and allow the marzipan to cool and become pliable.
Tip Marzipan is incredibly useful for so many cakes, from icing to decoration and even as a key ingredient in the actual sponge (as in the recipe opposite). It will keep in the fridge, covered, for up to three months, and it can be frozen too.
Eating apples are best in this recipe as they keep their shape while baking, whereas cooking apples tend to disintegrate as they cook. These bars are full of texture from the apples, and have the slight chewiness of oats and the crunch of pecans. They’re good candidates for lunchboxes and will keep for 4–5 days in an airtight container.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 25–30 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes
Makes: 12 bars
2 eating apples (unpeeled), cored, cut into quarters and roughly chopped
150g (5oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
150g (5oz) light soft brown sugar
50g (2oz) porridge oats
2 eggs
200g (7oz) self-raising flour, sifted
50g (2oz) pecans, plus 12 to decorate
23 × 30cm (9 × 12in) Swiss roll tin
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then grease the sides of the Swiss roll tin with butter and line the base with baking parchment.
Place the prepared apples in a food processor and pulse a few times until they’re in small pieces. Add the butter and sugar and cream together for 20 seconds or so, then add all the remaining ingredients and pulse just until mixed.
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and place the pecans on top, spaced apart to form an even grid (4 × 3). Bake for 25–30 minutes or until risen and golden, then remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool down completely.
When cool, cut into 12 bars, each with one pecan on top, and remove from the tin.
Raspberry jam and coconut are one of those combinations that seem meant for each other and they’ve found their way into quite a few of my recipes. This cake is simple and so fast to make – perfect as an after-school treat or a last-minute addition to finish off lunch.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 15–20 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour
Makes: 24 squares
225g (8oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
225g (8oz) caster sugar
4 eggs
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
250g (9oz) raspberry jam
50g (2oz) desiccated coconut, to decorate
23 × 30cm (9 × 12in) Swiss roll tin
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then grease the sides of the Swiss roll tin with butter and line the base with baking parchment.
Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and fold in gently to incorporate.
Tip the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a palette knife or spatula. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden on top and springy to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a small, sharp knife. Place a wire rack upside down on top of the cake and carefully turn over. Remove the tin and peel off the baking parchment, then turn over again onto another wire rack so the cake is upright, and leave it to cool down completely.
Once the cake has cooled, cover with raspberry jam, then sprinkle the coconut evenly over the cake and cut into 24 squares to serve.
Crunchy peanut butter banana muffins
The combination of peanut butter and banana works so well in these muffins, which are really easy to make. They’ll keep for 4–5 days in an airtight container, though when their amazing smell draws everyone into the kitchen, I can’t promise they’ll last more than 4–5 minutes!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20–25 minutes
Ready in: 50 minutes
Makes: 12 muffins
75g (3oz) butter, softened
200g (7oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) crunchy peanut butter
2 very ripe bananas (about 200g/7oz when peeled), peeled and mashed
4 eggs, beaten
250g (9oz) self-raising flour
12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.
Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar, peanut butter and the mashed bananas, then beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating continuously. Sift in the flour and fold in gently to combine.
Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each up to three-quarters full, and bake for 20–25 minutes or until risen and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave on the rack to finish cooling.
Upside-down peach and saffron cake
An upside-down cake takes so little time to bring together. Here I’ve combined lightly caramelised peaches with that most magical of spices, saffron. If you can get good fresh peaches, then do use them, but they’re quite hard to find, even in late summer. Tinned peaches work perfectly well otherwise. Delicious as a dessert, this cake would also be lovely to serve guests for afternoon tea.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: