Sweet, crumbly and utterly indulgent, enjoy a piece of this beautiful chocolate shortbread with a cuppa for morning or afternoon tea. Or, make it for your loved ones - it's the perfect gift for Christmas or birthdays.

We used Baileys Irish Cream, a liqueur made of blended cream, Irish whiskey and Irish spirits. Don’t over-beat the chocolate and liqueur mixture as it will curdle. Note

Un-iced cakes can be made four days ahead; store covered in an airtight container at room temperature or suitable to freeze. Ice cakes on the day of serving. Chocolate and butter suitable to microwave. Note

Uncooked dough suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Store biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Note

Adorable chocolate cupcakes with a hint of coffee and a gorgeous swirl of coffee buttercream for the coffee lover in your life.

These fluffy oat and buttermilk pancakes marry crispy bacon and fresh figs for the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. For the final touch, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

The treacly richness of golden syrup adds a dark, caramel tone to this moist chocolate cake with fudge icing.

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

Crispy layers of meringue, thick cream and sweet fresh strawberries come together to create a cake that is the epitome of sweet summer flavours.

Pairing two of our favourite desserts, rich and creamy cheesecake and decadent chocolate brownies, this dessert recipe is sure to please any sweet tooth. Make a batch to share with your loved ones this weekend.

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. You will need about 5 passionfruit for this recipe. Note

Our Christmas snowball cookies make an adorable homemade Christmas food gift, or a cute addition to your sweets spread come Christmas Day. Just don't throw them.

Whether you're celebrating a friend's birthday, engagement, or career milestone this decadent salted caramel three-tier cake will show just how much you care.

Packed with fruit, this dense and moist lumberjack cake is full of enough energy and fibre to get you through to lunch, even if you do have to lop down a few trees in the meantime.

Marzipan is in the cake decorations aisle; check ingredients label for gluten. Note

These delicious mini jam rolls are a dainty sweet treat and make an excellent accompaniment to your morning or afternoon cuppa. Any kind of jam filling or curd will work.

For a simple icing, spread cake with vanilla frosting and drizzle with cherry conserve. Note

Combine dissolved gelatine and cream cheese mixture at the same temperature to prevent lumps from forming in cheesecake. Note

Traditionally made in autumn to coincide with the harvest, this apple custard cake is a delightful marriage between the tartness of apples and the sweetness of custard and cake.

Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid lumps in cheesecake. Note

Replace dates with 1/2 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts; price will vary. Note

Celebrate the birth and naming of the newest princess born to the British Royal Family with this delicious chocolatey dessert. A fitting tribute to little Charlotte, we think!

Lightly spiced with cinnamon, this carrot cake slice is always popular. Piping the decorations is easy if you use a little sandwich bag with the corner snipped off.

No friand tray? Bake in a 12-hole (1/3-cup) muffin tray. Replace hazelnut meal with almond meal, and use leftover egg yolks in omelets and custards. Note

When you have extra lemons, freeze juice in ice-cube trays for later use. You’ll need about 4 lemons. Note

You’ll need to steam or microwave about 300g peeled pumpkin for this recipe. You can also make this in a 19cm (base measurement) square pan. Note

3 medium mashed bananas equals 1 1/2 cups. Note

Make sure butter is well creamed before adding sugar. This incorporates air and makes for a lighter cake. Use unsalted butter at room temperature, if preferred. For a richer cake, use 185 grams unsalted butter, 3 eggs and reduce milk to 1/4 cup. Continue as directed. Note

Other canned fruit of choice may be used, such as peaches or cherries. Note

No carrot cake is complete without walnuts and cream cheese frosting and this one is no different.

Just because you don't eat gluten doesn't mean you have to miss out on Christmas treats - try this delicious glace fruit cake.

Is there anything better than a scrumptious chocolate cheesecake covered in fresh berries? The same cheesecake with no baking required is definitely one step better.

Kids will love these fun spotty chocolate cakes, ideal for a party.

These gorgeous cupcakes by Woman's Day are exquisitely delicate and absolutely perfect for a fairy themed birthday party or even an afternoon tea. Serve them on your daintiest china.

Of all the fruit and nut loaf recipes, this one by Woman's Day has to be in the top 5. Gluten-free, stuffed with your favourite dried fruits and richly sweetened with brown sugar, it's irresistible.

