in the freezer for another order.

Or alternatively, stuff the cookies and then freeze them. You can bake them straight from the freezer, just add an extra 5 minutes baking time.

Stuffed Cookies - FAQ’s

Can Stuffed Cookies be frozen?

I have never frozen fully baked cookies, but the dough can definitely be frozen before baking. You can even stuff the cookies and then freeze them ready to go. They can be baked from frozen, allow an extra 5 minutes in the oven.

Can I make Dairy Free Stuffed Cookies?

Yes, have a look at the options under the Ingredients section

How long will these stuffed cookies last?

They should last 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. Or the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months before you have baked it. If you want to revive them after a couple of days, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and the centres will become all gooey again.

4 stuffed chocolate chip cookies laid out on baking parchment, one broken in half

If you like this recipe, you'll love these

Chocolate Cornflake Cookies
The Giant Cookie
Easy Leftover Buttercream Cookies Recipe
broken stuffed chocolate chip cookie with other cookies in the background

Chocolate Filled, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bronya Seifert
East to make Chocolate Filled Cookies recipe. Seriously, you won't belive these are so easy! Great for treat boxes or cookie sales.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course cookies, desssert, sweets
Servings 10

Ingredients
 
 

  • 100 gms Block Butter at roome temperature
  • 75 gms Light Brown Sugar
  • 100 gms Caster Sugar
  • 1 Beaten Free Rance Egg
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Extract
  • 250 gms Plain Flour
  • 0.5 tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 0.5 tspn Salt
  • 100 gms Chocolate Chips
  • 0.25 Jar Chocolate Spread or Peanut Butter

Instructions
 

  • Chill your jar of chocolate spread in the fridge for a couple of hours.
  • In a bowl cream together the butter and both types of sugar, until thick and creamy
  • Add the egg and vanilla and mix through until fully combined
  • Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt, and add to the other ingredients.
  • Mix together, I found a wooden spoon best, until you have a thick dough.
  • Mix through the chocolate chips
  • Take a spoonful of the mix and roll into a ball.
  • Chill for at least an hour
  • Flatten the dough ball in the palm of your hand and put a teaspoon of Chocolate Spread in the middle.
  • Bring up the sides of the ball until the Chocolate Spread is covered, and again roll into a ball.
  • I got 8 out of the mix, however, I may have got more if I hadn't eaten so much (I have a weakness for cookie dough - don't try this at home though as it contains raw egg - it's a risk I'm willing to take).
  • Pop all the balls on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least an hour. This allows the butter and Chocolate Spread to set-up.
  • Pre-heat your oven to 175c fan, 180c, 350f or gas Mark 4
  • Lay your cookie dough balls onto 2 baking sheet, making sure there is at least 2 inches between them as they will Spread when they bake
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the sides just start to turn golden
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Don't try to move them straight away as they need time to firm up as they cool down
  • Transfer to a cooling rack, or into your waiting mouth.
  • These will last up to 5 days if kept in an airtight container.

Video

Keyword chocolate chip cookies, chocolate filled cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Chocolate Filled Cookies

For other cookies recipes why not try one of the following recipes:
Giant Cookie
Cornflake Chocolate Cookies
Left Over Buttercream Cookies

Cakes

Old School Sprinkle Cake

The classic Old School Sprinkle Cake was a staple for anyone in the UK having School Dinners. Light fluffy cake, white glaze icing and hundred of sprinkles, or as we used to call them ‘Hundreds and Thousands’.

Shot from above, a tn of cut cake with a slice on a plateq
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Bronya’s Notes

The best part of school dinners when I was a kid was the puddings, with Old School Sprinkle Cake being my absolute favourite. Delicious served on its own, or drizzled with custard, this is a cake that is simple to make, easy to make in bulk and utterly delicious. It was the perfect school dinner cake, and can be a great cake for baking in your business.

Some people mix Sprinkle Cake up with Tottenham Cake with its pink icing, which is very understandable. Sure it's very similar, but it isn't the same. This is a lighter, more vanilla cake, and instead of mulberry/fruit frosting, Old School Sprinkle Cake is covered in a plain white glace icing and loads and loads of sprinkles - hence the name.

If you want to learn the history behind and how to make Tottenham Cake, you can do so here.

So what is a Sprinkle Cake?

Old School Sprinkle cake is a retro cake that we used to have, if we were lucky, at primary school as pudding after school dinners. It's an easy bake that can be made in large batches, is easy to decorate, and portion up. And when we were really lucky we got a dollop of custard on top as well – heaven

Sprinkles Cake is a moist vanilla cake, usually baked in a tray bake tin, or a tin foil tray if you want to save on washing up. It's iced with a simple glaze icing and then literally smothered with sprinkles, or as we called them when we were young 'hundreds and thousands'. It's then served as square portions direct from the tin. This is a cake with no airs or graces - just pure childish cake enjoyment.

Old School Sprinkle Cake lasts really well as you can keep it in the tin you baked it in and slice off chunks as you need them. As it's covered in icing the top is sealed against drying, however, after the icing sets I would recommend covering with cling film, or keeping the whole thing in an airtight container. It will easily last a few days, if for some strange reason it hasn't all been instantly demolished.

Shot from above. A pink baking tin filled with sprinkles cake

Old School Sprinkle Cake Ingredients/Substitutes

This is a classic Sponge Cake recipe. So the main 4 ingredients are;

Butter/Baking Spread

You can definitely use a baking spread with this recipe, and I would imagine that most old school cake recipes did just that to keep costs down. You can also use a dairy free alternative. If using real butter I would steer to unsalted butter, but honestly, whatever you have in the fridge will work just fine.

Sugar

Use either white caster or granulated sugar. If you are using granulated cream the butter and sugar mixture a little longer at the start of mixing to get the best consistency. You can learn more about the difference between Granulated and Caster Sugar

Eggs

Use medium eggs or large eggs – large would give a better cake texture. Make sure they are at room temperature.

Flour

I always use Plain Flour and add my own baking powder. This gives me more control over my ingredients. However, if you only have Self-Raising flour you can also use that and omit the baking powder.

You can also swap the flour out for Gluten Free Flour, but be sure to add the required amount of Xanthan Gum so the cake doesn’t become too crumbly.

Extra Vanilla flavour

A teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla essence is what makes this humble old school pudding into a delicious vanilla sponge cake. 

The Icing

The Glaze Icing is the easiest icing there is and uses just icing sugar with a little water. If you want a slightly different flavour you can use either lemon, lime or orange juice instead of water.

