The wonderful thing about baking is that it can be as simple as whipping up a batch of sugar cookies, or as complicated as constructing a showstopping pyramid of profiteroles. In the mood to roll up your sleeves? Have a browse through our ultimate ranking of the best baking recipes ever – featuring everything from snackable oat bars to classic lemon drizzle cake.
Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the only baking recipes you'll ever need – counting down to the most iconic cake of them all.
We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each bake, as well as the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. This list is unavoidably subjective.
This recipe turns banana bread into something even tastier – complete with peanut butter icing and homemade honeycomb (although you could make things easier by using shop-bought honeycomb instead). If you want to make your own, be sure to leave enough time to do so; you'll need to leave it to set for a few hours. Just like regular banana bread, this is a great way to use your bananas up before they go past their best.
With this gam-changing recipe up your sleeve, you can enjoy freshly baked cookies whenever the craving strikes. It takes 40 minutes to prepare the chocolate and vanilla cookie dough, then just 20 minutes to bake it from frozen whenever you want warm cookies. You can also add extra toppings – think rainbow sprinkles or caramel sauce – just before baking.
This family-friendly marble cake may contain less refined sugar than classic marble cake, but it's just as tasty, light and fluffy. It's easy to make, too – so it's a great recipe to get the kids involved with. To make it more of a celebration cake, you could bake two layers and sandwich them together with a Greek yogurt and chia jam filling. Alternatively, top it with strawberries and raspberries for an everyday treat.
This recipe offers a decadent twist on traditional brownies – imagine a dense, fudgy, chocolate-loaded base and a crispy, crunchy Nutella and cornflake layer. Do note that the brownies will need to chill in the fridge for at least six hours before you slice them up and serve them.
Here, lemon zest and juice give a fresh, zesty twist to a classic bundt cake – while the addition of clotted cream to the batter ensures a rich (and incredibly moist) result. Decorate the cake with edible flowers and rosemary to make a pretty centrepiece, and serve each slice with plenty of double cream.
Get the recipe for clotted cream and lemon drizzle bundt cake here
This wonderfully sticky, sweet cake is the perfect afternoon treat, especially when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's a twist on a classic Spanish orange cake, with added walnuts and an irresistible orange juice and walnut liqueur glaze. Not only is it incredibly delicious, but it takes just 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to bake.
Rich and chocolatey, with a subtle savoury note from the peanut butter, these nutty creations are a delicious alternative to classic brownies. The trick is to mix the peanut butter with caramel sauce (from a jar), then swirl it through the batter. The brownies take just 20 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to bake. They'd be particularly lovely served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Made with gluten-free flour, these cookies are a great bake for anyone with dietary intolerances – though you can use standard plain flour instead, if you wish. Using wheat-free flour will result in softer cookies, but whichever you use, those chunks of melty white chocolate are a winner every time. The cranberries can be fresh, frozen or dried, depending on what's available.
Get the recipe for wheat-free cookies with white chocolate and cranberries here
This marvellous cake has a base of boiled oranges, which are cooked until very soft, then blitzed in a food processor. Then, all you need to do is add ground almonds, beaten eggs, sugar and a little baking powder. It's also gluten-free (as long as you ensure that you use gluten-free baking powder, that is). Serve slices of this dense, sweet cake as a dessert, accompanied by thick, cold cream – and perhaps a final flourish of orange zest.
This delectable cheesecake is popular for good reason. The filling, made from sugar, single cream, cream cheese and yogurt, is silky and smooth, while the 'burnt' exterior has a wonderful, caramelised quality. Our simple version is made with cream cheese, though you could use a very soft goats’ cheese instead for a pleasant (and slightly peppery) savoury note.
Cinnamon buns are thought to have originated in Sweden, where they’re known as kanelbullar (and are so popular that there’s a national holiday in their honour on 4 October). You can – and should – try this recipe at any time of year, though. The buns are rested in the fridge overnight before being baked and smothered with a delicious maple cream cheese glaze.
