Apple and almond traybake

It’s hip to be square. Some great things in life are square – vinyl record covers, the IKEA Kallax system, floppy disks, the Monopoly board, and of course brownies.

When you want to be sure of portions, a square traybake works a lot better than a circular cake. I make a lot of traybakes in my 8 inch square brownie tin, especially for toddler group and bible studies at church. First off today is this apple and almond cake adapted from a Mary Berry recipe.

Gooey chocolate fridge cake

I really need a new kitchen. The cupboard doors are falling off, the worktops slope down so that water runs into the corner and pools there behind the tea and coffee canisters. The tiles are so retro, they’re almost fashionable again. But mostly, I need a new kitchen so that I can take instaworthy pictures of my baking. For now, you’ll have to do with pictures taken in the fridge/on top of a biscuit tin/disguised with tea towels. But trust me, this fridge cake tastes better than the photos can do justice!

Afternoon tea cake

There’s something so delightfully British about a Sunday high tea. Imagine the scene: you’ve had a huge dinner at Grandma’s house, with roast lamb and overcooked vegetables. Then you’ve had a bit of a snooze, followed by a lazy game of cricket in the garden. Before you know it, half-past 4 has rolled around, and it’s time to tuck into the spread of sweet food laid out for Sunday Tea. Scones, bread and butter, teacakes, crumpets, muffins, and a slice of light fruit cake! Nobody does excess better!

Peekaboo chocolate battenburg

It’s Mr Cookingfanatic’s birthday and babycookingfanatic’s half birthday (yes, we do all the frivolous celebrations in this household!). And I’ve been meaning to make this hidden battenberg cake for ages. Scroll down to the end to see the finished product.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Zebra Cake

Cakes which look more exciting on the inside than the outside are very fashionable at the moment. And Lorraine has a version of the zebra cake in her recipe book.

Easter – all about the eggs?

I have a craft book which confidently asserts, “Easter is all about the eggs.” It’s not. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Easter as big as it is this year in the supermarkets. There’s Easter bonnets to decorate, Easter cards (honestly, who sends these?), Easter trees, Easter bunny headbands, Easter bunny bubble wands and more! The goodfood magazine is full of “Easter weekend traditions.” The message seems to be that Easter was a good old pagan tradition before those pesky Christians tried to appropriate it for themselves.

86. Caramelised pineapple, rum & vanilla upside-down cake

Home Cooking Made Easy p206

From low point to high point – a fantastic retro upside down cake! The unfashionable glace cherries have been replaced with raspberries, but its still the same nostalgic masterpiece. It just needs some cheese and pineapple cubes on cocktail sticks on a nearby plate to complete the image.

71. and 72. Graffiti cake and lollipops

Yes, it’s the recipe you’ve all been waiting for. Although I have made this cake already, and my post on it is still the most visited on my site each week a year on, I had to do it again to fit all 100 recipes into 2012.

60. and 61. Chocolate cheesecake and Rocky Road cake

Home Cooking Made Easy p195 and 219

For those of you with a nervous disposition, don’t worry. I may only be up to recipe 61 on the blog, but in real life, I’m actually a bit further on, and still hoping to reach 100 by the end of December. There are a number of recipes I’ve been putting off thinking, I’ll make that for Mr Cookingfanatic’s birthday. But honestly, how many birthday meals can one person have? II’d better crack on.

Jubilee Baking

I don’t know about you, but the Jubilee has brought out the joyfully tasteless in me. Edible gold sprinkles and cupcake wrappers? Yes please! Union jack cake with matching union jack napkins? I think so!