For more information on ingredients you can read my post on Cake Ingredients.

Sprinkles Cake Technique

This is a classic sponge cake recipe using the creaming method. In a large bowl with a wooden spoon or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, start by getting as much air into your mix by creaming the butter/baking spread and sugar together. This process also begins to dissolve the sugar crystals before they enter the oven. This is best done with a stand mixer or an electric whisk as it can be pretty heavy going.

I add the eggs and flour, a half at a time. This is so they get the chance to mix fully, but the flour doesn’t end up overmixed. Overmixing flour will begin to develop the gluten molecules which may result in a bready textured cake.

Once your cake is mixed pour into a prepared tin. The tin can be a tin foil tray, or a brownie baking tin, or a traybake tin. It doesn't matter the shape, but you only want to bake one thin layer of cake.

I bake at 150c in a fan oven. Baking at a lower oven temperature will mean the cake will need to bake for a little longer. However, it will help keep the top of your cake flat. The cake is done when to top is golden brown and a skewer stuck into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

What sprinkles do I use?

Short answer - ANY!!

The coloured sprinkles are simply a means to decorate the top of the cake, make it look fun and to sweeten it a little (as if it needed any more sweetening!). Because of this you can really mix it up when you decorate, so if you have an occasion, or a special holiday coming up try buying different sprinkle mixes to use, you can really make you cake fit in. Whatever you use, just make sure you use lots of sprinkles on the top of your cake. I personally used a tonne of rainbow sprinkles for as much colour as possible.

If you want to put sprinkles into your batter however you will need sprinkles that don’t lose their colour at high temperatures. Either search for Funfetti or Bake Stable Sprinkles. HoneyBerry have sprinkles that are very colourful and they claim are Bake Stable (although I will confess I haven't tried them myself.....yet).

HoneyBerry, Cake Stuff, The Cake Decorating Company all have some great options for sprinkles!

Also, why not colour your icing to match - the Glaze Icing is literally just a little water mixed with icing sugar and takes any food colouring really well. It's hard to get very dark colours (as you're starting from white), but you can definitely put a colourful twist on the look of your cake!

Sprinkles Cake Pro-Tip

It's super easy to make, and has become very popular recently to sell at fairs and markets, or as whole tray bakes. I recently did a market and bought some tin foil containers with clear lids, and baked the cakes directly inside ready for sale. They were a massive hit, and I sold out.

Tin Foil Trays filled with cake and cookies

Using special sprinkle mixes, and piping the edges with some buttercream will give value and a topical twist to your Sprinkle Cakes. So for example for Halloween why not use an orange or purple icing, matching buttercream, and a Halloween Sprinkle Mix. Or for Easter use a pastel icing and buttercream and add mini eggs to your sprinkles.

Sprinkles Cake FAQs

Can I use a Box Cake Mix?

Yes, I don’t see why not. Pick a vanilla cake mix and add your own icing and sprinkles on top.

Can I also add sprinkles to the cake batter?

You can, however many sprinkles in the UK will lose their colour once baked. You need to buy specific Bake Stable sprinkles.

How do I store my Old School Sprinkle Cake?

You can store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I would recommend cutting as you go, as the longer the cake stays in one piece, the longer it will remain fresh.
You can also freeze your Old School Sprinkles Cake for up to 3 months, if well wrapped. However, you may find the colours in the sprinkles run when you defrost your cake. Therefore, I would recommend freezing the sponge and decorating it when it’s defrosted.

Can I make my Sprinkles Cake Dairy Free or Gluten Free?

Yes, by swapping the dairy butter and milk for plant-based or vegan alternatives, and the normal Flour for Gluten Free Flour the cake will work perfectly well.

Is this cake good as a Birthday Cake?

Absolutely. Who wouldn't enjoy a delicious vanilla cake covered in sprinkles for their birthday. It's perfect for the whole family to enjoy, and could even be served as a dessert with ice cream or thick custard.

Tin of sprinkles cake with a slice missing

If you like this recipe, you'll love these:

Easy Tottenham Cake Recipe
London Cheesecake
Grasmere Gingerbread
Slice of sprinkle cake with a tin of cake in the background

Old School Sprinkle Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
This is cake is easy and fun. Baked and served from the tin, and smothered in colourful sprinkles!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine English
Servings 12
Calories 262 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 9" Square Baking Tin or equivalent

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 150 gms Unsalted Butter or Baking Spread
  • 150 gms Caster or Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Essence
  • 3 Eggs
  • 150 gms Plain Flour you can use Self Raising and omit the Baking Powder
  • 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 40 ml Milk

Glace Icing

  • 200 gms Icing Sugar
  • 15-30 ml water
  • Lots Sprinkles

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM3
  • Grease and line a 9" square baking tin, or an equivalent tray bake tin or tin foil tray
  • In a mixing bowl cream together the butter/baking spread and sugar until light and fluffy and not grainy
  • Add the vanilla and mix until well combined
  • In a jug crack the eggs, and in a bowl measure flour and baking powder
  • Add half of the eggs to the butter and sugar mix and beat until combined
  • Add half of the flour and gently mix until just combined
  • Repeat with the rest of the eggs and flour
  • Lastly add the milk and mix until everything is just combined
  • Pour into your baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin
  • Whilst cooling mix the icing. Place your icing sugar in a bowl and add the water a little at a time until you have a stiff but pouring consistency
  • When the cake is cool pour the icing over the top and spread evenly to the edges
  • Whilst the icing is still wet decorate with loads of sprinkles
  • Allow the icing to set a little before slicing and eating
  • For extra indulgence, serve with custard!

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal
Keyword glace icing, old school cake, old school sprinkles cake, sprinkles cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not try my Little Apple Cakes, Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake or Cinnamon Apple Cakes.

Read here how to make the best Light and Fluffy Sponge Cake.

Biscuits and Cookies

The Giant Cookie

This Giant Cookie is great as an afternoon treat, or it can be made more special for a birthday cake alternative. Make the cookie dough ahead and enjoy it freshly baked when you’re ready.

Giant Cookie on a baking tray with a blue tea towel. One slice cut from the cookie and has been bitten into and laid on top of the rest
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Now, this may sound slightly controversial, but did you know that not everyone likes cake. I know right? Mad, huh? But amazingly totally true!

So what do you make for someone who’s not a fan of cake but wants a yummy sweet treat to share. Well why not a Giant Cookie?!