This quick chocolate torte is a rather glorious dessert. It’s also easy to whip up, taking just 15 minutes to prepare and a further 45 minutes to bake – plus, it's wheat-free, made with butter, dark chocolate, eggs and sugar. It tends to sink in the centre as it cools, but don’t worry; it's nothing a good dusting of cocoa powder and a scattering of raspberries can't fix.
The fruit element of these cupcakes comes from a purée that’s beaten into the buttercream, bringing naturally sweet flavours and pretty colours to the party. One of the best things about this simple recipe is that you can use any fruit you like (depending on what's in season), or use a variety of different fruits to create a rainbow of cupcakes.
It’s hard to imagine a summerier dessert than this one – although in our eyes, a classic fruit and cream–filled shortcake is a winner at any time of year. This one sees a light sponge cake filled with fresh strawberries, half of which are crushed with sugar for extra sweetness. You could also use other seasonal fruits (such as peaches, nectarines or raspberries), if you prefer.
Flour might be an essential ingredient in the majority of bakes, but some cakes are all the better for its absence. This flourless chocolate cake is a prime – and very delicious – example. It’s gloriously gooey and rich with rum, prunes and chestnut purée. You could try experimenting with different flavours (such as orange zest and ginger) or use non-alcoholic rum or apple juice for a booze-free version.
Chocolate cookies are a perennial favourite, and this recipe puts several twists on a classic. Brown butter adds the most amazing depth of flavour, with slightly bitter caramel notes, while tahini brings an earthiness that helps to balance out the sweetness. This is a great way to use up bananas that are on the turn, too – the riper, the better.
Get the recipe for brown butter, banana, tahini and chocolate cookies here
Simple is all well and good, but sometimes you need a cake that shows off your baking skills – as well as the amount of time and effort you’ve put in. This cake, with the flavours and caramelised finish of a crème brûlée, is just the thing; it's ideal for a special occasion (or just when you fancy a challenge). There are quite a few technical processes involved, so you’ll need plenty of time and patience, but the result will be worth it.
This wonderfully inventive recipe combines two of our favourite things: brownies and sourdough. It’s perfect if you feel guilty about throwing away excess starter when you make sourdough loaves, because that’s the key ingredient here. To make these brownies, you'll need a starter that’s equal parts water and flour; it'll give the brownies a lovely rise and a mildly fermented note that will balance the sweetness brilliantly.
The slightly higgledy-piggledy look of this layer cake is all part of its charm. It also means it’s relatively easy to pull off, yet still striking enough to serve for a special occasion or as a centrepiece dessert. The basic vanilla sponges are baked in five tins, and the cakes are then layered with fresh fruit and cream. You can experiment by adding different flavours to the sponges – think orange zest, freeze-dried fruits or spices – and by varying the filling.
Here, a classic lemon meringue pie is given a zingy makeover with the help of ruby grapefruits and lime (although you could use yellow grapefruit instead, if you prefer). The sweet pastry in this recipe is homemade, but you could also use shop-bought shortcrust pastry to make the recipe quicker and easier. The zesty custard filling, meanwhile, is very forgiving, as cornflour is added to reduce the risk of curdling.
This wholesome cake will keep for up to five days in an airtight container – if you can resist eating it for that long, that is! It'd be perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, and you could even try it as a dessert (just add berries and some thick Greek yogurt). The sponge is made with wholemeal flour, seeds, almonds and orange or lemon zest, which gives it a wonderful texture and flavour.
Snack bars are surprisingly easy to make – and they're usually far more delicious than shop-bought versions. These simple bars, packed with oats, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, bananas, honey and peanut butter, are perfect for popping in lunch boxes or enjoying as a filling snack. They'll keep for three days in an airtight container, and they freeze well once cooked; just thaw them out to room temperature before eating.
