Pumpkin & Ginger Teabread

A moist cake bread to serve thickly sliced and buttered- it's good for lunchboxes and with a cup of tea

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins - 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  351

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  52g

• Fat

  15g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  24g

• Salt

  0.69g

Ingredients

• 175g butter, melted
• 140g clear honey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 250g raw peeled pumpkin, or butternut squash, coarsely grated (about 500g/1lb 2oz before peeling and seeding)
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 350g self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/ fan 160C. Butter and line the base and two long sides of a 1.5kg loaf tin with a strip of baking paper.
2. Mix the butter, honey and egg and stir in the pumpkin or squash. Then mix in the sugar, flour and ginger.
3. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Serve thickly sliced and buttered.

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Halloween Pumpkin Cake

Like carrot cake? Then try using up your leftover pumpkin in this clever traybake for Halloween

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 15 generous portions

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  408

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  52g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  37g

• Salt

  1.33g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 300g self-raising flour
• 300g light muscovado sugar
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 175g sultanas
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 200g butter, melted
• zest 1 orange
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 500g (peeled weight) pumpkin or butternut squash flesh, grated
• For drenching and frosting
• 200g pack soft cheese
• 85g butter, softened
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• zest 1 orange and juice of half

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.
2. To make the frosting, beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge. When the cake is done, cool for 5 mins then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.
3. If you like, trim the edges of the cake. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls. If you're making the cake ahead, keep it in the fridge then take out as many pieces as you want 30 mins or so before serving. Will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.

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The Ultimate Makeover Carrot Cake

Angela Nilsen rethinks traditional ingredients and baking techniques to create a healthier version of a classic

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 16 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  217

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  21g

• Salt

  0.52g

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 1 medium orange
• 140g raisins
• 125ml rapeseed oil
• 115g plain wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp baking powder, plus a pinch
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
• 140g dark muscovado sugar
• 280g finely grated carrots (about 375-400g carrots before peeling)
• 2 eggs
• 115g self-raising flour
• For the frosting
• 100g light soft cheese, straight from the fridge
• 100g Quark
• 3 tbsp sifted icing sugar
• ½ tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1 ½ tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. For the cake, finely grate the zest from the orange and squeeze 3 tbsp of juice. Pour the juice over the raisins in a bowl, stir in zest, then leave to soak while you make the cake. Lightly oil and line the base of a deep 20cm square cake tin. Mix the flours with 1 tsp baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.
2. Separate one of the eggs. Put the white in a small bowl and the yolk in a large one. Break the remaining whole egg in with the yolk, then tip in the sugar. Whisk together for 1-2 mins until thick and foamy. Slowly pour in the oil and continue to whisk on a low speed until well mixed. Tip in the flour mix, half at a time, and gently stir it into the egg mixture with a rubber spatula or big spoon. The mix will be quite stiff. Put the extra pinch of baking powder in with the egg white and whisk to soft peaks.
3. Fold the carrot, raisins (and any liquid) into the flour mixture. Gently fold in the whisked egg white, then pour into the tin. Jiggle the tin to level the mixture. Bake for 1 hr until risen and firm or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin 5 mins, turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper, then leave until cold.
4. To make the frosting, stir the soft cheese, Quark, icing sugar and orange zest together-don't overbeat. Stir in the lemon juice. Swirl the frosting over the cake and cut into 16 square. This cake is even better if left well wrapped for a day or two before icing and eating. Will keep up to 5 days uniced in an airtight tin, or in the fridge if iced.

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Sugar-Dusted Passion Cake

This is a cross between a carrot cake and a hummingbird cake - a very popular fruity bake Down Under