This is a great idea for either something special, or as a quick snack. Make the dough ahead and keep it chilled, then no need for faffing with lots of cookie dough balls. Just flatten in out on a baking sheet and slice it up when it’s ready.

This is a classic Cookie Dough Recipe, but you can substitute some ingredients out if you need to.

Recipe ingredients laid out in bowls

Sugar

A combination of white and light brown sugar will give crunch, sweetness and a caramelised flavour. If you don’t have one of the sugars you can substitute for all one type. However, for the best texture and flavour a combination is recommended.

Butter

In cookies it’s always best to use a block butter. In this recipe you can use either a dairy or plant based block butter. Either will work. I recommend a block butter over a baking spread as the fat to moisture content is higher and your cookies will spread less and get a much better texture.

Flour

You need plain flour for cookies. It’s best not to use self raising as you don’t want a big fluffy rise. I add bicarbonate of soda to give just a little rise.

You can swap out a standard flour for a gluten free flour, but I would also recommend you add Xanthan Gum so they don’t get too crumbly.

Chocolate Chips

I used dark chocolate chips, however you can use which ever is your favourite, or a combination of different types. It’s really your choice and taste.

Seasoning

I always add both salt and vanilla to cookie dough as both season the mix. Seasoning means the flavours will be enhanced by these additions.

The key to making a good cookie is to chill the dough. When you mix all your ingredients together you will loosen the fat in the butter. If you bake the cookies straight away the fat, which is already at room temperature, will start to melt straight away and your cookies will spread. If you chill the dough the fat will be solid. This means the fat will take longer to melt when baked and the cookies will spread less.

If you are adding chocolate chips do so right at the end. This will help them to remain as chip shapes and they won’t be broken down within the dough.

What is the best type of sugar to use in my Giant Cookie?

I use a combination of both white (granulated) and light brown. The Light brown Sugar adds a chewy, caramelised texture and flavour.

How do I stop my Giant Cookie spreading too much?

Chill the dough! Chilling the dough controls the spread of your cookie by solidifying the fat in the butter. I chilled mine overnight. If the fat is chilled and solid it will take longer to melt, and your cookie will spread less.

How can I store my Giant Cookie?

Your Giant Cookie will remain fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container. If you are wanting to refresh the crunchiness on the outside pop it into a hot oven for 5 minutes.
It is best not to freeze your Giant Cookie once it’s baked, however the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost in the fridge for a few hours before baking.

Giant Cookie on a baking tray with a blue tea towel. One slice cut from the cookie and has been bitten into

If you want to make a slightly neater, more uniform Giant Cookie for decorating and selling, you can push this mix into a lined 9” round cake pan.

Once baked you can place on greaseproof paper, decorate with buttercream and package in either a cake box or a pizza box.

Alternatively, you can use the Giant Cookie and cover in chocolate ganache and toppings and make a Cookie Pizza.

Giant Cookie

If you like this recipe, you're going to love these:

Easy Leftover Buttercream Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Cornflake Cookies
Cookies and Cream Cake
Giant Cookie on a baking tray with a blue tea towel. One slice cut from the cookie and has been bitten into

The Giant Cookie

Bronya Seifert
A perfect alternative to Bespoke Cakes....a Bespoke Giant Cookie!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Course cookies, Dessert
Servings 7

Ingredients
 
 

  • 100 gms Light Brown Sugar
  • 70 gms White Sugar
  • 125 gms Unsalted Butter at Roome Temperature
  • 1 tspn Vanilla Essence
  • 1 egg
  • 200 gms Plain Flour
  • ¼ tspn Salt
  • 1¼ tspn Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 100 gms Chocolate Chips

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a baking sheet, round pizza baking tray, or 8" cake tin with a large piece of greasproof paper
  • Cream the butter, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl
  • Add the egg and mix in fully
  • Sieve together the flour, Bicarbonate of Soda and Salt and add to the butter, sugar and egg mix. Beat until well combined and a dough is formed.
  • Mix in the chocolate chips
  • Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 2 hours. I chilled mine overnight
  • Then pile it all up in the middle of your baking sheet. Pat it down till its about 1 to 1.5 inches thick
  • Pre-heat you oven to 150c, 130c fan, 300f, GM2
  • Place the chilled dough onto a lined baking sheet or cake tin and roll out to approx 1cm thick
  • Bake for 30 mins
  • When its baked, it will have crispy edges, be crunchy on top, but with a slight bounce to the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minute before transfering it (paper and all) onto a wire rack.
  • As it's baked slowly it should be crunchy on top and still gooey in the middle, which means in cuts perfectly into slices.

Video

Keyword after dinner mint cookies, giant cookie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

For other cookies recipes why not try one of the following recipes:
Chocolate Spiced Shortbread
After Dinner Chocolate Chip Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Chocolate Filled Cookies
Left Over Buttercream Cookies

Cakes

Dairy Free Birthday Cake - Chocolate

This chocolate birthday layer cake uses oil instead of butter in the mix. It can be made with dairy free by swapping to other plant based ingredients to make a stunningly delicious Dairy Free Birthday Cake or great dairy-free dessert all special occasions.

A dairy free birthday cake. A slice is cut out and on a flowery plate.
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The Price of Butter

Have you seen the price of butter recently? At the time of writing this post it would seem a small mortgage is needed to stock up on butter. Which made me decide to write this recipe. The cake layers of this dairy-free cake are made with oil instead of butter. To make it a fully dairy-free chocolate cake you can swap out the milk for non-dairy milk. And if you want to decorate it with chocolate buttercream frosting, like I have here, there are some great plant based or vegan butter alternatives now in the shops.

Shopping for cake supplies at the moment is a tricky business. Prices are all increasing so we have to find ways of making delicious cakes with less expensive ingredients. If you've read my post Cakes Essential Ingredients, you would know that a cake needs butter for flavour. Well, to be honest it's not the butter but the fat the butter contains. And this delicious cake uses vegetable oil which replaces the fat usually found in the butter.

The best part about this cake is you can also make this into a gluten-free cake recipe by swapping the regular flour for a gluten-free flour blend.

Slice of Dairy Free Chocolate CAke on a flowery plate surrounded by pink and blue ribbon curls

Dairy Free Ingredient Substitutes

The Fat

OK, normal dairy butter tastes amazing, but in the right recipe other fats taste great too. I generally use Rapeseed Oil if an oil is needed in a cake recipe. However, you can use Sunflower oil, Vegetable oil, canola oil or any other low tasting oil. I wouldn't recommend Olive Oil unless a recipe specifically calls for it as it introduces other flavours.

