Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! This time I will be showing you some brilliant baking recipes such as cakes, pies and tarts for all the family to enjoy. But firstly, I would like to say a big thank you to Christine Diamente, Louise Harper, The Flavor Smasher, rachelmankowitz, agnieskaweiner and MoonPixlarPW for giving me a like and a massive thank you to Louise Harper, agnieskaweiner, MoonPixlarPW and The Flavor Smasher for following me.

Now, everyone loves a good cake, tart or pie for pudding or for events such as birthdays or eating at a restaurant. Below are some delicious baking recipes which I hope that you will enjoy making and eating at home.

Honey cake – 

Ingredients

• 170g/6oz clear honey
• 140g/5oz butter
• 85g/3oz light muscovado sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 200g/7oz self raising flour, sieved
• water

For the icing

• 55g/2oz icing sugar 
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• hot water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3 and butter and line the bottom of a 7in/18cm cake tin.
2. Measure the honey, butter and sugar into a large pan. Add a tablespoon of water and heat gently until melted.
3. Remove from the heat and mix in the eggs and flour.
4. Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin.
5. Cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.
6. While the cake is still warm, make the icing by mixing the sugar and honey together with 2-3 teaspoons of hot water. Trickle over the cake in whatever design takes your fancy.

Easy chocolate cake – 

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• 350g/12½oz caster sugar 85g/3oz cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 free-range eggs
• 250ml/9fl oz milk
• 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

• 200g/7oz plain chocolate
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
2. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
3. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
4. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25–35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
6. For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1–2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
7. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
8. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
9. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

Perfect apple pie – 

Ingredients

For the filling

• 5oz golden caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 600g/1lb 5oz Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced

For the pastry

• 400g/14oz plain flour, plus extra rolling
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 250g/10oz cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 free-range eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp cold water, plus 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

Method

1. For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and lemon zest into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and stir with a round-bladed knife until the mixture forms a dough.
2. Set aside one-third of the pastry for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface until the thickness of a pound coin and 5-7cm/2-3in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and lower it gently into the pie dish.
3. Press the pastry firmly into the dish and up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Chill the fridge for a few minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C/180 (fan)/Gas 6. Place a baking tray into the oven to preheat.
5. For the filling, mix the sugar, cinnamon and cornflour in a large bowl. Stir in the apples.
6. Place the apple filling into the pie dish, making sure that it rises above the edge. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg.
7. Roll out the reserved ball of pastry. Cover the pie with the pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal. Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry, then gently crimp all around the edge. Make a few small holes in the centre of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top with beaten egg.
8. Lightly knead the pastry trimmings and re-roll. Cut into leaf shapes place all around the edge of the pie, slightly overlapping each other, and glaze with more egg. Sprinkle the pie with sugar and bake in the centre of the oven for 45–55 minutes or golden-brown all over and the apples are tender.

Banoffee pie – 

Ingredients

For the base

• 75g/3oz unsalted butter
• 200g/7oz digestive biscuits

For the caramel filling

• 150g/5½oz light muscovado or soft brown sugar
• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• 1 x 397g can condensed milk
• pinch sea salt flakes

For the topping

• 2 ripe bananas
• 150ml/¼ pt double or whipping cream
• 100g/3½oz bar milk chocolate, grated

Method

1. Make the biscuit base first. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan. Put the biscuits into a food bag and crush with a rolling pin, or pulse them until fine in a food processor.
2. Tip the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter until evenly coated. Pour the mixture into the centre of a 23cm/9inch loose-bottomed tart tin. Then press the mixture firmly over the base of the tin and up the sides. Transfer the base to the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes, until firm.
3. While the base cools, make the caramel. Heat the brown sugar and butter together in a pan over a medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar has dissolved. At first the sugar and butter won’t mix, but keep stirring. As the sugar melts, it will come together.
4. Stir in the condensed milk and the sea salt flakes. Bring up to the boil, then take off the heat.
5. Take the set biscuit base out of the fridge and pour the caramel onto the biscuit base. Transfer to the fridge and leave to cool completely.
6. When ready to serve, slice the bananas and layer them over the set caramel. Pour the cream into a large bowl, and whip with electric hand beaters till thickened but not stiff. Spoon the cream over the bananas.
7. Grate the chocolate over the top of the pie.
8. Remove the pie from the tart tin, by placing the tin on top of an upturned bowl, then sliding the edge of the tin down. Move the bowl out of the way, then slide the banoffee pie off the tin base and onto a board or plate. It’s now ready to serve.

Warm treacle tart with softly whipped cream – 

Ingredients

For the pastry case

• butter, for greasing
• plain flour, for dusting
• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made sweet pastry

For the filling

• 400ml/14fl oz golden syrup
• 125g/4½oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 lemon, zest and juice

To serve

• 150ml/5fl oz double cream, lightly whipped
• fresh mint sprigs

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the pastry case, lightly grease a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed tart tin.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry and use to line the tart tin.
4. Cover the pastry with cling film and place into the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pastry from the fridge and remove the cling film. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove the pastry case from the oven and remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans. Return to the oven for a further 3-5 minutes.
8. Remove the pastry case from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 140C/275F/Gas 1.
9. For the filling, place the golden syrup, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs and lemon juice and zest into a bowl and mix well.
10. Pour the filling mixture into the tart case, transfer to the oven and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour, or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
11. To serve, place slices of the tart onto serving plates with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh mint, to garnish.

Lemon and mascarpone tart – 

Ingredients

• 1 x 25cm/10in sweet shortcrust pastry tart shell, baked blind (you can use ready-made pastry)

For the filling

• 300g/10½oz mascarpone
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 6 lemons, juice and zest
• 6 free-range eggs, plus 6 free-range eggs yolks

For the raspberry champagne sauce

• 175g/6oz caster sugar 
• 150ml/5½fl oz champagne
• 200g/7oz fresh raspberries

To serve

• icing sugar
• raspberries
• whipped cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Beat the mascarpone, caster sugar, lemon juice and zest together in a bowl until very smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until set. Remove the tart from the oven and set aside to cool, then leave to chill in the fridge.
5. For the sauce, bring the sugar and champagne to the boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the raspberries and set aside to cool completely.
6. Blend the sauce in a blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve.
7. To serve, cut a slice of the tart, sprinkle over some icing sugar and caramelise with a cook’s blowtorch (optional).
8. Place the slice onto a serving plate and drizzle over a little sauce. Top with the raspberries and whipped cream.