Drizzled in orange blossom icing, these dense almond and orange cakes are perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

If using frozen raspberries, don’t thaw them, as the colour will run. Granny smith or golden delicious apples are both good varieties to use in this recipe. Note

To make butterfly cakes, a variation of fairy cakes, cut the circle of cut-out cake in half, replace on the cream like wings. Decorate with silver cachous. Note

You need about two medium carrots to get enough grated carrot for this recipe. Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases in pan. Sift the icing sugar into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the butter and enough orange juice to make a firm paste. Put bowl of icing mixture over a saucepan of simmering […]

Delicious and divinely pretty, these Turkish delight cupcakes are an exquisite treat to make for an afternoon tea party or any other elegant celebration.

You can decorate these party patty cakes just like we have, or you can use your favourite lollies to make up your own designs. For a fun, if messy, party game place all the bits and pieces out on a long table, and let the kids decorate their own cupcake.

The perfect treat for those of us who prefer zesty flavours to overpoweringly sweet ones. With delicate meringue cases and a lemon cream cheese cake these delights are sure to impress.

Piled high with fluffy frosting, cloud cakes are as light and dreamy as their name suggests. Add a dash of colour by sprinkling them with coloured sugar.

These mini choc chip friands can be made a day ahead if you're baking to entertain, and go down a treat with a cup of good coffee. They also freeze well, just don't ice them beforehand.

Basic cup cakes make a great project when you're looking to bake with the kids on a wet afternoon.

We used purple jubes, small jelly beans, Smarties and fizzers, but you can use any lollies you like. Note

Fondant carrots are available from specialty kitchenware shops or cake decorating shops. Alternatively, make your own using flower-moulding paste. Colour with liquid colour and shape into mini carrots ­ use a small amount of paste, coloured green, to make the curly tops. Note

You need two large (460g) overripe bananas to get the amount of mashed banana. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

It is fine to use just one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

Packaged cupcakes usually come iced, however, you can ice over the top with the frosting or remove the icing. Place the muffins in matching paper cases, if you like. Note

Delicious little French confectioneries that literally mean 'small oven'.

We used blue and green Life Savers, mini M&M’s, Skittles and baby jelly beans, but you can use any lollies you like. Note

The cake mix is enough to make 12 patty cakes, so decorate the other six patty cakes with your own favourite critters & crawlers. Note

Equipment 3 x 12-hole (⅓-cup/80ml) standard muffin pans 36 standard paper cases (18 yellow, 18 red) 45cm-square prepared cake board Decorations 1 Killer Python 3 snakes (2 blue, 1 green) 4 x 25g Curly Wurly bars Smarties Piping takes a little skill, practice on a flat surface before you pipe the numbers on the cakes. […]

Make more cakes from any leftover cake mixture if you like. Cakes are best made on the day of the party. Note

EQUIPMENT 12-hole (⅓ -cup/80ml) standard muffin pan 12 standard paper cases (5 green, 4 brown, 3 blue) 40cm x 50cm (16-inch x 20-inch) cake board You’ll have ¾ cup of the cake mixture left over, enough for another three cakes. Many children like gardening, so take-home treats could be small gardening tools. Use the handle […]

For a dairy-free version of this cake, substitute dairy-free spread for the butter and soy milk for the milk. Note

Gem strings on wire are available from craft stores. If you can’t find them, use small lengths of pink ribbon. Note

Tie a small pink ribbon in a bow around each cake, if you like. Note

We used scrap-booking decorations available from craft and hobby shops. This cake can be assembled directly onto a table or covered 24-inch square cake plate. Note

12-hole (-cup/80ml) standard muffin pan 12 dark green paper cupcake cases 4 paper piping bags plastic wrap We made the cupcakes here, instead of buying them, so we could tint the mixture in camouflage colours. To save time, decorate the tops of store-bought cupcakes with the camouflage icing. Vanilla frosting is available in tubs from […]

EQUIPMENT deep 20cm (8-inch) round cake pan 30cm (12-inch) round cake board (page 334) or cake stand medium piping bag fitted with medium plain tube large piping bag fitted with large fluted tube You don’t need one of those giant cup cake pans to make this cake,­ it’s baked in an ordinary round cake pan. […]