The Milk

The market for plant based milks has massively progressed in recent years. As a dairy-free milk I use oat milk as it’s reassuringly comforting and great in most cake mixes. You can also other non-dairy milk such as almond milk, coconut milk or an unsweetened soy milk.

Cocoa

The best way to get a yummy dairy-free chocolate flavour is by using cocoa powder. Buy a good quality cocoa powder. Some are darker than others. The darker they are, generally the more bitter they are. I use either a supermarket own brand or Bournville for a good sweet chocolate flavour.

Dairy-free or Vegan Buttercream

Dairy-free chocolate buttercream or chocolate frosting used to be very hard to make well. It was either very sloppy because of the moisture content in the dairy free spreads or actually not very nice tasting. The dairy-free butter now on the market are a great dairy-free alternative to usual block butter. I highly recommend Unsalted Flora Plant B+tter. It has a good fat to moisture ratio, which means it acts just like normal dairy butter. It tastes great and at the time of writing it is less expensive than normal block butter so if you are on a budget you might like to try it anyway.

Why Add Coffee to Chocolate Cake?

Did you know coffee enhances the flavour of chocolate? I know right?! Amazing!

The coffee in this cake mix works as a kind of seasoning. It brings out the bitter tones of the chocolate which makes if taste more chocolatey. You can leave the coffee out. It will affect the flavour, but if you are worried about the caffeine content it won't be a complete disaster! Do, however, still include the boiling water, you need that to help keep the cake moist.

Technique

This cake is very easy to make. In it’s most basic form it’s a case of mixing all of the dry ingredients and then adding all of the wet ingredients. Unlike a butter based cake there is no need for the creaming process at the start.

This is a very runny cake batter, as would be expected with the oil, milk and water in the mix. Therefore, if you are using a loose bottomed cake pans make sure you line it well so you have none spilling out.

Chocolate Birthday Cake with a candle and sprinkles on a a birthday cake with pink and blue ribbons curls

FAQ’s

Can I make this without Dairy Free Ingredients?

Yes, absolutely. If you use regular milk then it’ll be fine in the mix. You should still use the oil instead of butter to give the best texture cake. For the chocolate frosting, if you do not need it to be dairy free you can use regular dairy butter or dairy products.

Can I make the cake without coffee?

Yes, if you don’t like the idea of adding extra caffeine to the cake the coffee can be omitted. It may affect the taste slightly but all it will do is give you a less intensive chocolate flavour. Do however still add the boiling water as you’ll need it to keep the cake moist.

How long will this Dairy Free Cake Store?

You can store this Dairy Free Birthday Cake at room temperature, in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If you wrap well this cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Can I make this Gluten-Free

Yes, use a gluten-free flour blend, with gluten free baking powder and a little Xanthan Gum. This would make a great dairy-free and gluten-free birthday cake.

Is this cake vegan?

This is not a vegan cake as it has eggs in the recipe. 

​Does this have to be a layer cake?

No, you can make this as a traybake or sheet cake if its easier. Make sure you bake it as single layer. Don't try to bake a deep cake and try to split it as it won't bake well.

Dairy Free Birthday Cake Pro-Tips

If you need to ganache this cake for a better finish under fondant you can get some great Vegan Chocolate and Cream Alternatives. A company I recently met with were Plamil, who specialise in Vegan Chocolate, and their dark chocolate was amazing.

To make a great dairy free ganache you could use an alternative cream product such as Plant Based Elmlea. It reacts and tastes no different to usual Elmlea and is fab in ganache.

If you like this cake you might also like to try:

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
Vegan Brownies
Egg White Cake fit for a Jubilee
A dairy free birthday cake. A slice is cut out and on a flowery plate.

Dairy Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
This cake is super easy to make, and doesn't require a mixer. You can make it with either fresh dairy milk, or you can successfully substitite it out for Oat Milk for a full Dairy Free cake. The frosting is a classic buttercream, and I used Flora Plant Based Block Butter which is great for covering a cake.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course afternoon tea, cake, Dessert
Cuisine American, English
Servings 12
Calories 230 kcal

Equipment

  • 3 5" round baking tin or 2 x 7" round baking tins
  • 1 mixing bowl

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 175 gms Plain Flour
  • 1.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 3 tbspn Cocoa
  • Pinch Salt
  • 150 gms Brown Sugar
  • 150 ml Oil Rapeseed, Vegetable or Sunflower
  • 2 tbspn Golden Syrup Or Maple Syrup for a different taste
  • 2 Large Free Range Eggs
  • 100 ml Milk - Dairy or Oat
  • 2 tspn Instant Coffee
  • 50 ml Boiling Water

Frosting/Buttercream

  • 125 gms Softened Block Butter or Plant Based Block Butter I recommend the Flora brand
  • 220 gms Icing Sugar
  • 30 gms Cocoa

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM4
  • Grease and line your cake tins
  • In a bowl sift together the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Cocoa
  • Add the sugar and mix through
  • Add the Syrup, Eggs, Oil and Milk/Oat Milk and mix until combined
  • In a small/cup mix the instant coffee with the boiling water and then add to the rest of the mix
  • Mix everything together to get a smooth, glossy mix
  • Divide into the baking tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or a cocktail stick place into the centre comes out clean
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool into the tins for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the tins and transferring to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Buttercream

  • To make the buttercream, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Ideally in a stand mixer
  • Add the icing sugar and cocoa and carefully mix until fully combined
  • Mix on high for 5 to 10 minutes or until its light and fluffy
  • Assemble by sandwiching buttercream between each cake layer and then decorating the outside.
  • Add sprinkles if you fancy!

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal
Keyword birthday cake, chocolate cake, dairy free, dairy free cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Looking for other unusual cake recipes, try:
Biscoff Cake
Rhubarb Crumble Cake
Tottenham Cake
Lemon Crumble Bars
Triple Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Cakes

Raspberry and Almond Cake

Raspberry and Almond Cake is a delicious flavour for a summer celebration or even wedding. And because this cake is made using frozen raspberries it can successfully all year round.

whole raspberry and almond cake on a wooden board. It has pink rasperry icing dripping over the top and down the side
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Bronya's Notes

I’m always looking for new and exciting wedding cake flavours. This Almond and Raspberry Cake is easy to make and has consistent great results.

Raspberries are a fantastic summer fruit. Bright, light, slightly tart and with great flavour. The fruity and nutty almond flavour is a perfect pairing with the raspberries, and give a great extra nutty texture.

