Cake

Edible glitter is available from specialist cake decorating shops. Long (30cm) pipe cleaners, sometimes known as tinsel sticks, are available from craft stores. Note

The only thing better than a traditional carrot cake is one with chocolate. And this recipe with a rich sweet white chocolate icing is naughty but nice.

You need to press the cake mixture into balls using your hands – do not roll as the mixture will crumble. You will need 25 lollypop or paddle pop sticks for this recipe. When dipping the cake pops in melted chocolate, tilt the bowl of chocolate to one side, so the chocolate is deep enough […]

Put the kettle on and enjoy a generous slice of this dense, buttery almond cake.

What a stylish wedding or engagement cake this contemporary tower of golden macarons would make! There is some time and effort involved but it's oh so worth it for this grand and elegant creation.

Gluten-free cakes are too often dry and disappointing, the mashed banana and jam helps make this gluten-free chocolate cake a rich, dense triumph.

EQUIPMENT 35cm (14-inch) round cake board 8cm (3¾-inch) round cutter 3 long bamboo skewers We only used the white marshmallows from the packets of marshmallows; serve the pink marshmallows at the party. You can make the castle pink and white if you like; in this case you will only need 4 packets of marshmallows. Use […]

Classic pavlova is usually topped with mixed berries and passionfruit pulp. We've opted for a mix of berries here, but if you prefer you can use kiwifruit, thinly sliced pineapple, pawpaw and passionfruit pulp.

It's sure to impress.

Apricot lovers will adore this crisp, creamy cheesecake.

You will need about four large overripe bananas for the amount of mashed banana required. Note

Kids love to go camping. If you have a large enough grassed area at home, turn the area into a camping ground for the party. It's an easy, inexpensive party theme.

Only remove the legs of the doll if she’s too tall for the cake. Just push the doll, with legs, gently through the cake until the doll’s body is in the right position. Dolly Varden cake pans can be bought or hired from cake decorating suppliers. Note

Upside down cake is a classic afternoon tea snack, but can also be presented as an impressive dessert.

For a delicious afternoon tea, serve thick slices of this moist pecan cake with whipped cream.

Be sure to remove toothpicks from cake before cutting and serving. Note

The smooth flavour of mocha in a freshly baked, moist cake is irresistible. This cake will keep for up to 2 days, but we're sure it won't last that long!

equipment 12-hole (½-cup/125ml) friand pan 5 strong wooden toothpicks 35cm x 40cm prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) medium gum-leaf cutter You’ll have about 1 cup of the cake mixture left over, enough to make another four balloons. The balloons are not difficult to make, but getting the sides of the […]

The pan is measured at the top, not the base. It’s important to not grease the tube pan, the cake mixture needs to cling to the pan as it rises during the baking process. Tube pans are large smooth-sided ring pans with small “feet” to support the inverted pan while the cake cools. If the […]

equipment 30cm x 45cm prepared cake board, strong wooden toothpick decorations 27 Maltesers, approximately 2 green snakes, halved lengthways 5 mint leaves 3 yellow ready-made icing flowers 3 foil-wrapped chocolate ladybirds If Easter eggs aren’t available, you can use Kinder Surprise eggs. We’ve made quite a long wall out of bought lamingtons; you could have […]

To freeze; wrap cake in two layers of plastic wrap. Seal, label and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight at room temperature. This cake will also keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. Note

EQUIPMENT 25cm (10-inch) round cake board You can make your own meringues for this cake and colour them any colour you like. This works well as a Christmas cake using green and white meringues. You can use butter cream instead of vanilla frosting if you like. Note

Inspired by the classic nursery rhyme, this gorgeous yellow moon cake - straight from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook - is sure to thrill your child on their birthday.

This buttery shortcake is filled with apricot jam and topped with crunchy blanched almonds.

The cake is best made on the day of serving. Note

EQUIPMENT 5 x 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans 12-hole (⅓ -cup/80ml) standard muffin pan 2.25-litre (9-cup) pudding steamer 60 mini muffin paper cases (28 yellow, 32 dark brown) 35cm (14-inch) square cake board Make the mini muffins in batches; the cake mixture will be fine to stand at room temperature. Make the toffee wings up […]

We used glacé peaches and pineapple in this delicious, moist cake recipe. Glacé pears, apricots, cherries and figs could also be used.

This sweet, creamy no bake cheesecake is delectable and simply moorish. This recipe will need to be started the day before to give adequate setting time.

A good basic, light cake that is perfect as a base for kids' birthday cakes. It is also nice plain or with cream and berries.

This blue chopper is a favourite from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous Children's Birthday Cake Book.

Perfect for an afternoon tea party, or just an afternoon treat, these little coffee cakes are light and delectable.

Make a cake in shape of a football jersey, ­decorate it with the colours of your child’s favourite team to make him the hero of the day. Note

Rich, moist little orange cakes are finished beautifully with a drizzle of hot orange syrup.

This cake is almost a cross between a mousse and a fallen soufflé. It’s a wonderfully impressive cake to present for dessert or with tea and coffee.

Turn your favorite Italian restaurant treat into a spectacular cake.

Serve thick wedges of this traditional pudding with custard or cream.

equipment 5cm (2-inch) square cutter 4 paper piping bags small stencils (see tips) small offset metal spatula 16 plain coloured paper cases 30cm (12-inch) square wooden cake board (page 208) Square paper cases are available in specialty food or kitchen shops, but we found round cases happily change shape to accommodate the square cakes. The […]

Your guests will be trumpeting praise when they see this cute elephant cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook on the party spread.

This dense banana loaf is even more delicious when sliced and served with a drizzle of honey and sliced fresh bananas.