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  487

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  50g

• Fat

  30g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  36g

• Salt

  0.36g

Ingredients

• 250ml sunflower oil, plus a little extra for greasing
• 140g dark muscovado sugar
• 250g wholemeal flour
• 100g desiccated coconut
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 50g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g carrots, peeled and grated
• 432g tin crushed pineapples, drained, reserving 50ml juice (from Sainsbury's, or see Know-how, below)
• zest and juice 2 limes
• 200g caster sugar
• icing sugar and doilies, mascarpone and natural yogurt, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Grease and line a deep, 20cm square tin with baking paper. Sift the muscovado until it's lump-free. Tip into the largest bowl you have with the flour, coconut, mixed spice, baking powder and walnuts, then mix well. In a jug, whisk together the oil, eggs and 2 tsp of the vanilla extract, then pour over the dry ingredients. Add the carrot, pineapple, reserved pineapple juice and lime zest to the bowl, then give everything a really good mix until combined. Scrape into the tin, then bake on a low to middle shelf for 1 hr, until a skewer inserted comes out with just moist crumbs clinging to it and no sticky mix. Once cool, the cake can be frozen for up to 3 months, then soak with the syrup once defrosted.
2. Meanwhile, make a lime syrup by gently heating the caster sugar, lime juice and final tsp of vanilla in a small pan. Once dissolved, boil for a few mins until syrupy.
3. Leave the cake in its tin until cool enough to handle, then turn upside-down onto a wire rack. Using a skewer, poke holes all over the cake and drizzle over the syrup a little at a time, waiting for the last addition to soak into the cake before pouring over any more. Cool completely, then trim the edges. Will keep for a few days in an airtight tin.
4. To serve, return the cake to a serving plate, right side up, and place a doily, or a few doilies, over the top. Dust liberally with icing sugar, then very carefully lift off the paper without disturbing the sugar. Serve immediately, as the icing sugar will begin to melt after a while, with a dollop of something creamy on the side-try mixing equal amounts of mascarpone and natural yogurt with a little more icing sugar.

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Hazelnut Fruitcake

Enjoy this 'glut and nut' cake, made with excess courgettes and apples, with a cup of tea

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 10 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  501

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  59g

• Fat

  28g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  42g

• Salt

  0.87g

Ingredients

• 225g soft, unsalted butter, plus a little extra for the tin
• 100g bag blanched hazelnuts, half very roughly chopped
• 225g light muscovado sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp mixed spice or ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 175g courgettes, coarsely grated
• 1 eating apple, grated (about 85g/3oz flesh)
• 250g mixed dried fruits

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a deep, 20cm round cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Put the whole hazelnuts, plus 1 tbsp each of the sugar and flour, into a food processor and whizz until the hazelnuts are as fine as you can get them.
2. Add the butter, remaining sugar and eggs to the processor, then tip in the vanilla, spice, ¼ tsp salt, remaining flour and baking powder. Whizz until smooth. Remove the blade, then stir in the grated courgettes, apple and dried fruit.
3. Spoon the mix into the tin, smooth the top, then scatter with the chopped hazelnuts, pressing them into the batter a little. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins (see tip, below), covering the top loosely with foil after 45 mins, until the cake is risen and golden. Cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

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Frosted Courgette & Lemon Cake

This luscious cake is lemony and light, with an extra citrus kick from the lemon syrup drizzle

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  375

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  38g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  26g

• Salt

  0.68g

Ingredients

• 250g pack unsalted butter, very soft, plus extra for the tin
• 3 unwaxed lemons
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 medium courgettes, coarsely grated (you'll need 300g/10oz flesh)
• 1 tsp poppy seed, plus extra to decorate
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g self-raising flour
• 100g plain wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 85g icing sugar
• 200g pack full-fat soft cheese
• 4 tbsp lemon curd (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Zest 2 lemons, then squeeze their juice into a separate bowl. Put 200g butter, the caster sugar, eggs, courgettes, poppy seeds, vanilla and lemon zest into a mixing bowl. Beat to a creamy batter. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, the flours, baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Spoon the mix into the tins, then bake for 25 mins or until risen, golden and springy in the middle.
2. Make a drizzle by mixing another tbsp lemon juice with 25g icing sugar. Put the remaining icing sugar and butter into a bowl, add the soft cheese, remaining lemon juice (about 2 tbsp) and grate in the final lemon's zest. Beat to make a creamy, smooth frosting.
3. When the cakes are ready, cool for 15 mins in their tins, then turn onto a cooling rack. Prick several times with a cocktail stick, spoon over the drizzle and cool completely. Can be frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Put one cake onto a serving plate and spread with just under half the frosting. Spread over the lemon curd, if using. Top with the second cake, spread the remaining frosting over the top and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

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Zesty Carrot & Ginger Loaf

Lovers of ginger cake and carrot cake should enjoy this one. It mellows and improves over a couple of days