Ingredient Notes

Butter or Baking Spread. In cakes either baking spread or block butter will work fine. I tend to use baking spread due to the extra moisture. You can also use dairy free butter or baking spread.

Caster Sugar. You can also use Golden Caster Sugar or Granulated Sugar, but I would recommend creaming the butter and sugar for longer to make sure the sugar crystals dissolve fully

1 tspn Almond Extract. A little of an extract goes a long way. This will add to the almond flavour, but don’t over do it or it’ll taste artificial.

Plain Flour. I personally like to use Plain Flour with Baking Powder added. You can however use Self Raising Flour if that’s all you have but reduce the Baking Powder to just 1 teaspoon. This recipe will be great made with Gluten Free Flour.

Ground Almonds. I like to use ready ground almonds. However, if you grind your own do so ahead of time and let them settle. Nuts have a lot of oil in them, which needs to settle in order to not make your cake greasy.

Frozen Raspberries. I used frozen raspberries in my cake, but that was because I was making the cake out of season. When in season fresh raspberries will taste delicious. However, the added benefit of using frozen raspberries is that they will keep their shape better. As they are frozen when you mix them through there is no danger of them breaking down or getting crushed. Fresh raspberries may become a little squished in the mix. That won't make them any less delicious, but it make the finished bake a little less pretty inside.

Raspberry Jam. I always use raspberry jam in icing and buttercream as it gives a great flavour without too much moisture.

Block Butter for Buttercream. Always use Block Butter in Buttercream as it has less moisture and will be less likely to go sloppy. You can also use Plant Based Block Butter. I particularly like the Flora Plant Butter as it won’t compromise the texture or flavour at all.

Photo taken from aove of a cake with pink raspberry icing, with one slice taken out and on a plate in front of it. Cake is on a wooden board and the slice is on a flowery plate

Helpful Hints for Making your Raspberry and Almond Cake

Once you add the Almonds don’t overmix your cake batter. Overmixing may mean the almonds start to release their oil which will make the cake greasy. Mix the batter until just combined.

Using frozen strawberries mean they are less likely to break up when you mix them through. However, I would still hand mix them in order for them to stay as complete as possible. Using a stand mixer to mix them through may squash or break them.

When you are first mixing the cake it may seem a little thick and dense. However, when it's baked it turns into a light cake with loads of moisture. The oil in the almond makes the cake super moist, whilst giving it extra flavour and texture.

Pro-Tip for Raspberry and Almond Cake

This Raspberry and Almond Cake would be great as a wedding cake flavour for more adventurous couples. It can be easily scaled up to make larger layers, and the fact that it uses frozen raspberries means no matter what the season you can always make a cake with the best raspberry flavour.

This cake is very versatile and can also be used in a traybake with the raspberry glaze. It would be great for a tea room and café.

Raspberry and Almond Cake with a slice taken out of the whole cake and put onto a flower china plate with a dessert fork

FAQ's for Raspberry and Almond Cake

Can I use other fruit?

Yes, this cake can be make with some other soft fruits. It would be great with cherries, blueberries or blackberries.

How do I store this cake?

Once the cake is baked it will last up to 5 days if you store it in an airtight container. You can also double wrap it and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Can I make a deep cake and cut into thinner layers?

I wouldn’t do this. This is a light and fluffy cake and it wouldn’t work well being baked deep. I would recommend baking as individual thinner layers.

How do I know when the cake is baked?

I have 2 methods. Firstly, the well known one of sticking a skewer into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean it’s baked. Secondly, press down lightly on the top. If it bounces back and doesn’t stay indented it’s baked.

Other Cake Flavours you might like to try:

Ultimate Biscoff Cake Recipe with easy Biscoff Buttercream
Light and Fluffy Sponge Cake
Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake
Raspberry and Almond Cake with a slice taken out of the whole cake and put onto a flower china plate with a dessert fork

Raspberry and Almond Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
I'm always on the look out for new and exciting flavours to offer my celebration cake clients, and this has been a big hit! Raspberry and Almond Cake is a delicious flavour for a summer celebration or even wedding.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
decorating times 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course afternoon tea, cake
Cuisine English
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 2 7" round tins or 3 x 5" round tins
  • 1 mixing bowl or a stand mixer

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 175 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 150 gms Caster Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 tspn Almond Extract
  • 130 gms Plain Flour
  • 2 tspn Baking Powder
  • 130 gms Ground Almonds
  • 150 gms Frozen Raspberries you can use fresh when they are in season

Buttercream

  • 75 gms Block Butter soft, spreadable consistency
  • 200 gms Icing Sugar
  • 30 gms Raspberry Jam Sieved if you don't like the pips

Raspberry Glaze

  • 150 gms Icing Sugar
  • 1 tspn Raspberry Jam
  • 10-30 ml Water

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 150c fan, 170c, 325f, GM3
  • Grease and line your cake tins. I used 2 x 7" cake tins but you can use 3 x 5" or 1 x 9"
  • In a mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter/baking spread and sugar until light and fluffy
  • In a separate bowl crack the eggs, add the almond extract and mix together
  • Add half of the egg mix to the butter and sugar and mix thoroughly
  • Add half of the flour and the baking powder and mix through
  • Add the rest of the egg mix and the flour and mix until just combined
  • Add the ground almonds and mix until just combined
  • If using a stand mixer, remove from the mixer. Mix through the frozen strawberries by hand until well distributed
  • Divide evenly between your cake tins, smooth out and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and allowing to cool fully.

Buttercream

  • In a bowl mix together the Butter, Raspberry Jam and Icing Sugar.
  • If using and electric mixer start on slow for 5 minutes, or until all the ingredients have come together, before increasing the speed to medium and mix for 10-15 minutes
  • If mixing by hand, beat thoroughly until smooth

Glaze Topping

  • Place the icing sugar and jam into a bowl
  • Drizzle water into the bowl a dessert spoonful at a time and mix until you have a thick pouring consistency

Construction

  • Once the cake layers are cool sandwich with the buttercream and and finish by pouring the drizzle over the top an smoothing to the sides of the cake

Video

Keyword almond cake, raspberry and almond, raspberry cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Recipes & Baking Knowledge

London Cheesecake

I was asked to make London Cheesecake. As I had never heard of it I did some research and found it had no cheese in it, and had nothing to do with London. I did some Googling to find out why and how it got it's name, only to find out that no-one really knows......

London CHeesecake Sliced in half on a brown spotty plate. With a brown spotty mug in the background and other London Cheesecake on a cooling rack.
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So what is London Cheesecake?