If you're a chocolate fan who also adores cheesecake, this is the recipe for you. Start by topping a base of chocolate chip biscuits with crushed raspberries or cherries, add a creamy mix of dark chocolate, cream cheese and a hint of orange, then bake. This dessert is very rich, so be sure to serve it with raspberries or redcurrants to balance the flavours.
This centrepiece cake has real wow factor, but it isn't particularly difficult to make. To marble the batter, simply make the basic sponge mix and divide it between two bowls. Add coffee to one half, then marble the two together using a skewer. While the cake bakes, there's an easy coffee glaze to make. The finishing touch is a drizzle of white chocolate – if you don't have a piping bag, spoon the melted chocolate into a plastic bag and snip off a corner.
Made with puff pastry, this caramelised upside-down apple tart is a classic French dessert, originally from Normandy. The cooking process starts on the hob, so you'll need a skillet or other deep-sided frying pan that'll fit in the oven to make it. You'll also want to seek out firm apples that don't disintegrate during cooking; Golden Delicious, Cox or Granny Smith apples would be perfect. When it's ready, serve it with whipped or thick cream.
These are muffins with a healthier twist – they're made with wholemeal flour, bran and yogurt (and you can happily use frozen blueberries, too). They take just 20 minutes to rustle up, and as the recipe makes a relatively large batch of 18 muffins, you can always freeze some for another day. Just be sure to thaw them at room temperature before serving.
A classic upside-down cake is usually made with pineapple, so this recipe makes a refreshing (and rather impressive) change. The clementines bring a slightly bitter note, contrasting with the caramel and aromatic cardamom – and cutting through the richness of the sponge to produce a well-balanced bake. A sweet, sticky apricot glaze adds a final burst of flavour.
Get the recipe for clementine and cardamom upside-down cake here
Here's a crumble with a difference, filled with caramelised bananas, coconut and sticky dates, and topped with a crunchy mass of peanut butter, oats and coconut. This rich and comforting dessert is also vegan – and it's served with a creamy cardamom custard that's made with plant-based milk.
Soy yogurt, dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk work miracles in this classic recipe with a vegan twist, resulting in a sponge that's just as light and airy as a traditional Victoria sponge. The plant-based dessert still has a creamy filling and a generous layer of raspberry jam – but if you like, you can use strawberry or apricot jam instead (or add fresh berries).
This easy crumble swaps flour, sugar and butter for a mix of sticky Medjool dates, oats and almonds. There's no rubbing in of butter called for, either; you just need to mix everything together and sprinkle it on top of the berry filling (if you like, you can make things even simpler by using thawed frozen berries). When it's ready, serve it with thick Greek yogurt.
These blondies are crisp on the outside and wonderfully soft and gooey in the centre, and they take just 10 minutes to prepare. The trick is not to overcook them, so take them out of the oven while they're still slightly underdone; they’ll carry on cooking as they cool in the tin. White chocolate, peanut butter and bananas are such a great combination – we reckon everyone will be asking for more.
Get the recipe for white chocolate, peanut butter and banana blondies here
Take a classic carrot cake, add chocolate chips, top it with a burnt butter and cream cheese frosting, and you'll end up with this truly special sweet treat. This easy cake can be prepared in just 25 minutes, and it's all baked in a single rectangular tin. It'll keep for up to four days if stored tightly covered.
To make frangipane, all you need to do is whiz up some almonds with butter, sugar, eggs and flour; once baked, the thick mix rises to produce a light sponge infused with aromatic, nutty, almost floral flavours. The base for this dessert is sliced brioche, so there's no pastry making involved. When ready, it's topped with apple slices, then glazed with apricot jam.
Get the recipe for brioche, frangipane and apple pudding here
If you need a showstopping dessert for a special occasion, this gorgeous roulade will fit the bill. The 'boozy' part comes from the addition of Irish cream liqueur to the filling, but if you like, you can use half a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste instead. You don't even have to make the praline decoration – just buy a bar of nut caramel, then chop it into pieces.