12-hole (¹/³-cup/80ml)standard muffin pan 11 purple standard muffin paper cases 7cm (2¾-inch) round fluted cutter 3.5cm (1½-inch) round cutter 40cm x 50cm (16-inch x20-inch) rectangular cake board (page 68) You’ll have 1 cup of the cake mixture left over; use to make extra cakes for the party. Use any themed scrapbooking stickers you like. Note

Equipment; 30cm (12-inch) square cake board 12 yellow mini paper cases If using butter cream instead of the strawberry frosting, you will need one quantity of butter cream tinted pink. Note

We used Grand Marnier in this recipe, but you can use Cointreau or any other orange-flavoured liqueur, if you prefer. You need a small, new paintbrush for this recipe. Paper cases can be found in confectionery stores and some supermarkets. Note

We used blue sugared almonds, available from confectionery and speciality nut shops, but you can use any colour you like. Note

Make one packet of cake mix at a time. Bake two trays of cakes together and, while they’re baking, put the cake mixture into the next two trays. For the best effect, match the paper cases to the colours of the frosting and jelly crystals. Note

You will need some lace, a doily or a stencil for decorating these cakes. Note

Cut a small round from the top of each cake; cut round in half to make two wings (step 7). Note

Cute and fun little nippy the crab cupcakes that the kids will love.

Equipment: three 12-hole (-cup/80ml) muffin pans 25 paper muffin cases 5 disposable piping bags medium plain piping tube 48cm x 55cm covered cake board Decorations: 8 red ALLEN’S MARELLA Jubes 4 red ALLEN’S SNAKES ALIVE 1 banana ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania 3 strawberry ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania 6 LIFE SAVERS PEP‘O’MINT, halved 6 LIFE SAVERS […]

You’ll have about 1 1/2 cup of the cake mixture left over; make more noughts and crosses cakes for your guests. This is a very easy birthday cake to make; it is suitable for boys and girls alike. You can make it in any colour you like. Note

Boiled lollies are made from a thick syrup of boiled sugar and water, to which colour and flavourings are added before the mixture is rolled, cut into pieces and hardened. Also known as rock candy, humbugs and bullseyes. Note

This cake is another one perfect to take to school, or picnic — or any outdoor party. Note

Make sure the rosebuds have not been treated with any chemical sprays. Note

This recipe also makes 12 standard muffins (⅓-cup/80ml capacity holes). Bake cakes for 20 minutes. Note

Delicious little cupcakes that are the perfect treat to celebrate graduation day!

Make sure the rose petals have not been treated with any chemical sprays. Note

Thanks to hothouse growing, rhubarb is available all year, so you can indulge in a hot pie or crumble as well as any number of luscious desserts matching rhubarb with berries and cream or mascarpone whenever you like. Be sure to discard every bit of the vegetable’s leaf and use only the thinnest stalks (the […]

ORANGE FROSTING Beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar; stir in rind. You can use a zesting tool to make the thin strips of orange rind. Note

artist’s fine paint brush 3.5cm (1½-inch) round cutter 12 plain white paper cases large plastic disposable piping bag The cupcakes stale quickly so it’s best to use a fruit or mud cake for the best keeping qualities. The cakes can be made and frozen for 3 months. The monograms can be prepared at least a […]

We used green, orange and yellow paper muffin cases to match the decorations of these lovely cakes. Note

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

You’ll have about 1½ cups of the cake mixture left over to make more cakes for your party. Note

Old-fashioned cast gem irons are available from specialty cookware shops or second-hand shops. Note

This recipe also makes 12 standard muffins (⅓-cup/80ml capacity holes). Bake cakes for 20 minutes. Note

Equipment: 2 x 12-hole (2-tablespoons/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans 24 standard paper cases (brown) 40cm-square prepared cake board decorations white and black decorating gel The recipe makes 24 cakes, however, we’ve only used 17 in our picture. Encourage the guests to bring their instruments, if possible, to a musically-themed party. A white board would make […]

Parties for budding artists are popular ­and this cake will get them in the creative mood. It doesn’t matter if these pots tip over, nothing’s going to spill. Tint the icing any colours you like, just make them bright. Lollies could easily be hidden under the glacé icing. You’ll have enough cake mixture left over […]

A row of clown faces on a party table decorated with streamers and party whistles would look great. Pushing the “hair” into the cakes is a bit fiddly, and needs to be done about an hour before the party. You will have enough cake mixture left over to make about another five clowns , you’ll […]