London Cheesecake is, at the most basic level, 2 bits of puff pastry sandwiched together with jam in between. It is then decorated with thick fondant or glace icing and finished with shredded or flaked coconut.

I've asked around my friends, who know London Cheesecake, and got different reports of what was inside the puff pastry. Some said just jam, others told me there was a almond paste. So I tried both version, and got a great response for both version, so it's entirely up to you which one to try, depending on if you have time to faff, or like the idea of almond paste inside.

Taken from above, several London Cheesecake on a cooling rack with a white teatowel with grey and aqua hearts on it

A note on ingredients

Puff Pastry

I used shop bought, ready rolled puff pastry. This is for no other reason than I am lazy. In my opinion life is too short to make puff pastry. There are factories that make and roll it so much better than I ever can.

Jam

I used Strawberry Jam, because that's what I had in the cupboard. However, I think if you are including the almond paste either raspberry or cherry would taste amazing.

Icing Sugar for Glaze

I was also lucky to find Tate and Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar in my local supermarket. If you can't find the Fondant Icing Sugar, regular will do.

Coconut

The coconut on London Cheesecake is crucial - without it, it's simply not London Cheesecake!

Shredded is the one that is preferred and most photographed. However, unless I wanted a 1kg bag of the stuff I couldn't get hold of any. I did however find flaked coconut in a local health food shop. Desiccated will work if you are in a fix, but it won't give you quite the same texture.

Notes on How to make London Cheesecake

If you are using shop bought, ready rolled puff pastry, get a rolling pin and roll over it again a couple of times. Shop bought, ready rolled is always a little thick, so rolling it a little thinner will definitely help it cook all the way through, be light and crispy and make it slightly larger to cut.

I found the best way to cut the necessary rectangles was lay the pastry out like it was a ‘landscape’ piece of paper. I then cut across the centre length ways. Then cut down the centre. Then cut down each quarter again – see the video.

Jump to Video

Make sure you don’t use too much jam in each Cheesecake. If you use too much it will ooze out of the sides, making your London Cheesecake messy and sticky.

If you want the jam you use to stay in the cheesecake make sure you seal the top and bottom pastry rectangles of each London Cheesecake properly. The jam turns molten when in the oven and will find any crack in the pastry to find it’s way out.

The almond paste is a great addition to London Cheesecake, but isn’t essential. Again like the jam though, don’t put too much in. Just a teaspoon smeared in the centre will be enough.

Once the cheesecakes are out of the oven and cooled cover in a thick glace icing. Make sure it’s very thick as it’s what adds the sweetness to the cheesecake. Place the coconut onto it before it sets or it’ll never stick.

London Cheesecake Pro-Tip

These are sold in traditional bakeries all over the country. They are not pretty or refined, but they are well loved. If you are a small independent bakery with a retail outlet these are great bakes to include in your offering. They are inexpensive and easy to make, and are a crowd pleaser. If you do fairs and markets, these would be perfect!

They will keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days, so you don't have to be discarded at the end of the day and can be sold for a couple of days.

FAQs for London Cheesecake

Can I use fresh puff pastry?

Yes, absolutely. If you are good at making pastry and you have the time you can use either puff pastry or flaky pastry.

Can I make this recipe nut-free?

Yes. Just leave out the Almond Paste in the centre.

Can I make this recipe Gluten Free?

Yes. If you make your own pastry it can be made with gluten free flour. Alternatively, there is Gluten Free Puff Pastry on the market.

How do I store my London Cheesecake?

They will keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days, so do not have to be discarded at the end of the day and can be sold for a couple of days.

Several London Cheesecake on a cooling rack with a white teatowel with grey and aqua hearts on it

If you like traditional British Bakes you may also like the following recipes:

Elevated Eccles Cakes
Easy Tottenham Cake Recipe
Grasmere Gingerbread
Taken from above, several London Cheesecake on a cooling rack with a white teatowel with grey and aqua hearts on it

London Cheesecake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
Neither from London, or with any cheese in it, this puff pastry bake is delicious and very easy to make
2 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course afternoon tea, cake
Cuisine English
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 Baking Sheet

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 Packet Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
  • 6 tspn Jam

Almond Paste Filling - Optional Extra

  • 50 gms White Sugar
  • 50 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 1 Egg
  • 50 gms Ground Almonds

Topping

  • 200 gms Fondant Icing Sugar, or Regular Icing Sugar
  • 50-100 ml Water
  • Shredded or Flaked Coconut

Instructions
 

Almond Paste

  • In a bowl cream together the butter/baking spread and sugar until light and fluffy
  • Add the add and mix through
  • Lastly add the almond and mix until fully combined

Constructing the pastry

  • Preheat your oven to 160c fan, 180c, 350f, GM4
  • Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper or parchment
  • Unroll the pastry and roll out a little thinner
  • Cut into 12 even rectangles
  • Lay 6 rectangles on the baking sheet
  • Spoon a teaspoon of jam on each one and spread it out. DO NOT spread right to the edges as it will spill out when you bake them
  • If you are using the almond paste, spoon a teaspoon of the mix on top of the jam, and again spread it out, making sure you keep away from the edges
  • Place the 6 remaining pieces of pastry on top and press down at the edges to seal the filling inside
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and well puffed up
  • Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool fully
  • Whilst they are cooling make the topping
  • Put the icing sugar into a bowl and add 20-30ml of water and mix. Keep adding drizzles of water until you have a thick pouring consistency. You want it thin enough to be able to smooth over the pastry, but thick enough for it stick and not pour off the sides
  • Spoon onto the pastries and smooth out to the edges
  • Cover with coconut and leave to set

Video

Keyword coconut, london cheesecake, puff pastry, shredded coconut
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Cakes

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake

This Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake recipe is fab as it has both of the star ingredients in the actual cake. And when teamed with Raspberry Jam and White Chocolate Buttercream, you have a full, all round flavour.

Raspberry and White Chocolate cake recipe
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Bronya’s Notes

One of the flavours I often get asked to make for wedding cakes is Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake. It somehow feels a little more decadent than a classic Victoria Sandwich, but is still light, bright and summery.

It’s an all round favourite, because whilst it’s not classic, it sounds like it could be. White chocolate is naturally sweet, however this recipe isn’t overly sweet and the white chocolate actually adds a delicious creamy texture. The added soft and sharp raspberries pair really well with the white chocolate.