Get the recipe for chocolate and hazelnut boozy roulade here
This fragrant bake puts a delicious twist on regular coffee cake. Spiced with nutmeg, the light, moist sponge is soaked with a coffee syrup once baked, giving it a wonderfully moist texture. The final flourish is a thick rum and custard cream topping; however, if you're unlikely to devour the cake in one sitting, it's best to add this individually to each serving. Undecorated, the sponge will keep in a sealed container for a day or two.
Think of Florentines as the delicious offspring of a nutty, buttery biscuit and a brandy snap, with a touch of toffee added to the mix. They're simple to make – the ingredients are mixed in a saucepan, with no whisking or folding required. Crystallised ginger, almonds and orange zest add extra interest to the recipe. The finished Florentines are dipped in marbled white and dark chocolate.
This tart is as pretty as a picture – and although it takes some time to make, none of the steps are as complicated as the final result might suggest. The apple 'roses' are simply softened slices of apple, rolled up to make flower shapes; they're used to decorate a tart base made from shop-bought shortcrust pastry and filled with fragrant frangipane. The roses will have even more impact if you use apples with different coloured skins to make them.
Inspired by a classic New York cheesecake, but with a Caribbean twist, this dessert certainly comes with plenty of wow factor. The cheesecake filling contains mashed banana – and once baked and cooled, it's topped with spiced banana fritters, whipped cream and fresh berries. You may want to make extra fritters; they're so good, they'd make a yummy dessert on their own.
Get the recipe for American cheesecake with banana fritters here
Ras malai – a West Bengali dessert of cheese curd dumplings served floating in spiced milk – is the inspiration for this cake. The sponge is scented with saffron, and once baked, it's drizzled with cardamom-infused milk. More of the spiced milk is used to flavour the buttercream filling and icing. Chopped pistachios and edible rose petals complete the cake in the prettiest possible way.
This four-tier stunner is just the thing for a special occasion. Despite its good looks, it's remarkably easy to put together, too. The only potentially tricky technical part is making the caramel, which is straightforward if you keep the sugar melting over a low heat – patience is the key ingredient here. The cake is filled with an almond butter icing, with some of the finely chopped brittle stirred through.
These delicate sponges, with their signature shell shape, are always a winner. You can prep them ahead of time and keep the batter overnight in the fridge, but they're best eaten fresh from the oven. If you don't have a traditional madeleine tray, use a mini muffin tray instead (although you obviously won't achieve the distinctive shape). This recipe adds orange zest and cardamom, and the result is wonderfully delicate, fragrant and floral.
Get the recipe for orange, almond and cardamom madeleines here
If you love a slice of coffee and walnut cake, these little bakes will hit the spot. Spiced with an unusual mix of ground pink peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then baked in muffin tins, they're finished with a thick glaze made with strong, freshly brewed coffee. If you have silicone muffin moulds, it'll be even easier to prise them out once cooled.
The joyful thing about this easy pudding is that when you scoop off a piece of sponge, rich chocolate sauce is revealed underneath. Make a chocolate cake batter using a mix of dark and milk chocolate, then pour a sauce of cocoa powder, water and sugar over the top. As the batter bakes, the sauce will sink to the bottom. This is a genius idea that's simple to pull together – and the pudding is ready to serve in 45 minutes.
Fresh and zesty, this tart would be the perfect thing to round off an extra-special meal. If you can't find clementines, use oranges – it'll still taste fabulous. You can also buy the pastry instead of making it. The tart does need to chill for up to 12 hours after baking, so this is a great make-ahead dessert option.
This simple cheesecake – complete with a ginger nut biscuit base and a creamy, fruity topping – takes just 20 minutes to prepare, though it should ideally be chilled in the fridge for at least a few hours after baking. You can use frozen blueberries to make it, and there's no need to thaw them. Not a fan of ginger nuts? Simply use digestives (or any other biscuit with a similar texture) instead.