Crush biscuits in a food processor, or in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. It is imperative to beat the softened cream cheese well, to ensure a smooth end result. Gelatine and cream-cheese mixture should be combined when they are at a similar temperature, to prevent lumps forming. Note

Remember to discard any rhubarb leaves. Apple, pear or pineapple would also be delicious in this cake. Note

Bursting with the flavour and moistness of a whole orange, this amazing slice by Woman's Day will not last long. Made with the goodness and protein of almond meal, it's also gluten free.

Take yourself back to those weekends with your grandmother with this light, fluffy sponge cake complete with delectable strawberries in cream.

Tina's sponge cake

This prize-winning sponge cake is featherlight and has the perfect texture for a classic sponge. Best served with lashings of whipped cream and the jam of your choice.

Sieve the dry ingredients through at least three or more times. It’s best if to use eggs that are a couple of days old to make this sponge cake. Use eggs that are at room temperature. Note

Fluffy sponge cake topped with all the indulgent joys of strawberries and cream. This one's bound to be a huge hit with the kids.

Janet's sponge cake

Master the art of the classic sponge cake with this delicious version sandwiched with whipped cream and passionfruit butter.

If you prefer, add 1 cup grated carrot to the mixture in place of 1 banana. Note

You will need about 3 medium bananas for this recipe. Note

Chocolate mud cake is possibly the most popular choice of cake, and for good reason. It's quite delicious! Use the best-quality chocolate you can afford for this version.

Strawberries, kiwifruit and banana can also be used to top a pavalova Note

Nut loaf tins are available from speciality kitchenware shops. Note

These light and fluffy muffins are naturally sweetened with dried sultanas, making them a perfect healthy lunchbox snack for school and work.

A smaller amount of mixed fruit results a lighter, but equally delicious fruitcake. A generous slosh of sherry has still been added though, so there's no need to fret.

Add some extra chopped walnuts or pecans to cake mixture if desired – but remember this will increase the fat content. Light evaporated milk, thickened with cornflour, can be substituted for cream in many dishes, sweet and savoury. Note

Madeira cake was named after the beverage with which it was traditionally enjoyed back in the 18th century and are loathe to mess with tradition. So, bottoms up!

To make a light, fluffy teacake, it is important to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly, until mixture is as light and white as possible. Note

Unfilled sponge suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Slathered with thick and sweet caramel icing, this slice rich and delicious afternoon treat to be savoured slowly.

This loaf freezes well – either whole or in slices. Note

To make chocolate curls, melt 1 cup white chocolate melts. Cut out several 8 x 10cm squares of baking paper. Spread or pipe (in a lacy pattern) a thin layer of chocolate onto paper in an oval shape. Fold over and carefully press tips of chocolate together to create a hollow loop. Support loops on […]

Allowing the cheesecake to cool in a turned-off oven helps prevent cracking. Note

You’ll need 1 1/2 packets of biscuits for the base. The filling will keep cooking after the oven is turned off, so it should be just set in the centre, with a slight wobble. Note

Drizzled with sweet, lemony icing, this gluten-free cake is moist and delicious. It's also incredibly versatile; check out the tips section for the nut-free version.

Zucchini can be replaced with mashed banana if preferred. Note

Who can resist a slice of rich, dense chocolate fudge cake? Serve with a dollop of fresh cream.

Sweet, golden and full of gorgeous flavours, this beautiful coconut and raspberry cake is perfect for an indulgent morning or afternoon tea with your friends.

Opposites attract in this cake with sour cream, white chocolate and apricot creating an explosion of flavour in your mouth.

Sweet, fluffy and golden, these beautiful orange and poppy seed friands are wonderful served topped with a oozy citrus syrup, keeping the cakes deliciously moist.

Use other nuts of choice, such as macadamia or chopped pecans. Note

Armenian cooking is noted for its use of spices. In this recipe, nutmeg adds fragrance and taste to a not-too-sweet cake that cooks in two layers. Recipe can be made 2 days ahead; store in airtight container. Suitable to freeze, not suitable to microwave. Note

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Note

You could also use a 6-hole oversized muffin pan, if preferred. Bake larger muffins for a further 5 minutes. Note

Rhubarb is available all year round. For the best flavour, choose thin, magenta coloured stalks over thicker green ones. Note

To ripen bananas quickly, place in a brown paper bag in a warmish place until brown. To give the cake a nutty flavor, fold 1 cup of chopped pecans into the mix after adding the sour cream. Note

A specialty of Siena, Italy, this dense fruit and nut cake is also known as Siena cake. You need to start this recipe the day before. Panforte will keep for up to 2 months wrapped in baking paper, then foil, in an airtight container.

Sweet, rich and creamy, this cookies and cream cheesecake is perfect for a birthday party, family event or just an indulgent weekend dessert.