This is actually a white chocolate mud cake, which makes it both dense, moist and light all at the same time – it’s really quite a feat to get all of those textures in one cake.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

Ingredients/Substitutes

Baking White Chocolate in a Cake

White chocolate can be a tricky ingredient to put into a cake. The cocoa butter and extra sugar in white chocolate often means the balancing act between ingredients creates a bit of a mess once baked. However, this method for baking this cake sorts all of that worry out.

As this is a mud cake, and the white chocolate is melted with the butter and sugar, the extra fat and sugar is absorbed well and doesn't fight with the other ingredients in the oven.

Using the right fruit

I made my cake with raspberries as the sharpness offsets the sweetness of the white chocolate. However you could leave the raspberries out of the mix and just use a raspberry jam in the filling, or alternatively mix it up with blackberries, blueberries or a summer fruits mix.

I like to use frozen raspberries in this white chocolate cake. I prefer frozen ones as they are firstly easier to handle, and also don't over bake in the mix. Make sure you dust them in a little flour to help them avoid sinking. Scatter them just over the top at the very end rather, for the best results, rather than mixing through.

Ingredient Substitutes

It's ok to use a cheaper granulated sugar (rather than caster sugar) in this recipe, as you will be melting it.

This White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake recipe can easily be made Gluten Free by swapping to a suitable flour. As the flour is added to melted ingredients there shouldn’t be any issues with the cake crumbling, however it’s never a bad idea to add a little Xanthan Gum

The Filling

When making buttercream I always use a block butter. This is due to the higher fat content being more stable. The white chocolate added to the mix will give it more stability in warmer weather as it will help it set firmer.

I add extra raspberry flavour with a jam filling, however, this can of course be omitted.

Recipe for Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake

White Chocolate Mud Cake - The right technique

It's a rather unusual method, as the cake is made in a saucepan. Make sure your saucepan is big enough for the whole mix. If it's too small you will find yourself pouring everything into a bigger bowl and just making extra washing up for yourself.

It is essentially a white chocolate mud cake recipe, that requires the butter (or baking spread) and sugar to be melted with the white chocolate. Adding white chocolate to a cake can sometimes be a little tricky because the fat and sugar content. But this is a great way to get the white chocolate flavour in without it turning into a sloppy mess in the oven.

Make sure you grease your pans very well. The extra sugar in the chocolate will caramelise and has a tendency to stick to the pans. Also, because of the caramelisation, they may look a little dark or over baked on the outside. But believe me this Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake recipe is light and tender inside.

FAQs – hints and tips/storage

This Raspberry and White Chocolate cake should last for up to 5 days in an airtight container. However due to the raspberries in it, during the summer months I would opt to put it in a cool place, maybe even the fridge. The fresh fruit may need extra care in this cake.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake Pro Tip

This is a great cake to use as a celebration cake. If you need a cake with a slightly longer shelf life remove the fruit from the batter and add it as a filling in the form of jam.

The white chocolate buttercream is a great option if you are making this cake in the warm summer months. The white chocolate will help the buttercream remain firmer and is great on any buttercream covered wedding or celebration cake.

If you like unusual cake flavours you may also like the following recipes:

Ultimate Biscoff Cake Recipe with easy Biscoff Buttercream
Cookies and Cream Cake
Egg White Cake fit for a Jubilee
Raspberry and White Chocolate cake recipe

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake Recipe

Bronya Seifert
This is a great summer cake. A little more decadent than a classic Victoria Sandwich, but light and fresh all the same.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Buttercream 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course cake, Dessert
Cuisine English
Servings 12
Calories 814 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Saucepan
  • 2 Deep 7" or 8" Round cake tins
  • 1 measuring jug
  • 1 mixing bowl
  • 1 heat proof wooden spoon or spatula
  • 1 heat proof bowl
  • 1 electric mixer or hand whisk

Ingredients
 
 

Cake

  • 200 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 300 gms White Chocolate
  • 200 gms Sugar Granulated is OK for this recipe
  • 140 ml Cream
  • 100 ml Water 240ml of whole Milk can be used as an alternative to the cream and water
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 tspn Vanilla Extract
  • 350 gms Plain Flour
  • 3.5 tspn Baking Powder
  • 100 gms Frozen Raspberries or other frozen berries of your choice
  • 1 dspn Flour

White Chocolate Buttercream

  • 250 gms Block Butter Cold but spreadable consistency
  • 500 gms Icing Sugar
  • 100 gms White Chocolate

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 170c fan, 190c, 375f, GM5
  • Grease well and line either 2 x deep 7" round cake tins or 2 x 8" round cake tins
  • In a large saucepan weigh out your butter (or baking spread), white chocolate, sugar, cream and water (or milk)
  • Over a moderate heat, allow everything to melt, mixing occasionally so the mix doesn't burn on the sides on the pan.
  • When everything is melted and mixed together, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes
  • Whilst its cooling, in a jug crack 2 eggs and add the vanilla extract
  • In a bowl, weigh the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly
  • When the white chocolate mix is cooler add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined
  • Add the flour and baking powder and mix until most of the lumps have disappeared. You may have a few small lumps, but that's ok
  • Pour into your baking tins
  • Coat the frozen raspberries in a dessert spoon of flour and sprinkle over the top of the mix
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean
  • Once baked remove from the oven and allow to cool fully in the tins.

Buttercream

  • In a heat proof bowl melt the white chocolate in the microwave using 10 second bursts - mixing in between.
    If you don't have a microwave, melt in a heat proof bowl over a pan of bowling water.
  • Put the chocolate to one side to cool
  • Put your butter into a bowl and using an electric mixer beat until light and fluffy
  • Scrape down the bowl and add the icing sugar
  • At first mix slowly until the ingredients are combined, and then mix on medium for 5 to 10 minutes. Stopping occasionally to scrape down the bowl.
  • Lastly pour in the cooled, melted white chocolate and mix on medium for a further 2 minutes
  • Once the cakes are cool, remove them from their tins and decorate with the buttercream. Raspberry jam in the middle also tastes great!

Nutrition

Calories: 814kcal
Keyword raspberry and white chocolate, summer cake, white chocolate mud cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Have you Tried this recipe?

I would love to see it or hear about your experience of it.
Follow me on Instagram @DaisyCakeCo and tag your photo or reel with #daisycakeco so I can see it.