Buttery shortbread is so simple to make, with just three ingredients: sugar, flour and butter. This recipe comes with a little twist; orange zest is added to the biscuit dough, and the biscuits are dipped in dark chocolate. You could also dip them in white chocolate and substitute the orange zest for lemon, or make a mixed batch. With just 10 minutes of prep required, you can rustle them up in no time. They'd make a lovely gift, too.
Looking for an intensely chocolatey brownie? This one's for you! It's served with a spread of dulce de leche, a creamy caramel sauce made from milk and sugar. You can try making your own with our recipe, or buy it ready made to make things easier. If you decide to use shop-bought dulce de leche, add a pinch of sea salt – it'll contrast beautifully with the sweetness of the sauce.
Get the recipe for chocolate brownies with dulce de leche here
This gluten-free chocolate cake has a crunchy base and a soft, squidgy topping. The same cake batter is used for both layers, but you slightly overcook the base and undercook the topping. This nifty trick results in a fabulous texture that's a little different from your usual chocolate cake. Serve it with a dollop of crème fraîche and some cherries or red berries.
These decadent three-layer brownies are easy to make and totally delicious. A chocolate brownie base is covered in a caramel sauce laced with toasted nuts, then topped with a baked cheesecake mix flavoured with orange and almond. Served with a dusting of cocoa powder, they’re the sort of treat that people will be raving about long after the last square has been demolished.
Get the recipe for triple chocolate cheesecake brownies here
This stunning dessert is guaranteed to impress your guests – and the best part is that you won't have to spend too long in the kitchen to make it. Sticky and indulgent, it's very much like a traditional banoffee pie, except for one thing: a hint of fragrant rosemary is added to the caramel to balance out the sweetness. It's the ultimate dinner party dessert!
This one-pot apple pie takes just 10 minutes to prepare. The easy salted caramel sauce is made by melting together butter, sugar, cream and salt – and diced apple is then added in. After that, the mix is simply topped with ready-rolled puff pastry and a sprinkling of demerara sugar before being baked until crisp.
This hearty recipe packs in porridge oats, dried fruit and sweet bananas for a wholesome riff on traditional banana bread. It'd be perfect as a snack or for breakfast, especially topped with nut butter and berries. You can freeze the loaf in slices for up to three months, then simply defrost them in the toaster when you fancy a delicious – and healthy – bite.
Pecan pie, with its toasted nut topping and indulgent filling, will never go out of fashion. This recipe puts a twist on the American classic by using spelt flour for the pastry, although you can swap it for plain flour if you prefer. To make life even easier, you could even buy ready-made shortcrust pastry – after all, the rich, syrupy, nutty filling is the most important element.
These individual desserts have a crisp exterior, which, when cracked open with a spoon, reveals the wonderfully oozy, chocolatey sauce hiding within. The recipe says to use dariole moulds, but you can use ovenproof ramekin dishes instead if you don't have any. Serve the fondants with cream, ice cream or salted caramel sauce – and plenty of fresh berries.
Pineapple upside-down cake is a real classic. This version is made with fresh pineapple rather than canned – and ginger adds a touch of extra brightness and zing (plus, it really cuts through the sweet caramel). Make sure the fruit is ripe and juicy for the best result; if not, you might want to use tinned pineapple, or other fruits like nectarines or peaches.
Get the recipe for pineapple and ginger upside-down cake here
Rich, dense and packed with fresh raspberries and hazelnuts, these brownies always go down a treat. The tartness of the fruit balances the richness of the extremely chocolatey brownies, which contain both melted dark chocolate and chocolate chips. Really, they're more of a dessert than a cake – so feel free to serve them with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
This recipe for classic New York cheesecake is utterly delicious. Baking the cheesecake slowly and gently yields the smoothest, silkiest of textures. A few tips to achieve perfection: use full-fat cream cheese (otherwise, the filling will be watery), and be careful not to overcook the cheesecake – it'll keep cooking as it cools. Serve it with a simple compote made from frozen berries.