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 8 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  379

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  66g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  48g

• Salt

  0.44g

Ingredients

• 100g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 50g black treacle
• 50g golden syrup (or use more black treacle if you like your ginger cake really dark)
• zest 1 orange
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 large carrot, grated (you will need 140g/5oz flesh)
• 5 balls stem ginger from a jar, finely chopped
• 175g self-raising flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 140g icing sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter then line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, treacle, syrup and half the zests into a large saucepan. Heat gently until everything has melted together.
2. Add the carrot, ¾ of the chopped ginger, all the flour, bicarb, ¼ tsp salt, the ground ginger, pepper and eggs to the pan and stir well until you have a smooth batter. Pour into the tin and bake for 45 mins, or until dark brown and risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
3. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the remaining zests, then stir in enough lemon juice (about 4 tsp should do it) to make a smooth, thick icing. Cover the surface of the icing with cling film until ready to decorate the cake.
4. When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing over the top and let it dribble down the sides. Scatter with the reserved chopped ginger. Allow to set, then cut into slices and serve.

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Upside-Down Peach Sponge

A moist, fruity cake which is perfect for an afternoon tea with friends

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 1 hr
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 15 squares

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  326

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  43g

• Fat

  16g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  29g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• For the traybake sponge base
• 250g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 280g self-raising flour
• 250g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 150ml pot natural yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• For the topping
• 2 tbsp caster sugar mixed with 1 tbsp flour
• small punnet raspberries
• 2-3 x 400g/14oz cans peach halves, drained

Directions

1. First make the topping. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 20 x 30cm baking or roasting tin and line with baking parchment. Sprinkle with the sugar-flour mix. Push a raspberry or cherry into the cavity of each peach half, then place the peaches, cut-side down, in the tin.
2. To make the sponge batter, beat the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, yogurt and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric whisk until lump-free. Spoon the mix into the tin, over and around the peaches, then bake for 50 mins-1 hr until golden and risen and a skewer poked in comes out clean.
3. Cool briefly, then carefully run a cutlery knife around the edges to release any stuck bits. Turn the cake out onto a board and cut into squares. Delicious eaten warm with ice cream.

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Citrus Grape Cake

A rustic Italian-style cake made with olive oil as well as butter. Wonderful eaten warm with a scoop of ice cream for pud

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  574

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  62g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  39g

• Salt

  0.49g

Ingredients

• 225ml dessert wine, such as Muscat de Beaumes
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 100g softened butter
• 3 eggs
• zest 1 orange
• zest 1 lemon
• 175ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 225g plain flour, plus 1 tbsp for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 175g grapes, halved and seeded
• 4-5 tbsp demerara sugar

Directions

1. Pour the wine into a small pan. Bring to the boil, then keep simmering until reduced down to 85ml-this will take 5-10 mins. Leave to cool.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Brush a 23cm springform cake tin with olive oil, tip in 1 tbsp flour, then shake all over the pan until covered. Discard any excess. Beat together the sugar and butter until creamy and well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, then stir through the zests. Stir together the cooled wine and olive oil, then pour a little into the cake mix. Stir, then fold in a third of the flour and the baking powder. Keep alternating between adding the liquid and flour until everything has been incorporated and the batter is smooth.
3. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin, then smooth the surface with the back of the spoon. Scatter the halved grapes over the top, then sprinkle over the sugar. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Eat warm or cool. Will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Anjou Pear Cake

This fruity cake is at its best when made with melting, buttery pears

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  191

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  22g

• Fat

  10g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.55g

Ingredients

• 50g butter, melted, plus extra for the tin
• 500g ripe buttery pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• juice 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp poire William liqueur (optional)
• 75g plain flour
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder
• 75g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp apricot jam, for the glaze
• icing sugar, for dusting
• crème fraîche, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment and brush with butter.
2. Put the prepared pears in a bowl with the lemon juice and Poire William, if using, to prevent them discolouring. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl, adding a pinch of salt and the caster sugar. Next beat in the eggs and melted butter. Finally, fold in the pears with their juices. Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Bake for about 50 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin, gently peeling away the parchment.
3. To make the glaze, melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the cake with the glaze, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with crème fraîche.

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