Looking for other unusual cake recipes, try:
Rhubarb Crumble Cake
Tottenham Cake
Lemon Crumble Bars
Brookies
Triple Chocolate Brownie Recipe
Old School Sprinkles Cake

Cakes

Easy Biscoff Cornflake Cake with chocolate topping

Now you might think that Cornflake Cakes are for making at home, with the kids because they're super easy and a bit basic. Well, you are WRONG!! These Biscoff Cornflake Cakes are the grown-up version! They are smothered in milk chocolate and are perfect for treats at home, or for selling in treat boxes or at fairs and markets.

Cornflake Biscoff Traybake
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Bronya's Notes

These Cornflake Biscoff Treats are made like classic rice crispy cakes with melted marshmallows and are ideal for any Biscoff fan to enjoy with a cup of tea. The slightly toasted taste of cornflakes, with the added Biscoff Spread or cookie butter and crushed Lotus Biscoff Biscuits give them an extra delicious taste profile.

They are then smothered in a Milk Chocolate and Biscoff topping. And lastly they are finished with a final Lotus Biscoff Cookies so everyone knows exactly what is inside.

Even though they have a few more ingredients than a rice crispy treat, don't be fooled. These Cornflake Cakes are quick and easy to make. You can of course make them at home with the help from children. They would be a fantastic school holiday activity. But I made these to sell at a school fair and they took less than 10 minutes to complete and made me a tidy profit per slice.

If I was making at home with the children, for a little less hassle I may not go all out with the chocolate topping. It takes a little longer to set and will create more of a mess. But if you're children are clean, tidy and patient then go ahead and pour that chocolate on!

Ingredient Notes for Biscoff Cornflake Cakes

Marshmallows

Any type will work. I use either mini marshmallows or classic British Pink and White marshmallows.

Butter or Baking Spread

I am happy to use Baking Spread in this these Cornflake Cakes. Block Butter will work fine, but it is more expensive than Baking Spread and not necessary. The marshmallows and Biscoff Spread help this to set so block butter with its added fat content is not needed.

Biscoff Spread

Biscoff Spread is not the only option for this bake. You could try any sweet spread – check out the FAQ section.

Making it Vegan

Did you know Biscoff Spread and Lotus Biscuits are vegan? I know. Fantastic eh? That means if you use vegan alternatives for all other ingredients, you can make this still keeping the key flavour of Biscoff. You can readily buy Free From Marshmallows, Plant Based Butter and Dairy Free Chocolate. Using those alternatives will make this a vegan option.

Cornflakes

I used Cornflakes for this recipe to give it a great toasted flavour. However, if you don’t have cornflakes Rice Krispies will work but just won’t be as toasty tasting.

Chocolate Topping

I used Milk Chocolate for the topping. I find Milk Chocolate pairs best with the Biscoff Flavour. White Chocolate or Dark Chocolate will also work, but it will change the flavour.

How to Make Cornflake Biscoff Treats

These Cornflake Cakes don't actually need baking. However, it does need cooking to melt the marshmallows, baking spread and Biscoff spread together. I did mine in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. One thing I was careful to remember though, is that it was large enough to take the whole mix – including the cornflake mixture.

You can also melt it together in a microwave, but again remember to use a large bowl, big enough for the whole mix. Microwave on 20 second bursts as things can burn very quickly heating them this way.

I added extra Lotus Biscoff Biscuit crumbs in for added flavour. If you want the mix a little softer and gooier, you could add a tablespoon of golden syrup.

Make sure you have a prepared pan that is lines with parchment paper or greaseproof paper. This stuff can be really sticky, so good greaseproof paper is essential.

Once you've poured the mixture into the lined tin you need to press down firmly to compact them. A top tip is to cover with a sheet of parchment paper before pressing with a rolling pin or the flat of your hand. The paper will act as a barrier and stop you getting sticky.

When you melt the chocolate and Biscoff Spread for the topping don’t melt all the chocolate at once in case you over heat the chocolate. The last thing you want is the fat ‘blooming’ as it sets. Therefore, melting 3 quarters, and then letting the last quarter be melted by the heat from the already melted chocolate will help to temper it.

I also let the heat from the chocolate melt the Biscoff Spread so it mixed in smoothly.

Cornflake Cakes with Biscoff

Cornflake Biscoff Treat FAQs

Can these be made vegan?

Yes. Biscoff and Lotus Biscuits are both vegan. Which means if you can get substitutes for other ingredients; Plant Based Butter, Dairy Free Chocolate and Vegan Marshmallows, this bake can be made vegan

Can I use other breakfast cereals?

Yes, You can use Rice Krispies. In fact these would make incredible Rice Krispie Treats! I wouldn’t, however, use any pre-sugared or sugar coated cereals as it will be overly sweet.

Can these be made into Easter treats?

Absolutely. The Cornflake Cake part of this bake is fantastic on it’s own without the Chocolate Topping. Spoon it into cupcake cases and top with Mini Eggs to make fantastic Easter nests.

Do I have to use Biscoff?

No, why not try swapping out Biscoff Spread for Chocolate Spread and chocolate biscuits. Asda do a delicious Cookies and Cream Spread, which would be fantastic with crushed Oreos, or use Marks and Spencer or Morrisons White Chocolate Hazelnut Cream with Kinder Beuno.

How do I store them?

They can be stored in an airtight container for several days – if they last that long

Pro Tips

This bake would be great in a Treat Box, or as slices for a market stall. They would be fantastic in a Tea Room or Coffee Shop as they have a long shelf life and won’t spoil quickly.

If you like Biscoff Cornflake Treats, you might like to try

The Best Rice Crispy Cakes with Condensed Milk Frosting
https://daisycakeandco.com/fruit-and-nut-chocolate-bars/
Brookie Recipe
Cornflake Biscoff Cakes

Biscoff Cornflake Treats

Bronya Seifert
This is a variation on the traditional rice crispy treats. It includes cornflakes mixed with the delicious taste of Biscoff and is smothered in a Milk Chocolate and Biscoff Topping
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Course cake, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine English
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy Bottom Saucepan
  • 1 8" Square Brownie Tin Any equivalent brownie baking tin
  • 1 Microwave proof bowl

Ingredients
 
 

Cornflake Base

  • 160 gms Marshmallows
  • 60 gms Butter or Baking Spread
  • 60 gms Biscoff Spread/Cookie Butter/Speculoos
  • 160 gms Cornflakes
  • 60 gms Broken Lotus Biscuits (Optional)

Chocolate/Biscoff Topping

  • 300 gms Milk Chocolate
  • 50 gms Biscoff Spread/Cookie Butter/Speculoos
  • 8 Lotus Biscuits for Decoration