Making choux pastry is perhaps not for complete beginners, but it's easier than you might think. The dough is mostly prepared in a saucepan; the eggs are then added, and the mix is left to cool before being piped and baked. You can make the choux buns the day before, then refresh them in the oven to prevent sogginess. Leave them to cool, fill them with whipped cream or pastry cream, then drizzle them with chocolate sauce to serve.
Buttery vanilla cookies never fail to please. These cookies are easy to make; just be sure to allow time for the dough to chill, as it will make it easier to cut it into neat shapes. The recipe makes 25 cookies, which you can freeze after shaping and cook straight from frozen (just remember to allow some extra baking time).
Red velvet cake is among the most glamorous and dramatic of bakes, so it's ideal for parties and celebrations. The basic sponge and cream cheese frosting are straightforward to make – and then you can go wild with the decoration. Our recipe suggests sprinkling some of the cake crumbs over the top, though you could add fresh berries or chocolate shavings instead, if you prefer. The mixture makes great cupcakes, too.
A British classic, sticky toffee pudding might just be the cosiest, most comforting dessert of all. Here, you can either make one large cake or divide the mixture between individual metal pudding basins to make two (or more). The sponge base contains dates for that wonderful stickiness and toffee flavour – and once cooked, the sponge is drenched with a toffee sauce, which tastes even better if you add a pinch of sea salt.
A great chocolate chip cookie recipe is a must-have; if you shape and freeze the raw dough, you'll always have soft and chewy bakes on standby. You'll need to chill the dough until firm in the fridge, then cut it into pieces or roll it into balls. Open freeze the pieces on uncovered trays, then pop them into plastic bags or containers. You can then bake cookies from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time (alternatively, thaw the cookies overnight in the fridge before you bake).
No British afternoon tea would be complete without scones, clotted cream and jam. There's some debate as to whether the cream or jam comes first, so we'll leave that part to you! The scones themselves are simple to make – and they're best enjoyed soft and warm from the oven (though you can reheat them before serving if you want to make a bigger batch). The trick is to avoid handling the dough too much, or your scones will become tough instead of light and airy.
This layer cake features a gorgeously rich, moist sponge that's incredibly easy to make, with a batter that can all be piled into one tin. The sponge is split once cooled, then filled with whipped cream and strawberry jam. It's the ideal cake for a classic afternoon tea – and it'd be especially good served with a scattering of fresh berries.
If you've been searching for a foolproof carrot cake recipe, look no further. The sponge mixture is very forgiving – so if you like, you can make it a day ahead and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. The frosting is a little more demanding; your ingredients need to be at room temperature, plus you must use full-fat cream cheese and the best butter you can find. Cheaper butter and low-fat cream cheese can be a little watery, which will give you a thinner frosting.
What's not to love about a classic lemon drizzle cake, with its soft, citrussy sponge and crisp lemon glaze? This easy recipe uses buttermilk, but you can substitute it for an equal quantity of milk and a squeeze of lemon juice if you don't have any to hand. It's a great bake for beginners; although the recipe is simple, the flavours are bright and zingy (and a little pretty decoration goes a long way).
The batter for these easy chocolate cupcakes can be mixed and ready in 10 minutes – and once baked, the cakes can be topped as you wish. Why not try a rich ganache icing? To make one, put equal quantities of chopped dark chocolate and double cream in a saucepan, then heat gently until the chocolate has melted. Remove the mixture from the heat, then whisk it until it's silky and fully combined. Allow the ganache to cool slightly (so it's thick enough that it won't simply run off the cakes), then start piping.
Get the recipe for chocolate cupcakes here
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Last updated by Jessica Morris.