Attach pattern to cake using toothpicks before cutting out cake. Note

You could fill the cones with scoops of ice-cream instead of the cupcakes just before serving. Tint the frosting a colour to match your party theme. Note

Some nights warrant pulling out all the stops, and these chocolate and hazelnut pavlova with berries, cream and chocolate sauce have it all.

This simple yet delicious blueberry loaf is perfect for a morning or afternoon snack with a steaming hot cup of tea.

equipment 20cm x 30cm lamington pan 20cm x 50cm prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) decorations 165g packet mini musks Piping takes a little practice. You might find it easier to do the piping, numbering and lettering before using a spatula to position the cakes on the board. Note

Make someone's special day even more special with this triple-layered beauty.

Pink grapefruit syrup turns these delectable little lemon cakes into something rather special.

This fun children's cake is great for the little ones that love playing with trains and automobiles. They'll love the taste and look of this tasty dessert!

Store in an airtight container for up to two days. Note

The cake and ice- cream cones can be prepared one day before the party. The frosting is best spread over the cake about an hour before serving. The frosting will lose its gloss after an hour or so. Note

Leaving a 1cm (½ inch) border of sponge without cream will make the icing of the sides of the slice easier to do. The weight of the top layer of sponge will push the cream far enough. Note

Stir the cooled cocoa and water mixture into the cake batter. Spread the cake mixture into the greased and lined cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top. Note

Who could resist the tropical turtle with her yummy chocolate shell? Note

Plump with fruit, this traditional cake is wonderful served with a pot of hot tea.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a thick slice of this moist apple and apricot loaf.

Two 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular cake pans 35cm x 40cm (14-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board toothpicks. Position paper pattern on cake, cut out butterfly using a sharp knife. Use toothpicks to transfer butterfly markings from paper pattern onto the cake. Spread different coloured butter creams on butterfly markings. The butterfly is […]

It’s important to measure the cake mixture carefully, so the cakes are all the same depth. Make the full amount of mixture; it will be fine standing at room temperature while you bake the cakes in batches. We used standard sized foil cases and scrapbooking decorations, available from craft and shops. Note

Layers of sponge cake and vanilla ice-cream topped with a fresh rhubarb compote makes this vanilla and rhubarb slice a wonderful summer dessert.

This fruit cake is suitable for many allergy diets, as it does not contain wheaten flour, eggs, milk or butter; the only sugar is in the fruit.

EQUIPMENT deep 26cm x 36cm (10½-inch x 14½-inch) baking dish 45cm x 50cm (17-inch x 18-inch) rectangular cake board small paper piping bag. DECORATIONS silver cardboard, for buckle; 1 black licorice strap; 100g (3 ounces) white chocolate Melts; coloured sprinkles. With magic and mayhem being all the rage these days, there are sure to be […]

Buy 200g (6½ ounces) muscatels for these cakes, use one-third in the cake mixture and the rest for decorating. Note

This delicious and impressive looking mandarin upside-down cake is a little tricky to make but is oh so worth it. Better still it is gluten-free so everyone can enjoy it. Use a microplane to zest the fruit for best results.

You will need to grate about 3 carrots for this recipe. Use the grating blade of the processor if desired. Note

Layers of chocolate cake, meringue, strawberries and cream make this gateau the perfect dessert for a very special celebration.

EQUIPMENT 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board 20cm (8-inch) round wooden cake board 15cm (6-inch) round wooden cake board 6 wooden cake skewers small offset metal spatula 2 x quantities fluffy frosting Fresh organic flowers white florist’s tape Make the frosting after you have stacked and secured the cakes. You need to work quickly once […]

This is a simply luscious cake, with its layers of sponge, mango and coconut mascarpone.

Drambuie is a whisky-based liqueur infused with honey, spices and herbs. Soaking the fruit in the liqueur adds depth and richness to these divine cakes.

For a delicious morning tea, serve these fluffy banana choc-chip cakes warm with butter.

Fun, colourful and utterly delicious, this cute jellyfish birthday cake is perfect for an under-the-sea style kids party or animal lovers.

Most cheesecakes benefit from being made a day ahead; the flavours develop and the texture becomes firm.

The cave is made up of three cakes, so while it may look fiddly and complicated, it isn’t. The kids’ll think you used magic to make it. Cooked cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature for about six hours. Cake can be iced and decorated one day ahead (except […]

Serve up these delightful glazed doughnuts at your next kids' party. They are easier to make than you might think.

Two is never terrible when it comes to this delightful birthday cake by the Australian Women's Weekly. Buttercream hides a multitude of sins, so don't worry about any little mistakes!

This delicious cake is topped with confectionery carrots, cauliflowers and tomatoes.

Double digits at last! This ten cake by Australian Women's Weekly is colour galore. When cutting the jubes dip the knife in hot water, then dry before cutting to avoid sticking.

26cm x 35cm (10½-inch x 14-inch) baking dish; 30cm x 40cm (12-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board; small paper piping bag; wooden skewer. This cute cake is a bit fiddly to make, but it looks so good and you’ll get plenty of wow’s that it’s well worth the effort. Note

CAKE PANS AND COOKING TIMES 20cm baba pan 40 minutes 20cm ring pan 40 minutes 14cm x 21cm loaf pan 1 hour 2 x 8cm x 26cm bar pans 35 minutes deep 20cm round cake pan 50 minutes 24 patty pans 15 minutes Note

Enjoy your favourite pudding in spectacular cake form.

Store tiramisu cups upright in the refrigerator until ready to serve. They are best made on the day of serving. Note

For a sweet and satisfying treat, try a slice of this moist cherry and orange loaf, delicious served with a dollop of yoghurt or cream.

Split cake horizontally a third of the way from the top. Scoop deep holes out of cake using small spoon or melon baller. Pour white chocolate custard immediately into holes of cake. Note